# Looking for Potassium Chloride in bags buy the pallet



## Lawn Tech LLC. (Jan 20, 2008)

Any one know where to get Potassium Chloride in bags that I can buy by the pallet. I am in the St. Louis, MO area.


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

i don't know this for sure but have hard that potassium is approaching $26 per bag, that calcium actually maybe cheaper

ps..lesco, scotts power equipment?


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## Lawn Tech LLC. (Jan 20, 2008)

xtreem3d;581651 said:


> i don't know this for sure but have hard that potassium is approaching $26 per bag, that calcium actually maybe cheaper
> 
> ps..lesco, scotts power equipment?


Thanks,

Lawn Tech LLC


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

try a farm fertilizer place

the price might be a little better their too


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## Lawn Tech LLC. (Jan 20, 2008)

cretebaby;582588 said:


> try a farm fertilizer place
> 
> the price might be a little better their too


Thanks

LT


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## laker (Feb 2, 2000)

check with shawn at heidco.

kane


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

FYI, potassium is pretty much worthless as a de-icer, if you care. 

Has a very high working temp and needs sunlight to be effective.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

Mark Oomkes;585566 said:


> FYI, potassium is pretty much worthless as a de-icer, if you care.
> 
> Has a very high working temp and needs sunlight to be effective.


mark you are partialy correct, it is not real effective but far from worthless and it doesnt need sunlight it just seems this way because generally the pavement starts to warm in the sun and the results become visable faster


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

cretebaby;585784 said:


> mark you are partialy correct, it is not real effective but far from worthless and it doesnt need sunlight it just seems this way because generally the pavement starts to warm in the sun and the results become visable faster


From the Salt Institute:

There is yet another reason for the deicing action of these two deicers, heat liberation. As they dissolve, both chemicals liberate heat, which is known as exothermic reaction. A single pound of calcium chloride releases 290 BTU as it dissolves. The other deicers have just the opposite effect. Sodium chloride, for an example, draws 39 BTU from its surroundings as it goes into solution (an endothermic reaction).* Potassium chloride requires even more heat (170 BTU)*, and urea requires 106 BTU.

From Iowa State University:

Potassium chloride (KCl) is a naturally-occurring material that is also used as a fertilizer (muriate of potash) and a food salt substitute. Because of its high salt index and the potential to burn foliage and inhibit rooting, its use is relatively limited.

Potassium chloride (KCl)
Another chloride, Potassium chloride, is similar to fertilizer products, Don Walker, professor of engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says. "Some people like to promote its use because of the fertilizer aspects of the potassium, which can be beneficial to plants," he explains. "It comes in a solid material, but it's a deicer that doesn't work unless temperatures are in the mid-20's or higher, and it's very expensive."

So in essence you may be correct that it doesn't really _need _ sunlight, it's going to be pretty worthless without it. It is at the bottom of my list when it comes to de-icing materials because of its very limited potential.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

great info mark, some of the reasons for its use is its less harmful to concrete, steel siding and grass, some of the jobs we use it on plow perfectly clean all it needs is something to give it a wet look

we sold a job by selling them the benifets of potash since it was 30 day old concrete and new steel building right up against the lot, it has worked most storms and they have wanted to stay with it for several years now


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