# parking outdoors with bulk



## kc2006 (Oct 16, 2005)

I'm looking at buying a kodiak and it's too big to get into the garage, I'm going to run a vbox on it and am having concerns about leaving it outdoors loaded with salt. I buy salt from a friend that is stored indoors and is dry as can be. Do you think I'll have issues with leaving it out? 

Someone said if you put a shop light in the vbox under the tarp it'll keep moisture burned off. Any suggestions?


----------



## goel (Nov 23, 2010)

Keep lots of windshield washer fluid handy. 

I can't see how 1 light at the top would keep the bottom from freezing - which is where the problem/s will be. Wind always created any problems I had in the past.


----------



## DodgeBlizzard (Nov 7, 2003)

The salt may be dry, but the moisture in the air may not be. It only takes ONE time to hand shovel frozen salt out of a vbox at 5 AM, before you learn very quickly what not to do again. But when it happened to me, it was very wet and got very cold. Can you find a building that you can put a torpedo heater in? Ask around, put an ad on Craigslist. Barter for salting a lot if and when you can put your truck in their garage.


----------



## DodgeBlizzard (Nov 7, 2003)

The salt may be dry, but the moisture in the air may not be. It only takes ONE time to hand shovel frozen salt out of a vbox at 5 AM, before you learn very quickly what not to do again. But when it happened to me, it was very wet and got very cold. Can you find a building that you can put a torpedo heater in? Ask around, put an ad on Craigslist. Barter for salting a lot if and when you can put your truck in their garage.


----------



## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

NO NO NO on storing outside in the spreader. 

One time like someone said is all it'll take and I think we've all been thru it.

Windshield washer fluid, maybe for you but didn't even make a dent in mine.

Once at a carwash, they were pissed, and once at home with hot water running thru a hose. 3000# of salt juice on the ground.


----------



## kc2006 (Oct 16, 2005)

Thanks guys, thats what I suspected. Sucks because my garage is heated but this truck won't fit.


----------



## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I once used a little space heater, it is an enormous waste of elec but it works. Uh oh!!! Maybe when we're surveyed by the spreader manufacturers we could request heater lines that can be plugged in at night. Loading up the night before has huge advanttges.


----------



## Metro Lawn (Nov 20, 2003)

This is why I am glad I use liquid. Never goes bad, doesn't freeze and can sit in the truck all the time.

metro-melt.com


----------



## WilliamOak (Feb 11, 2008)

We've left treated salt in the V box for days on end after dud events/extra material. Never would I dream of doing that with just straight salt.


----------



## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

Treated salt wouldn't be too bad. But untreated wouldn't be fun.

You could always buy a few of these and stick them down in the salt. 2' long so should go most the way down.

http://www.amazon.com/Kats-15200-Dipstick-Style-Heater/dp/B000BO74DG/ref=zg_bs_15725531_13

Also throwing a canvas tarp over it and have it go down past the bed will help. It will keep the wind off the box and believe me, just keeping the wind off helps a lot. I used to park my 2nd truck outside in the open and it was a PIA to start at 2am. Once I built my lean-two it was a heck of a lot easier to start.


----------



## kc2006 (Oct 16, 2005)

maelawncare;1510171 said:


> Treated salt wouldn't be too bad. But untreated wouldn't be fun.
> 
> You could always buy a few of these and stick them down in the salt. 2' long so should go most the way down.
> 
> ...


You ever use one of those heaters? At 90 watts that's not bad, even if you had to get 5 of them your only at 450 watts. Block heaters are usually what 1000-1500watt.


----------



## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

kc2006;1510428 said:


> You ever use one of those heaters? At 90 watts that's not bad, even if you had to get 5 of them your only at 450 watts. Block heaters are usually what 1000-1500watt.


Nope, have no clue how good they work. You could get one to try it in a bucket of water or something.


----------



## kc2006 (Oct 16, 2005)

Yea I might try that. Fill a bucket with salt and see how far it'll heat.

I left my truck out one time last year for a couple days and the whole thing was fine except down at the opening where the auger was. I bet putting one or two of them in the bottom would keep it good even.


----------



## condo plow (Nov 6, 2012)

goel;1508802 said:


> Keep lots of windshield washer fluid handy.
> 
> I can't see how 1 light at the top would keep the bottom from freezing - which is where the problem/s will be. Wind always created any problems I had in the past.


We had the same problem with untreated salt it would freeze on us. We used a lot of windshield fluid but this even made down time for us. We heard about magic salt. We tried it in a few vboxs and it did not freeze at all. Long as we got it dry and kept the vboxs covered. Their are other treated salt that gives the same outcome as magic salt..good luck


----------

