# Tips of using Calcium Chloride



## Lynden-Jeff (May 21, 2006)

*Tips for using Calcium Chloride*

Hi,

Just building my first test system. Im using 30% Liquidow as my spray material. The primary use of this system will be to "spot treat" puddles/icy spots after times of flurries or melt off when we do not want to load up the salt truck. Id also like to try pre-treating before flurries or light snow events. Ive read calcium chlroride used wrong can cause "slippery" conditions. When would this be? Any other tips or suggestions appreciated!

Thanks
Jeff


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## Metro Lawn (Nov 20, 2003)

Make sure your calibration is correct for the deicer that you are using. We build sprayers and see this all the time. Guys trying to save a couple bucks build a sprayer that delivers too much or not enough material. There is more to liquid deicing than just making a rig that can spray.


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

Lynden-Jeff;1135706 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Just building my first test system. Im using 30% Liquidow as my spray material. The primary use of this system will be to "spot treat" puddles/icy spots after times of flurries or melt off when we do not want to load up the salt truck. Id also like to try pre-treating before flurries or light snow events. Ive read calcium chlroride used wrong can cause "slippery" conditions. When would this be? Any other tips or suggestions appreciated!
> 
> ...


Using too much cacl2 causes slippery conditions. Too little or skimping on an application will only lead you to believe that liquid sucks and does not work. I custom build sprayers for people and I tell all of them to test it in the spring and get it dialed in. It sucks to test in the winter with expensive product. You will get the best results from a straight stream boom that you can make out of sch 80 pvc, 7/64 to 3/16 hole size depending on how fast you want it down. Dont cheap out and buy a sprinkler valve, buy an ag valve. Make sure you add a spray wand with at least a 2gpm tip. Use the search function too.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

For your gravity boom? How fare apart did you drill the holes....? Any idea of total hole diameter per foot of boom? And for what speed? 

I'm truing to build one for a dump truck. Not sure if I'm going to use an electronic valve or not.


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

elite1msmith;1142127 said:


> For your gravity boom? How fare apart did you drill the holes....? Any idea of total hole diameter per foot of boom? And for what speed?
> 
> I'm truing to build one for a dump truck. Not sure if I'm going to use an electronic valve or not.


Whom are you asking?


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

Sorry lol

Well your self with regards to your last post


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

elite1msmith;1142208 said:


> Sorry lol
> 
> Well your self with regards to your last post


Oooh, ok, just wanted to make sure



elite1msmith;1142127 said:


> For your gravity boom? How fare apart did you drill the holes....? Any idea of total hole diameter per foot of boom? And for what speed?
> 
> I'm truing to build one for a dump truck. Not sure if I'm going to use an electronic valve or not.


No gravity here, I want to get in and get out. Honda powered pump, never had it not start even 5 below 0

I have experimented with everything you can think of, and found out that holes every 4" to 6" works best, drill them in a drill press with a modified holder so all the holes are straight.

Total hole diameter? I dont get that. Are you trying to figure out total gpm? I found a chart on the web that has flow rates for different size holes, I will have to look it up.

Speed......well I have two booms on my truck for 5mph to 15mph

you will curse yourself if you dont buy a valve, by the time you get out of the truck to turn off a manual valve you will have lost a few gallons if not more


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

deicepro;1142242 said:


> Oooh, ok, just wanted to make sure
> 
> No gravity here, I want to get in and get out. Honda powered pump, never had it not start even 5 below 0
> 
> ...


total hole diamiter -- simply take your hole size, and muliply by the number of holes. i did some experimenting with a gravity boom a few years ago, never put it in play tho . what we learned was while using gravity the "boom size, and hose/es " feeding it need to be larger than the sum of the holes diamiters, or else not all the holes will have the same flow rate.../ example if you have 10 holes that are 1/4 inch diamiter the total is 2.5 inches and thus you need hose and boom pipe size 2.5 inche or larger.

there are other ways to work around it, but more or less this was the simpliest

you know at first i really rejected the gravity idea. i kept thinking it was too primative, or basic, but this year i had to water 25 trees along a parkway, and i dont own a pump so we just did gravity feed out of a tank with a fire hose. it worked so well, i figure a gravity boom cant be too bad. considering the basic cost, the low skill, and lets face it....what could go wrong..im pretty sure gravity has been very reliable.

as for the valve....well its going on a dump truck that already has a hole in the floor for the dump lever....so i was kinda considering the manuel valve with a rod under the cab and a lever.... might be too much work, but like i said, if that would work, i think that would be the most reliable deicing system ever. but no i would not want to get out of the truck to turn it on or off.


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## fishgeek (Sep 10, 2010)

deicepro;1139998 said:


> Using too much cacl2 causes slippery conditions. Too little or skimping on an application will only lead you to believe that liquid sucks and does not work. I custom build sprayers for people and I tell all of them to test it in the spring and get it dialed in. It sucks to test in the winter with expensive product. You will get the best results from a straight stream boom that you can make out of sch 80 pvc, 7/64 to 3/16 hole size depending on how fast you want it down. Dont cheap out and buy a sprinkler valve, buy an ag valve. Make sure you add a spray wand with at least a 2gpm tip. Use the search function too.


Hi deicepro
Question on your boom, you just drill holes into the schedule 80? Are all the holes drilled perpendicular to the pvc? and how far apart do you recommend when the boom is 20" off the ground? Is there a problem with the 3 stream jets or is it a cost factor?

Thanks Bob:salute:


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

fishgeek;1143408 said:


> Hi deicepro
> Question on your boom, you just drill holes into the schedule 80? Are all the holes drilled perpendicular to the pvc? and how far apart do you recommend when the boom is 20" off the ground? Is there a problem with the 3 stream jets or is it a cost factor?
> 
> Thanks Bob:salute:


Yes, holes are drilled perpendicular into the sch 80, I usually drill them 6" apart but sometimes as close as 4" apart, sch 80 is cheap to rebuild (less than $10)should you back into it an break it, ease of replacement for me more so than cost


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