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Pre-Wetting:
The use of a liquid to pre-wet dry
chloride deicers and abrasives has been around for a lot longer
than most people realize. Pioneered over 30 years ago, a study
by Marquette University concluded that substantial savings in
materials (30%) is recognized when pre-wetting is employed.
Pre-wetting of salt means that you coat, or treat,
the material with a liquid. Generally done in the range of 8-12
gallons of liquid per ton of material, this approach has many
benefits. Pre-wetting salt makes it a stick to the pavement and
less prone to blowing off from traffic before it can begin to
brine. The type of liquid used to pre-wet can be anything from
a solution of salt brine itself, to a high performance formulated
product like our magnesium chloride or calcium chloride liquids.
These can be further enhanced with admixtures of products like
Caliper and IceBan for corrosion inhibition.
A variety choices are available to customers who
want to try pre-wetting; on board systems that spray the materials
as they fall down the chute to the spinner on board each truck,
stationary systems that work like a shower treating the entire
load as it is loaded, or more recently stockpile treatment of
salt as it is loaded into the storage shed. All of these approaches
have pros and cons. Determining which one is best for you is what
where we come in. Our partner in pre-wetting systems is Reed Systems,
who has been building and engineering systems since the 70s.
At a minimum, sufficient storage tank capacity is
needed to service your needs. A good rule of thumb is that you
should be able to store at least 1.5 full tank trucks of liquid
if you can justify it. The reason is simple: If you take deliveries
of liquid that are less than 45,000 lbs, then you are paying to
haul air in the tank truck. Our tankers hold approximately 4500
gallons of liquid. Our costs to move that tanker from our facility
to your facility are the same whether it has 4500 gallons, or
450 gallons. The cost of the delivery will not change since you
are paying to move the whole truck irrespective of how much product
is in it.
The best economics are when we can deliver full
tank truck quantities to our customers. That generally requires
that the customer has sufficient storage to allow some “heel”
in the tank to cover the time between when product is ordered
and when it is delivered, normally a few days. On this basis,
we try to recommend 6,000 gallon storage tanks for all of our
liquid customers as a starting point. More to the point, if our
costs of moving our tankers are $450 per delivery, then a delivery
of 450 gallons costs $1.00 per gallon as compared with 4,500 gallons
which costs only $0.10/gallon; a savings of $0.90/gallon in freight
costs alone! This is pretty significant when you consider that
most of our liquids are priced at less than $0.50/gallon plus
delivery costs.
When you think pre-wetting, think Meltsnow.com.
We are ready to help you to obtain liquids and delivery systems
which put you in control of the snow.
 HOPPER
SPREADERS
Our “SB” Saddle Bags Series is designed
to fit in the triangular space on the sides of a spreader and
to fit in a dump body if required. Tank sizes range from 20 gallon,
for pick up spreaders to 150 for tandem axle trucks.
 REED
pioneered the use of liquid melting agents and application equipment
in the late 1970’s. With over 15,000 prewetting systems in
use across North America, we have proven the durability of our
equipment. We also have proven the service that has allowed some
of our customers to get two decades of use from our equipment.
The experience and knowledge that we have gained while working
with our long-term customers has allowed us to continually improve
our products. That experience and knowledge gives added value
to those who purchase our products. There is a clear choice to
be made when purchasing equipment. We hope that you choose to
purchase well designed equipment that works dependably in the
middle of a cold January night. That is the reason why our customers
invariably have successful pre-wetting programs. Thin walled tanks,
plastic fittings and poorly designed, unprotected pumps consistently
fail when they are needed most, destroying confidence of the operators
and mechanics.
 TAILGATE
OR DUAL PURPOSE SPREADERS
Our “”TG” Tailgate Series is designed
to fit on the tailgate of the truck. Capacities range from 35
to 180 gallon. (shown left)
 Our
“CM”, Chassis Mount Series, is designed to fit between
the cab and dump body. (clearance of 14” is required) Capacities
range from 60 to 160 gallons. (shown right)
A DIVERSE LINE OF EQUIPMENT –
With tanks of various shapes and sizes ranging from 20 to 200
gallons, Reed Systems can equip a wide range of trucks with pre-wetting
systems. We can equip hopper spreaders with capacities from 1
cubic yard to 16 cubic yards, with tanks with the capacity to
allow you to treat multiple loads of granular material. We have
tanks specifically designed for tailgate spreaders ranging in
size from 35 gallons to 180 gallons. We have tanks with protective
frames to mount on the chassis of the vehicle.
PUMPS – Meltsnow.com
has pumps powered hydraulically or by 12 volt electric that are
enclosed in NEMA 4 rated, sealed fiberglass enclosures. Over the
past 20 years we have learned which components will give dependable
service and are affordable. All our pumps are guaranteed for one
year.
CONTROLS – Meltsnow.com
designs and manufactures control systems specifically for highway
maintenance. Our controllers range from simple on/off models to
sophisticated, solid state, data logging units. All are proven
dependable and guaranteed for one year.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
– Pre-wetting equipment is used in the worst imaginable conditions.
Constantly exposed to vibration, abrasion, corrosion and temperatures
down to –40oF, the equipment must function dependably. If
it does not, personal injury or death may result. If it breaks
down the truck has to be taken out of service and some poor mechanic
has to fix it. (Usually in the middle of the night. Have you ever
immersed your fingers in –40oF liquid?) Those are the reasons
why we use durable, proven components to manufacture our systems.
We add extra polyethylene resins during the rotational molding
process to get added wall thickness and tap brass fittings into
areas of further increases wall thickness allowing us to offer
a five year warranty on our tanks.
CONSULTATION –
Because of our experience in pre-wetting and the wide range of
tanks, pumps and controls we offer, we can openly discuss the
needs of our customers and offer options that result in well designed,
affordable equipment and a successful liquid pre-wetting program.
Because we also supply storage and base dispensing equipment,
and direct liquid applicators of similar quality, we can work
with you to implement an entire liquid winter maintenance program
from concept to storm fighting.
contacting
us today at 508.520.3900
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