how cold is to cold to pump,who has water tank heaters and how do you like them? At what temp does concrete freeze in the boom?

I think it all depends on how "BROKE" you are! We (contractor and myself) were so "BROKE" one time we decided to do one at - 20 F. I was on an island with the wind whipping. I got out of the pump and thought my face was going to shatter. Long story short. I have learned that - 20 F is not worth the risk REALLY! I personally think the teens are a good cut off point. The single digits for sure. Years ago on my first freeze up. On the ocean again, really cold. Pumped the first truck out. Changed the trucks 5 min max. I was pressured out. Broke of the end 90 it was solid white all the way across. The company sent out another pump. Poured the last truck and he froze up trying to get his ball back. Now we had two pumps in the shop froze up.

It is REALLY not worth it! Especially if you own the machine!

Seed

just wandering when it freezes up is this the same as it setting up or can you thaw and get it clean or is it all over? never pumped where its cold enuff to freeze the pump up, I have pumped in single digits and not had problems we used calcium chloride to make heat, but one time i poured a slab that froze and it took 5 days to get a finish on it, the yanks may think thats a stupid question but I have always wandered if when it thawed if it could be pumped out or does it set up while its frozen ?

I had an old whiteman hose elbow boom freeze up on me pouring a Holliday In in Frisco, Colorado. I folded it up and drove it to Denver and put it in the shop with shop air on it. When I came back in the morning the shop was dirty and the boom was clean. NEVER AGAIN. -20 ;~)

We had a boom freeze at about -20 C. a few years back.  The know-it-all old guy kept saying no trouble and the rest of the people were freaking out.  I was to new to know the difference.  He convinced them that he and I would deal with it and they left us to it.  We (He) brought it inside the shop, hooked up the air valve and waited.  While he took all my money playing cards we would go in and crank up the air every now and then,  eventually it thawed and we made a big mess and it was all good.  I was broke but smarter...much like I am today

That is a good story Newbi! The thing with the frozen boom is air is required. It brings the dangerous element back into concrete pumping. I was bust in my balls pulling off all 90"s blow in out the straight sections. After ten hours and down to the last deck pipe, Dead I called my friend to help lift it off the truck. We put it on the floor under the closed garage door and put the air to it. (inexperience air user with a tow behind compressor) The pipe had been sitting since 10 am it is now 11.30 pm. It blew out alright, It was like a cannon! Tweaked the door a bit. No wonder we didnt kill our selves. but I saved all my pipe! My buddy who came over to help owed me 20 bucks. He got out of bed. I was so broke I told him not to worry about the 20. IT was my first solo boom party. Took me three days to put that thing back together!

Froze more than one,yuk!! Problem is once you started the pour it then becomes a do or die situation.

when the concrete freezes in the pipe you can clean it out as it thaws. but if its that cold the bacht planet will add antifreez to the mix I have poured in the negtive temps with hot water and antifreez. we even wraped the boom pipe with heat tap and carpet padding for insolation and plug in the heat tap on the job

JUST GET ERDONE

Hey Seed, you must of been broke pumpin in -20F on the coast!!!  been in -20F before but without the humidity,  that was cold enough. 

kneerick, -20C was the company policy who ive worked for.  but in reality, if the batch is open, there's a pump pumpin and an operator freezing.  In the cold areas, patch plant heat their sand, rock, water and most powder silos are in a building.  Majority of loads are delivered @ 20C - 25C.

last place i pumped at, a pump would come in frozen to often, boom and hopper??  we'd let it sit while we worked on another pump.  we'd take off the elbows at the back of the pump, grab the water hose, air line and Hard Hat.

it dosnt get that cold where im at now, but still wish i had a water heater for those cold rainy days.  i dont miss the cold too much, but man a freeze up is alot easier then a boom party.

Had an Elba freeze up on Mt.Saint Helens once, Thats where I learned the Whip on the exhaust trick. That time I just put the tip elbow a couple inches from the exhaust stack, cranked up the throttle and put the pump in reverse. I've had a couple close calls since then and the exhaust has saved my frozen ASSets every time!

TooTall,, is there a pump brand you haven`t run? seems you run everthing ever made!!!  Just wondering

CONCRETE FREEZE IS NOT THE SAME AS SETTING UP.IF CONCRETE FREEZES LEAST U HAVE SOME APTIONS,AND SHOULD NOT RESULT INTO A BOOM PARTY.FROZE UP LAST WEEK SUCKING BALL BACK,WIND CHILL,NO PANIC IF U HAVE USE OF BATCH PLANT HOT WATER

MBB ,, I have yet to run a Pumpstar, Sermac or a KcP. (Yet..) But I have ran alot of different pumps, even ran some odd-balls like Calaghans and recently I've been able to run a couple Cifas. I figure the more pumps I am familiar with, the better my chances of being able to run whatever and wherever I need to???

The down side is having a long list of "previous"employers? 

Putz. told me about boom parties...and why my Putz. hot water blaster goes through the hardened concrete like butter...saving operators time and money. Is this true...is there a market for helping save the pipes, and saving valuable time bringing the rig back in service?