It’s that time of year again. Don’t let your plumbing (especially your Eccotemp L5 water heater) freeze and crack. I video taped myself winterizing my own hot dog cart yesterday, which is why today’s blog was a day late. Sorry!
Be sure to watch to the end. My dog makes an appearance and tries to take the driver’s seat!
Note: It’s also a good idea to disconnect the water lines from the bottom of the water heater and blow the water out of the heat exchanger.
I hope you found this video valuable!
-Steve
Steve, I also disconnect the in and out hoses on my L5, I have a valve that I open on my water lines that ensures that all lines are drained. When you let one freeze up you learn.
Duggs Doggs
Good!! Good!!
Let me get this straight– you drove the cart from a storage shed all the way to your house to open a drain plug and waste water valve and then drove the cart back to the storage shed? Why? I’m building two more, Steve. The first one is two years old now and it’s starting to show some wear just a little.
Joe,
LOL! That’s funny now that I think of it. Actually, my storage area has video surveillance cameras and I probably would have been kicked out. I also cleaned the whole cart really well and checked the wheel bearings, etc. at home.
-Steve
Hi Steve,
Thank you for that winterizing video … it seems to be easier than I had thought.
Thanks for answering that question, Steve. I was wondering the same thing. I winterized my cart just 2 weeks before our big, disastrous storm. I don’t usually do things like that this early. Must have been prophetic.
You’ve got to admit Steve, You’ve come a long way with your video making skills! LOL Thanks for the tips.
sweet tunes brother!!!!
Love the music !! Quality info
Steve,
I live In Washington State and will be running my stand through the winter 3 or 4 days a week, do I need to winterize? and Joe, I am so glad you asked because I was really confused with gas at almost $4 gallon why anyone would drive the stand home for a such a simple procedure, thanks for explaining Steve, lol.
Annmarie,
No I don’t think you will need to winterize. If you store your cart at home you can put a 100 watt drop light inside the cart body and drape some old blankets over the outside of the cart at night to keep things above freezing.
-Steve
As far as the music, I had my iPhone on the Journey Pandora station while I was driving. Nice!
-Steve
Exellent backing skills, i’m an ex truck driver.y
You are doing way better on the video skills, keep it up. Food for thought, Paint the bottom of your drop down counter and put a company logo on it. Hoping to let you know my story soon. Good Job
Thanks Country,
If you can back a hot dog cart you can back anything. That super short wheelbase makes it switch directions faster than a rabbit on a date!
-Steve
steve ,i’m not winterize yet i’m still looking for a used cart even one that might need work.i loveit if some one could help me .i live in KY.can’t find anything here.and [SSI ]don’t give you much to live on .well thank for reading kevin .heres a ### 270-932-9690
hillbilly, I just Love the way you done that…
I have a small go-tee thing growing on my chin and by the time I could back my cart into my garage like your video, I could probably step on it. I just pull in regular and unhitch the damn thing and put it in by hand.(hmmmm, that didn’t sound so proper.)
LOL! No worries Randy.
Steve,
Try backing up a “Stone Mortar Mixer” for for 30 years. It helps.
I’m keeping my cart in the garage, It got to 23 degrees the other night but at 6:00 AM (which they say is the coldest part right before sun-up), it was 42 degrees in my garage and it’s not heated. It’s just connected to the house.
I had the same idea about the light bulb if I need it.
Boston, Eagles and Dogs. Life is good. 😉
Steve, your viewers should be more concerned with the winterizing than why you drove the cart home. Your doing them a public service. I already winterized mine, but I wish I would have seen this video a week ago, I like how you blew air in the vent hose. The thought had crossed my mind. I’m just concerned about the ez built drain plug in the fresh water storage holding some water back and then driving and the little bit of water left going into the pump and freezing.
Have a Great Holiday season and Thanks for all your help !!!
Bruce of ” Bruce’s Hot Dog Cartel ”
ps. Have you tried any of those recipes I sent yet ?
I definitely need to try those recipes. Thanks for reminding me!
I Was just wondering if we could just run some RV winterizing fluid in it ? Last year I Froze my Heater just going to a gig at night and the next morning when I showed up for my indoor gig it must of thawed and water all over the place, not fun. Fixed it though by soldering the hole but still a pain.
I was wondering about what other stuff you got to keep the water system on a cart clean and sanitary? don’t algae [green stuff] grow inside?..Oh by the way,that plug you pull out of the L-5 is actually the pop-off valve…the more you screw it in,the more pressure it will take to make it pop-off ..
You can shock your water system with a dilute bleach solution every once in a while. Thanks for the tip on the pop off valve!
Good information! Good tunes!
Thanks Bob!
I see alot of info. and reports from doggers where it is warmer. Any reports on minimum temps. or rain/snow conditions people will step outside to get a dog? I am in Iowa(midwest colder temperatures)
Feedback, please.
Rain kills business but cold weather doesn’t hurt it. Hot food sells great in cold weather.
hey steve what does yur 10×10 unit go for ?
$45 a month.
$45 a month? You rent the hot dog cart out or????? I don’t get what $45 a month is?
Storage fee.
Thanks Steve. Getting colder here in SE PA. For me, I have a harder time getting the cart to get on the hitch. Real pain, but I am sure it is something that I am doing wrong. I will get it worked out.
There is an adjuster nut under on the underside of the coupler . It may be too tight. Also a little WD-40 on the moving parts of the coupler helps a lot.
hey ed i also live in SE,Pa in berks county.
Could you please contact me? i have a few questions i would like to ask you
you can email me with your number or give me a call here is mine. thanks alot Nick
484-529-9212
Thanks for the info. I sold dogs the UC Bearcats game yesterday with temperature hovering around 40 degrees with a light off and on rain. There are two more home games this month. I will attempt to sell on campus through the winter. I have some community Xmas festival events scheduled in December as well. January will be the toughest month. Spring comes early in Cincinnati so I hope that by March, winter will be a fleeting memory.
Stay warm and sell ’em all Joel!
Boston Rocks!
Go Cards!