How and When to use the Wash Water
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- What’s good everyone for this episode I go over how and when to use the wash water system. This was another viewer requested video so keep them coming.
The wash water system is about a $3500 add on through Zamboni that helps clean the ice after the blade scrapes the ice and before the ice making water is laid.
One thing I left out is that if you are losing more than 30% of your wash water I would check the squeegee to see if it needs replacing. Also check how worn the impeller looks. Also if there is any sock tape in the piping, it has happened.
Questions and comments are much appreciated.
Thank you for Watching!
Your Local Ice Man
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** DISCLAIMER** I do not represent the Sportsplex, Whatcom Sports and Recreation, nor The City of Bellingham, Bellingham Parks & Recreation, Bellingham Blazers, Bellingham United, WCAHA, WSSA, ABC, XYZ, Zamboni or anyone or anybody but myself and the United States of America! My videos are not intended for kids or the easily offended. This is just a hobby***
#YourLocalIceMan#Zamboni#WashWater
At our rink the Zamboni enters and exits the rink at the red center line (middle of rink) so we begin by shutting the wash water valve on the last lap and turn the pump off as we approach the exit followed immediately by stopping the augers and lift the conditioner as we go over the poly-base board. We find this method reduces excess water build up at the exit gates and gives the towel time to sweep the leftover snow off the ice surface as we exit. With practice, this is done without stopping the Zamboni as we exit. Obviously, it goes to says. never turn the pump on if you are not using the wash water. Replacing the pump impeller is a pain !
Again, great video on the basics !
my boss never taught me how to use the impeller pump, because we've only been having 5-10 skaters. thanks for the video!
I know some people like to turn it off on the ends. I think the theory is to limit how much water is being left on the overlaps. Great video as always!
I've been taught to turn the wash water off right around the last turn, and to keep the pump on right up until I raise the conditioner. Works pretty well : )
You are local! I've been to that rink, definitely great facility! I am down south in Everett.
We use the blue lines as a reference for turning on the wash water and wash pump. 1st blue line water on, 2nd blue line pump on. Same with shutting it off. 1st line water off, 2nd line pump off.
Thanks for the shout out! The nickname works for me :)
This video was fantastic! It answered a lot of my questions. I really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos!
A couple follow-up questions:
1) So basically, you use it all the time. When do you turn it on and off? When you start your cut, should you turn it on before or after you turn on the ice-making water? And when should you turn it off? As a comparison, I was told to turn off the ice-making water when I got to the top of the circles by the door, the augers when the front wheels hit the lip, and then raise the conditioner ASAP.
If you're saying that the horizontal auger needs to be running, then I should probably turn it off before I get to the circles? Maybe when I finish my last 1/2 lap, and start heading back towards the doors?
2) How do I avoid the problem you mention about not having the blade down enough? I always put it down all the way. Should I normally be doing that? And will having the blade down all the way solve this problem?
3) Interestingly enough, I was told never to use the wash water except when putting in ice. I'm definitely going to start using it every time, assuming the rink re-opens before we have to take the ice out.
Sorry, I am not getting notifications of comments. I need to start looking for them.
1. I turn the wash water on right after the ice making water. I turn it off with 1/4 to 1/2 lap to go or soon as I get all the ice that has been skated on. If I am making my way back to the door over ice that has been already done, I turn it off.
2. If you have the blade down enough to scrape ice you should be fine. Just watch for snow getting into the wash water basket and water getting into your snow tank.
3. The shop book says nothing about using it during ice installation. I would think that is the complete opposite. I do not use the wash water during the ice installation process at all. Only when scraping ice or removing excess water from outdoor rinks. The wash water system is not mandatory or anything, just bonus. Please anyone, correct me if I am wrong I just never heard of that.
Soo i was at the arena in the next town over today doing propane training. Of course when i was done i went to talk turkey with their ice man, i comented how bright and wet the ice looked even tho it hadn't been done.. he told me they put 1 pump of floor soap(ph7 neural cleaner)in the wash water, thats what makes it look bright amd shiny. Does anyone else have any expertise with this tip?
If the ice isn't bad at the end of the night I will do a wash water only flood to clean the ice of snow/debris etc. and then the second flood with main tank only. I find this better than a full flood twice and it saves on water. I figured the purpose of the wash water means as you mentioned there isn't too much use in using it if flooding already clean ice?
Yes, if I have to resurface the ice when only a few skaters have skated on it or on a double cut, I do not use the wash water.
We have been having a problem lately where the lifting auger freezes up and causes snow balls to go everywhere from the conditioner. I’ve been driving for a few years but don’t know much about what I’m actually doing, had no idea what the wash water was actually for, just that it made some clean ice when used. Watched one of your other videos and saw you moving the blade a lot and wasn’t sure why you were doing that either lol mainly just seeing what kind of input you would have for reasons behind the auger chute freezing over and causing snow balls to go everywhere.
Sorry for the late reply. Is the entire auger freezing up or just the port? My first thought is the snow breaker working? Do you wash the vertical auger out after each run? Is left over snow freezing in the vertical auger causing it to jam?
Also I mainly lift the blade up over the creases and sometimes over trouble / thin areas of the rink.
@@YourLocalIceMan just the port is freezing over, the breaker works until it gets so built up you have to use two hands to try and push it down and pull it up. The port gets washed out after each run. It’s not stuck in the vertical auger, that works fine until the port freezes over, I wasn’t entirely sure on the terminology and had a hard time explaining what was happening. That makes sense with the blade as well, I also have noticed that there’s slush going into the wash water, so I’m wondering if the blade is to high or the squeegee is damaged and there’s to much water getting into the snow?
@@joeklobucher4643 I think you are on to it. If snow is getting into the wash water then the blade needs to be a little lower. I think when the machine slows for the turns the wash water may leak out under the blade too.
Could be too you need a new impeller. Pull the cap off and inspect. If you are losing a lot of your wash water into the snow tank I would see why it's not being sucked up. Yes inspect that squeegee. I know ours needs replacing. We have one on the shelf. Got to get on that soon.
Where can I get an operations manual like what you had in the beginning?
One can buy one through Zamboni. A digital or paper one. But Zamboni has an online resource center where you can download for free. I just did a video on it.
ua-cam.com/video/aUCURycrhNc/v-deo.html
Awesome! Thank you
I work at an outdoor rink and Im curious how to use the wash water to remove excess water when it starts to puddle. In the past we have just done a dry cut but is there a specific way to use the wash water system to remove that excess water?
@@jackschultz3064 other than making sure the wash water tank is empty I think that's about it. If you are doing it on a route basis I would have a blue impeller in there instead of the black one. More forgiving. Can't think of anything specific.
Now would it just be me running the wash water pump by itself? ie. No wash water or ice making water
hello, i have been a subscriber to your channel since i was a zamboni driver. For a year :) I have had a problem with the wash water. in the net I sometimes have a snowball and the tank empties quickly. I do not know where it comes from. I thought you might know?
Regards from France
Inspect the wash water impeller. If you are losing that much water probably it needs replacement. Also inspect squeegee for cracks. Can lose water under it. Also for the snow in the basket it seems perhaps the blade is not down enough. If ice shavings get in the wash water it is coming from under the blade. Thank you for being a subscriber!
He quick question, every time we take the machine off the ice here it leaves a puddle by the gate (we have the electric model) and idea why?
From the wash water or ice making water? Usually there is some water to squeegee up but are you talking like a massive amount of water? I turn my wash water off with like a half of lap to go then turn the pump off a few seconds later. The water you are referring to must be ice making water. If so perhaps ease it off sooner.
@@YourLocalIceMan yes a decent sized puddle. Thank you!
@@bigz900 I could only guess but seems like you are running the water too long. Ease off sooner. Also if you are using the white towel perhaps give the black towel a try. I notice the white cotton towel holds and carries more water than the black Mico fiber towel. With the white towel eventhough you turn the water off, it still lays water a few more feet.
How often do you celan your wash water tank?
Only once a year. By washing out through the basket opening. Brush what I can then hose / flush out though the nozzles with hot water.
@@YourLocalIceMan Im planning to add valve at the bottom where original plug is so when we clean or drain wash water tank all dirt wont go thru pipes. Do you have something like this at your machines?
I have meatballs at my rink putting hot water in the wash!!!! and forget to turn pump off!!!! told them numerous times not to!!!!! the prop inside the wash pump is rubber...if its not cooled by the water you literally friction melt the prop in the pump ....replaced so many times not ,drives me nuts
No, wash water has its benefits when used under heavy ice use. As soon as you put your conditioner down, making your turn towards the boards, turning your augers on as soon as the conditioner is down, adjust blade for depth, turn your flood and wash water on. Once you’ve reached the boards, turn your board brush on. If you start at the furthest blue line, count to 10, you should be at the corner, turn your pump on. If you start at Center or furthest blue line, turn your pump on once you’ve reached are out of the corner. Complete your flood, once you’ve reached are making your way to the machine room, turn your wash water off at the blue line closest to your machine room, let the pump suck up remaining water, there is enough prime left over from that distance. Once you’ve reached reach the threshold with your rear tires STOP the machine, idle down, pump off then lift your conditioner, DO NOT DRAG THE CONDITIONER ACROSS THRESHOLD. Once inside your machine room, leave machine idle and rinse your augers (after snow dump). Wash Water is always filled with COLD water.
Ничо не ясно. Как чинить её?
What is your specific question?
So we dont absolutly have to use the backwash system???? it just helps to fill in the cracks and collect any lint and fuzz or what not???
Yes you don't really have to use it but if it is already installed might as well. It does help make better ice. And that is how I understand it. It helps collects link and fills in skate grooves.
@@YourLocalIceMan thanks for the advise! will try it out on my next shift!
When I do the first cut of the morning, I dont use the wash water system.....thats how I was taught............
If resurfacing the ice if no one has skated on, for sure. We usually do not do a cut first thing in the morning unless it has been skated on or if something happened to the ice.