Did a quick search for cleaning tools after flooding, didnt find any threads. A few days back i got about 18 inches of fresh water from the river in garage. It had plenty of silt in the water. Most things unaffected but still got some damage. What are your thoughts on cleaning electric motors and pneumatic pumps after this type of flooding? I appreciate any reccomendations. My plasma cutter got it. My pressure washer burner motor and pump motor, 1 graco fireball 300, 1 lemmer rp1115 rustproofing pneumatic pump and my honda generator. Thanks so much and Merry Christmas all.
Cleaning tools, pumps etc after flooding.
- Thread starter Pileit
- Start date
Just found some advice on a miller welding forum. The advice given was to flush with garden hose or low powered pressure washer then blow out with compressed air then continue drying with box fans blowing across unit. Sounds like a plan. One poster said hes done it on lots of equipment like welders and plasma cutters with great luck.
cvairwerks
Well-known member
It also helps to pull covers when cleaning and drying. If you've got a dehumidifier and can raise the room temp quite a bit, they will help too.
Once you quit cleaning for a while or the day, go scrub down in the shower quite well. No telling how much biohazard was in the flood waters, especially of you are downstream of any population, or have a nearby septic system.
Once you quit cleaning for a while or the day, go scrub down in the shower quite well. No telling how much biohazard was in the flood waters, especially of you are downstream of any population, or have a nearby septic system.
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msharley
Well-known member
When done with "worsh & dry"?
Give it a shot with the CRC "electric motor cleaner".....
Give it a shot with the CRC "electric motor cleaner".....
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
We were flooded out last spring, and a lot of my tools got whalloped. What I did was flush with cool, clear water and a soft brush, repeat if necessary, then pull the covers and repeat. blow dry with gentle air pressure (like a vacuum outlet), then lay out with a dehumidifier. Check to make sure you got all the mud, then sprayed with WD40 and reasseembled. IF you REALLY need soap to get the crud out, use a VERY WEAK dish soap, and remember it will remove all your oils.
So far everything has pretty much survived - I think my cordless drill may have bought it but it ran 7 months until it did. Every thing else seems to have survived.
So far everything has pretty much survived - I think my cordless drill may have bought it but it ran 7 months until it did. Every thing else seems to have survived.
DGersic
Well-known member
For each thing, disassemble as much as you can. Rinse with clear water, like a garden hose. I like isopropyl alcohol as a drying agent, flush the thing with that to remove the water. Then air dry. Lubricate as needed and reassemble.
Most stuff should survive.
Also, check your insurance coverage.
Most stuff should survive.
Also, check your insurance coverage.
nadogail
Well-known member
While deployed on a US Navy ship, before the pay system was computerized, the Printing Calculator used to compute the pay of everyone on board was deluged by Salt Water.
I was asked to see if I could save the machine and enable everyone on board get paid before we arrived in port. I gave the calculator a through rinse with fresh water, and then repeated it. The calculator was then placed in a warm oven for an hour, removed and sprayed with a very light oil.
After a ribbon change payday was held as scheduled.
I was asked to see if I could save the machine and enable everyone on board get paid before we arrived in port. I gave the calculator a through rinse with fresh water, and then repeated it. The calculator was then placed in a warm oven for an hour, removed and sprayed with a very light oil.
After a ribbon change payday was held as scheduled.
I got 4' of water in my shop during Hurricane Floyd and this is how I dealt with it. Everything survived!
nadogail
Well-known member
After Retiring from the US Navy I was employed by a Hydraulic Service Shop, we got a call that a Trash Compactor had been sitting in a pool of muddy water from a recent heavy rain and the customer wanted it serviced and checked out before they energized it.
I waded out to the machine and saw the control box had been flooded but the motor and hydraulic pump looked OK.
I opened the control box and liberally sprayed every switch and relay with water displacing compound number 40. I used two cans of the compound. I took a coffee break and found the hydraulic tank had no indication of having been flooded. I briefly ran the pump and the fluid remained clear. I cycled the Trash Compactor and observed normal operation.
My employer billed the customer for my time and travel, plus two cans of WD-40.
I waded out to the machine and saw the control box had been flooded but the motor and hydraulic pump looked OK.
I opened the control box and liberally sprayed every switch and relay with water displacing compound number 40. I used two cans of the compound. I took a coffee break and found the hydraulic tank had no indication of having been flooded. I briefly ran the pump and the fluid remained clear. I cycled the Trash Compactor and observed normal operation.
My employer billed the customer for my time and travel, plus two cans of WD-40.
stonesfan68
Well-known member
Getting flooded *****! I was flooded after Hurricane Harvey and took some power tools apart and just cleaned them off with clean water and/or CRC electrical parts cleaner. I let everything dry for several days before reassembling the tools. It worked for me. I think the key is to let them dry out after cleaning for as long as possible.
As for cleaning hand tools I cleaned everything off with OilEater or WD40 and then wiped them off with rags and towels.
As for cleaning hand tools I cleaned everything off with OilEater or WD40 and then wiped them off with rags and towels.
nadogail
Well-known member
One of the jobs I had after my Navy career was completed was at a Printed Circuit Board manufacturing plant. I was trying to get paid as much as possible, so honestly worked their system. Any time over eight hours in a day was paid at Time and a half. I generally worked nine hours a day.
Saturday was optional so I worked half a day at Time and a half. The next day was Sunday and because I had worked 40+ hours and 6 consecutive days it would be a Double Time Day, So just for sport I showed up on Sunday Morning with the expectations of doing just a token amount of Double Time.
Unbeknown to me was the Waste Water Treatment system in an open concrete lined pit had flooded during the night.
That turned into a Ten Hour Day pulling pump motors, disassembling them, rinsing the motors, baking them out, reassembling them, testing the motors and replacement back in the pit.
Not only did I see a Fat Paycheck, I got a Thank You for getting the plant Back On Line for Monday.
The Vice President for Operations calculations were for every hour of lost production we would loose $10,000. He was appreciative of the efforts of the Maintenance Shop.
Saturday was optional so I worked half a day at Time and a half. The next day was Sunday and because I had worked 40+ hours and 6 consecutive days it would be a Double Time Day, So just for sport I showed up on Sunday Morning with the expectations of doing just a token amount of Double Time.
Unbeknown to me was the Waste Water Treatment system in an open concrete lined pit had flooded during the night.
That turned into a Ten Hour Day pulling pump motors, disassembling them, rinsing the motors, baking them out, reassembling them, testing the motors and replacement back in the pit.
Not only did I see a Fat Paycheck, I got a Thank You for getting the plant Back On Line for Monday.
The Vice President for Operations calculations were for every hour of lost production we would loose $10,000. He was appreciative of the efforts of the Maintenance Shop.
driftpin
Well-known member
For steel, as in hand tools, not power tools, I used cleaning vinegar 6% to soak everything, and then a good water rinse, followed by WD-40 spraying. Everything survived.
I had a few pieces of powered tools 120V 1 ph I just disassembled everything, and used several cans of WD-40 to clean everything. Then PB Blaster penetrant on where bearing races or bushings were. The armature fields and switches got doused and re-doused with the WD-40.
Here's an elderly Craftsman 3/8" VSR drill I bought new probably 44 years ago. I rarely use it, but it did a lot of work for me when it was a 'first-line' tool. I didn't want to junk it because it got a bath. If it failed the refurbishment, I'd have made the effort, and wouldn't feel badly about saying good-bye to it. Fortunately, it accepted the clean-up after being one with Sponge-Bob, and it's back in the available tools to use location.
I had a nearly-new Milwaukee 9 inch sander/grinder that got 'the treatment.' I opened the grease vault for the bevel drive, and found that contaminated with water penetration. It's not supposed to appear like grey 'soup!' I ordered some new grease (I was unsure on which grease to buy, I ended-up with Type Y after speaking with Milwaukee Customer Tech Service). It runs fine, and no issues.
The flood which got some of my tools immersed shut-down the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) because of the rising/standing water. The storm caused flooding to just under 26" depth. See for yourself:
I had a few pieces of powered tools 120V 1 ph I just disassembled everything, and used several cans of WD-40 to clean everything. Then PB Blaster penetrant on where bearing races or bushings were. The armature fields and switches got doused and re-doused with the WD-40.
Here's an elderly Craftsman 3/8" VSR drill I bought new probably 44 years ago. I rarely use it, but it did a lot of work for me when it was a 'first-line' tool. I didn't want to junk it because it got a bath. If it failed the refurbishment, I'd have made the effort, and wouldn't feel badly about saying good-bye to it. Fortunately, it accepted the clean-up after being one with Sponge-Bob, and it's back in the available tools to use location.
I had a nearly-new Milwaukee 9 inch sander/grinder that got 'the treatment.' I opened the grease vault for the bevel drive, and found that contaminated with water penetration. It's not supposed to appear like grey 'soup!' I ordered some new grease (I was unsure on which grease to buy, I ended-up with Type Y after speaking with Milwaukee Customer Tech Service). It runs fine, and no issues.
The flood which got some of my tools immersed shut-down the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) because of the rising/standing water. The storm caused flooding to just under 26" depth. See for yourself:
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So far so good. Following the rinse, blow off, box fan then crc or wd 40 contact cleaner on electrical stuff. 100 percent so far. Honda 5000 generator, Thermodyne plasma cutter, Lincoln mig welder, drills, dewalt chop saw etc all seemingly running normal. Got a couple of pumps left and done. Thanks so much for the wonderful knowledge given freely here. This site is really worth joining. Thank you again. Phil