Quote:
Originally Posted by winterh
I have 3 separate circulators positioned around my large L shaped dock all controlled by a thermostat timer. Have run like this for many years and never an issue. Something strange yesterday and I don't understand how its even possible. They have not been running because I do not turn on till I get ice. I now have ice and turned them on. The breaker tripped and when I went to investigate 2 of the 3 were encased in a block of ice. How is that possible when they are in water about 5 feet deep? The ice bound the propellors which I assume tripped the breaker. Lifted them out, broke up the ice and they worked again. I have never seen ice form on the bottom before.
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This was sent to us by Watermark who service out dock and circulators:
Unprecedented strong winds over almost an entire week has broken-up much of the ice in larger bays and unprotected waters. The northerly winds, and subsequent constant wave action, has pushed large amounts of floe ice into shorelines facing generally north. As the ice floes hit shore, they break-up into smaller pieces and as the winds were sustained over the week, the “chunks” stack-up and can essentially freeze the water solid from the surface to the lake bottom, even in 4 to 5 feet of water!
Combined with the above, we are experiencing some of the lowest water levels we’ve ever seen. For example, in late fall the water levels on Lake Winnipesaukee were 26 inches (+) below Full Lake Level!
This means that many ice circulators are “frozen-in” and many have been damaged due to the ice pressures, mostly solid in the water column, where they are located. And, in many cases, the low water levels mean your circular is not operating in the most efficient manner. This is not the “normal” situation bubblers are designed for and there is simply no way to get the unit operational until the ice conditions change. Fortunately, it looks like we’ll have some seasonally “warm” weather this week.