flooded workshop.

[vbottles]

Just arrived home from Christmas jaunt to hear that the workshop at work has had about a meter of water in it on Sunday.
Any ideas of where to stay in checking lathes, mills, compressors and welders?
possibly expect more flooding later in the week as well.
Andrew
apologise in advance if I don't reply straight away. As phone/Internet are dead at from flooding at home with mobile coverage being patchy.

 

[Badger1bear]

Everything will be ruined and you should give it away on here

 

[ronan]

Sorry to hear that, the lathes and mills i would think are savable, but i doubt the welders could survive being submerged in water.

 

[the snooper]

Plenty of water displacement spray and I would think most stuff would be ok if dried and cleaned properly and don't plug in until 100% sure as that's when the damage will occur

 

[vbottles]

My first plan is to clean off the beds, ways and tables on lathes mills then oil heavily. Are then any other measures I could take?

 

[the snooper]

My first plan is to clean off the beds, ways and tables on lathes mills then oil heavily. Are then any other measures I could take?

Get some fans going just moving air around

 

[eSCHEn]

If there's a lot of silt then hose it away as the first step - you're not going to get it any wetter and that stuff is awful to move unless it's bone dry or running with water.

Agree with Snooper on the welders, get them clean and silt free. Leave to dry THOROUGHLY and they should be okay. Water in and of itself does no real damage to most electronic things so long as they're not powered on at the time.

 

[DrDeAtH]

Change the gearbox oils on the machinery as it will probably now be contaminated

 

[tlovatt]

Consider hiring in some dehumidifiers and use then to blow dry air over items - or for larger items circulate air through (pull wet air out through the dehumidifier and blow the dry air back in) it is the quickest way to dry things out. Rotair do some good units that we use at work.

 

[Parm]

That's tough my friend, I feel your pain.

I had my home worship a few years ago and the silt gets everywhere, like said above check, double check and check again that everything is dry before switching on. Open all covers and hatches etc as you'd be surprised where water can travel to.

Once the risk of further flooding has passed and things are dry a space heater will be your best friend

Good luck with it

 

[the snooper]

Just make sure you spray everything electrical with a good water displacement spray especially circuit boards and make sure its designed for electronics, not wd40

 

[colnerov]

Hi, The water in and around everywhere will highly likely be contaminated with sewage so take precautions in that direction. Some stuff will end up being condemned.

Colin

 

[brightspark]

where-- in yorkshire north /?if u are anywhere--- near me i have a large -industrial dehumidifier u can borrow

 

[thinfourth]

Serious answer

Call these guys

http://www.n-tech-solutions.co.uk/home/4590941708

Ask for advice they have been flooded out recently and got going again

 

[BrokenBiker]

get the water out, inse everything down with clean water (its not going to hurt it any more than the flooding has) dry everything off thoroughly, ane electrical connections need to be sprayed with water displacement etc and then oil all the machinery to prevent rust etc, open up every panel and compartment you can find to check for water, get the air moving in there to stop damp forming and if you are expecting more flooding, try and get things up off the floor or out of the shop if you can to try and save it next time

 

[penfold]

if you are expecting more flooding, try and get things up off the floor or out of the shop if you can to try and save it next time

and if you can't move it, seal up what you can with polythene and gaffer tape and daub grease on what you can't.

Dehumidifiers are definitely a good bet, but should be used with a heater(not a space heater as they add more moisture) for fastest action.

 

[ronan]

Over here in dublin we're after having a couple of hours of torrential rain, thats heading towards the uk now. Batten down the hatches, there's more on the way !

 

[Pete.]

When I'm working around sea water the small tools get waterlogged and go conductive. I jetwash them thoroughly with fresh water and let them dry out. Your motors which have been waterlogged can't be harmed any further by doing the same. Can't help you with the electronics, I would dry them out as best I could then use some kind of hygroscopic solvent if it were me.

 

[Gareth J]

As above, dismantle and wash. I periodically pull apart a couple of our grinders and pressure wash the insides before thoroughly drying. Try not to drive grit into any bearings though.

More care needed with circuit boards but you want to get as much silt and salts outta there. They'll dry quicker without a layer of mud on too.

Dewatering fluid for the machined surfaces soon as you've washed them.

Good luck, sounds like a nightmare

 

[Robotstar5]

small control panels etc - bucket and silica granules (Home bargains do a silica cat litter) bury anything electronic that might have had a bath in the silica and it will draw the moisture out (did it to the control panel for the exercise bike I rescued (post torrential downpour) from the skip

Doesn't rice do something similar?