Frozen Yard Hydraunt

[TheJackRabbit]

I have a frost free yard hydraunt that is stuck closed, probably frozen. From the ice around the ground, it looks like it was left partially open and the plunger froze in the valve down at the water line. I took the head off and used a thin rod to tap all the way down. It feels like I hit the plunger/stopper and not ice so it must be frozen from the bottom?

I poured boiling water down the riser pipe and put a 1,000 watt magnetic heater on the riser pipe. This has not not loosened it. Then I displaced the water and filled the riser with automotive anti freeze. It is still stuck. Digging down to the water line will be kind of difficult since the ground is frozen and the line is about five feet below the surface.

Anybody encounter this situation and find a solution?

 

[bkfj40]

I would doubt that the water line is frozen 5' down, but it is totally possible that there was some water in the hydrant that froze. How long did you leave the magnetic heater on? Have you tried putting heat trace on the hydrant and insulate it to keep the heat in?

easiest thing to do is just wait till it thaws on its own....you probably don't need it right now....

 

[TheJackRabbit]

I would doubt that the water line is frozen 5' down, but it is totally possible that there was some water in the hydrant that froze. How long did you leave the magnetic heater on? Have you tried putting heat trace on the hydrant and insulate it to keep the heat in?

easiest thing to do is just wait till it thaws on its own....you probably don't need it right now....

I measured the probe sent down the pipe riser and it came in contact with an obstruction at about 18 inches below the surface. Clearly, this is not the plug. Tomorrow I will replace the heater, wrap it with fiberglass blanket insulation, cover it will a steel drum and see if that melts the ice. Unfortunately, this is the water source I use for livestock so it is kind of urgent.

It appears the hydrant was left on at a trickle and that saturated the ground surrounding the riser. It must have froze during our sub zero nights.

Not sure what a heat trace is exactly.

 

[Rambrush]

I would suggest Heat Tape wrapped around the hydrant foam insulation with 10 mil wrap tape then fiberglass wrap on the outer layer. Most of those yard hydrants have a drain hole that when closed it drains off the water is that plugged? suppose it is froze up as well.
For a quick try a industrial heat gun on the pipe to see if it will loosen things up just don't fry the rubber seals. as in using a torch