Guidlines for Use

The correct use of the Frostbuster and FrostGuard is very important to achieve good results. Therefore, we give some guidelines that, when followed, will improve the results.

When to start up?

It‘s very important that our machines are started up in time. They should be started before the wettemperature drops below 0 °C. Therefore, we recommend to start at + 0.5 °C (wet temperature). That’s the reason why we set the alarm temperature of our alarm systems at + 0,5 °C for the wet bulb sensor.

Burner temperature?

The temperature of the blown out air has to be around 80 to 85 °C. It’s important that you do not exceed 90 °C. Especially in vineyards and when humidity is low (< 80%), it’s better to work with lower temperatures (70 to 80 °C).

Propane gas.

Our machines work only with propane gas. Butane gas bottles will freeze. Also LPG cannot be used. LPG (or GPL, LP Gas) stands for Liquefied Petroleum Gas, and is mostly a mixture of propane and butane gas. Because it contains too many butane, it will freeze. Always open all gas bottles because otherwise, the consumption per bottle is too big and even the propane bottles will freeze.

Guidelines for the Frostbuster

• You have to drive a circuit through the orchard that does not lasts longer than 10 minutes. (between 7 and 10 is ideal) If intervals between passages are shorter than 7 minutes, results will be less. We know it sounds weird but tests has clearly shown this.
• The ideal distance between the passages in the rows is between 60 and 90 meters. It’s important that these distances are respected. Our intuition tells us that making these distances shorter would increase the efficiency. But it’s the opposite and the results might be less.
• Make sure the grass is mowed as short as possible. The airstream passes close to the ground. If the grass too long, it will slow down the airstream and reduce the range of the machine. Another reason to keep you grass short is that it will allow the soil to take in more heat by radiation during the day. This will result in a better emission of warmth during the night so temperatures will drop less at night.
• Also for weeds. Reduce the number of weeds as much as possible.
• Do not elaborate the soil shortly before a frost. Loose soil absorbs less heat during the day.
• If you use the machines in a vineyard, we recommend to put one row of candles on the outside of the vineyard, especially on the sides from where the wind moves in (this is mostly north or east or north east). (Of course, you can do this only when you do not have to pass close to the candles with the Frostbuster)
• If you have to change the gas bottles, make sure it does not lasts longer than 10 minutes. Therefore, we advise that 2 people are present for changing the bottles.
• Do not change your gas bottles just before sunrise. This is the coldest moment of the night, at which you cannot afford to stand still. If you notice that you will have to change the bottles at this moment, stop 1 hour before and do the change 1 hour earlier.
• We also advise that there are 2 drivers that can alternate.
• Make sure you have spare bottles of propane gas, and that they are stored in the orchard where you need them. Avoid extra driving in order to make the switch of the gas bottles as fast as possible. Keep the bottles stored vertically. If you store them horizontally, put them vertically into the machine and start using them immediately, dirt might enter the gas system and might cause obstructions in the gas circuit.
• If you have a Frostbuster and you have not received a drawing with the ideal circuit to drive, or you have doubts about it,  please send us a map of your orchard and we will calculate for you the ideal circuit.

Guidelines for the FrostGuard.

• The capacity of the FrostGuard depends a lot of the density of the plants. For example: in orchards where trees are planted 5 x 5 m, we can protect approx. 1 ha. In orchards where trees are planted 3,3 x 0,5 m, the protected area will be approx. 0,6 to 0,7 ha.
• If you put more machines in one orchard, the distance between the machines will depend also on the density of the plants. If you have FrostGuards and you have not received a drawing with the ideal positioning, or you have doubts about it, please send us a map of your orchard and we will calculate for you the ideal positions of the machines.
• Make sure the grass is mowed as short as possible. The airstream passes close to the ground. If the grass too long, it will slow down the airstream and reduce the range of the machine. Another reason to keep you grass short is that it will allow the soil to take in more heat by radiation during the day. This will result in a better emission of warmth during the night so temperatures will drop less at night.
• The same for weeds. Reduce the number of weeds as much as possible.
• Better not to elaborate the soil shortly before a frost. Loose soil absorbs less heat during the day.
• If you have to start up several machines and you have to do it alone, make sure you start in time. It takes at least 5 minutes per machine so if you have to do 12 machines, it will be one hour before you get to the last one. Therefore, we advise that one person should start up not more than 8 to 10 machines. (A solution for this problem: Auto Start System. Equipped with this, the FrostGuard starts automatically when a preset temperature is reached.)
• If you have to change the gas bottles, make sure it does not lasts longer than 10 minutes. Therefore, we advise that 2 people are present for changing the bottles.
• Do not change your gas bottles just before sunrise. This is the coldest moment of the night, at which you cannot afford that the machine stands still. If you notice that you will have to change the bottles at this moment, stop 1 hour before and do the change 1 hour earlier.
• If you use the machines in a vineyard, we recommend to put one row of candles on the outside of the vineyard, especially on the sides from where the wind moves in (this is mostly north or east or north east).
• Make sure you have spare bottles of propane gas, and that they are stored in the orchard where you need them. Keep the bottles stored vertically. If you store them horizontally, put them on the support and start using them immediately, dirt might enter the gas system and might cause obstructions in the gas circuit.