# Water Logged!!



## Bman (Aug 24, 2010)

Not a great weekend for my model trains. Over the last week with the nicer weather and all I have been catching up on some yard work and taking part in my other hobby, target shooting, but every night I managed to get a little work in on the new layout. On Friday I glued down the last piece of foam board so I figured on Saturday I could start messing around with some track, boy was I wrong. I woke up on Saturday morning and started the day off trying to kill some weeds in the lawn with one of those weed killer sprays that you attach to the end of the hose. When I turned the hose on I noticed I had a little less water pressure than I used to, and I also noticed it was leaking at the faucet (spicket) part on the house, but I only had a small portion to do so I went ahead with it. That afternoon about 4:00 I went down in the basement and to my shock and horror the floor was all wet, then when I looked a little more my entire workbench was flooded. The workbench that I had all my cars AND all my engines. Every single engine I had was sitting in about an inch of water, #@$&%, and a lot more came out of my mouth. Along with the cars and engines was every turnout I own and my Zephyr command center. The water must have been coming into the house at a pretty good rate, I guess I would have never thought that would have happened, I learned my lesson. 

So needless to say I have been thoroughly drying things out. I took the engines apart and dried them out as well as put a little oil on them. All told I vacuumed up about 10 gallons of water from the table and floor. I haven't tested anything yet to see if I still works, I want to try to regain some happiness first before I get all upset again.

I have no pictures of the flood, I wanted no memories of it.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Just dry them out fast, use WD40 as a water dissipater if needed on the mechs themselves...a lot will survive with patience. Don't fire any electronics up until you know they are dry. Compressed air is great thing if you have it available...of course, be careful around the details. Hope it works out for you...


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

If your Zephyer isn't still under warranty you will need to take the outer shell off of it and then let it dry for a long while till you know everything on it is dry then let it sit longer. I would imagine since you have a DCC system that a lot of your engines are DCC. You need to either remove all the decoders if possible or just leave the shells and other things that normally cover them off and then let them air dry for a very long time. Compressed air I don't recommend for these DCC things as this could end up just pushing the water further into the electrical areas and then be unavertable. For a normal DC engine this would be fine though. What type of switches and track was it? Nickel Plated should be fine. Brass will most likely corrode and steel will rust if not treated soon enough. I am really sorry to here about that. Do you have a inventory of all your engines, rolling stock, and controllers, etc? I never thought about it but have started makeing one and it is a good idea incase something comes up like this again (god forbid) and you can't save any of it.

Best of luck to you.


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## novice (Feb 2, 2011)

I have no suggestions for you on drying/running and I definitely feel your pain and offer my sympathies.

I do however suggest you contact your insurance company - the items may be covered under your home owners policy? Just in case.

My sympathies  I'd be super pissed.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

That just sucks Bman.....shaygetz is right on with dissipating the water and allowing everything to thoroughly dry before use.

I've got an HP calculator from college...thing was damned expensibe...Spilled an entire beer (a BIG one) on it one night. Let it completely dry and and it works just fine (except for that damn sticky enter button.)


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I echo the sentiments of the others about drying them out. You want to make sure you open all of them up and dry the insides. I've received several auction cars that were in a damp place, I sent them back because they smelled like mildew, and they had corrosion all over. You need to deal with drying it all out pronto!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Hair dryer or heat gun, warm air will dry them faster. Worst case scenario they will be covered under your home owners policy.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, a hair dryer is OK, the heat gun may get things too hot. Heat guns typically are really hot, but don't have a lot of airflow. Not the ideal thing for drying.

Truthfully, I've dried out a ton of computer stuff, including a number of inundated laptops, in the oven. Obviously, you can't go right for broil, but at around 125F, things will dry out very quickly, and you shouldn't damage anything. For train stuff, I'd take off the plastic shells, dry everything as much as possible, then bake them at 125F for a few hours. Dry as a bone...


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

DO not use a heat gun or hair dryer on to high a setting when doing the electronics. You can burn them up and destroy the shrinkwrapping of the decoders makeing them unusable as they will fry the second power is applied to them.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Obviously, you don't want to get them too hot. The hair drier is typically safer than the heat gun, lots of airflow but much lower temperature. The proper technique is to move it around as you dry, which also gets the air into places it wouldn't get to if you just cooked one spot.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Bman,

Very sorry to hear of the sad saga. My sympathies.

Do you have a dehumidifier? It might help to put all of the trains in a small room (not the wet basement) or small closet with the dehumidifier running. You'll need some ventilation in the space for air circulation.

Good luck,

TJ


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

I build R/C boats, some go fast some do work and some just look good. But no matter what all of them seem to get a little water inside from time to time. The ESC and Reciever do not like getting wet. I found that just drying them out at times does not work all that great. But I know what does!!

Use some rubbing alcohol or pure alcohol (not the drinkable kind mind you). Submerge your wet boards in the alcohol and let them soak for a few minutes, this will disapate the water and allow the circuit to dry residue free. The minerals in the water can still cause shorts even after everything is all dried up. If you get the white/grey deposits on the boards use a soft tooth brush and the alcohol to clean them up. Compressed air after the boards have been removed from the solution is a good idea too. Do not apply power to anything until you know that all the liquids (water or alcohol) is completely dried up. 

The motors in the engines are another story all together. I found water emersion can cause 2 problems. First is rust on the armeture, and second is corrosion on the comm. Both can be fixed with electro-motive cleaner, and some bushing oil for the endbells. If you use WD40 you will get the water out and protect the steel parts from rusting but you will also invite dust and gunk to collect in the motors. If you use WD40 to disipate the water, follow that up with the electro-motive cleaner to remove the WD40. Lube the bushings in the endbells and you will see a long life out of the motors. The electro-motive cleaner will remove any oil or water in the motor so make sure you re-oil the bushings. Your local hobby shop should carry some type of light bushing oil. Sewing machine oils work good too. The electro-motive cleaner can be found at your local autopart store, and it is NOT the same as contact cleaner (electro-motive cleaner is non flamable, contact cleaner sometimes is). I hope you get everything cleaned up and back in servicable condition soon.

Massey


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Ouch!*

Hey Bman...compressed air should blow the water out of your Loco fleet, they are still lubricated so that shouldn't hurt, rolling stock takes care of itself, but your command center be careful with...low temp blow dryer with the casing off could help..the compressor might be too strong....or just take everything you can to dry ground and let time take care of it. That really does put a monkey wrench in the works but you should be alright. And yeah..NO HEAT GUN! Good Luck!:thumbsup: Wow Massey knows how its done with his RC Boats so there are options, Good Call Massey!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

When using a heat gun you do have to be careful so maybe the use of a hair dryer or the oven trick is the way to go.

We've had lots of flooding in different parts of the country the past few years. Several guys have had their ww'ing shops submerged. In general it was a quick drying ASAP with compressed air then plug it in and let it run. That approach saved quite a few motors. 220, 3 phase 3-5 hp aren't cheap.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If I can revive laptops with the oven, I'm sure you can revive trains. 

I like Massey's idea of using alcohol to displace the water, probably a good plan. I don't immerse stuff in alcohol, but I use it freely to rinse stuff before the drying.

I've actually washed many keyboards and dried them out after a coke or coffee spill on them, I have about an 80% success rate, and that's a spill that's uglier than water damage. I think most of the stuff can be brought back.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Man that sucks, I feel for you.

What did it do leak on top of the workbench?
You never did say what was leaking?
Or is the bench on the floor?

One word of caution that no one mentioned was make sure if you use an air compressor it has a filter.

Otherwise your blowing water and maybe oil right back on to them.

In my pictures you see damage my cellar suffered when the former owner took a vacation to Florida. (white around the walls, floor tiles from the 50's missing and paneling messed up around the bottom.)

The washer hose broke and ran 2 feet of water in the basement!
Luckily the guy next door was house watching and caught it before it filled up the whole basement.:laugh:

EVERYONE! Install shutoffs on your washer hoses.
Save yourself a mess.

And make sure they are shut off after each use.
It does take some training for the Queen to shut them off.
I had to post a big sign,

SHUT WATER OFF!!

That seems to work. 
But I still check when she is done on laundry day.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

One of these makes it easy, a simple lever. There's also automatic ones, pricey but cheaper then a flood.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_75816-33599...s_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&page=2


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

JackC said:


> One of these makes it easy, a simple lever. There's also automatic ones, pricey but cheaper then a flood.
> 
> http://www.lowes.com/pd_75816-33599-WMV_4294935656__?productId=3135207&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Water%2BSupply%2BConnectors_4294935656__%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1%26page%3D2



I never knew they sold automatic ones, what makes them stay open when your washing clothes? 
Or do they open when demand for water is called and off when there is no demand?

I installed ball valves on mine.

And a BIG sign is a must too!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

I saw the program where This Old House installed one. Box connects to your water outlets, the washer plugs into the box which is then plugged into the wall. To start the washer you hit the button on the box which powers the washer and activates solonoids to turn on the water. When the washer quits drawing power the solonoids close shutting off the water to the hoses, pretty neat and pretty expensive too.
There's other versions that rely on a pad placed on the floor, pad gets wet and it activates solonoids to shut of the water. About $150 or so IIRC.

They also have a pad you place under your water heater to shut off the water if it gets wet


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

JackC said:


> I saw the program where This Old House installed one. Box connects to your water outlets, the washer plugs into the box which is then plugged into the wall. To start the washer you hit the button on the box which powers the washer and activates solonoids to turn on the water. When the washer quits drawing power the solonoids close shutting off the water to the hoses, pretty neat and pretty expensive too.
> There's other versions that rely on a pad placed on the floor, pad gets wet and it activates solonoids to shut of the water. About $150 or so IIRC.



I will stick with ball valves and a BIG sign saying to turn it off.

While we are on the subject I recommend the stainless steel lines too.:thumbsup:

And don't forget to clean the dryer exhaust too, not just the vent line but the whole dryer venting system. You would be surprised at how many fires are caused by that.

If your dyer is taking too long to dry it needs it. Also the tub can get thrown off balance and you will here a clunk clunking sound.

I used to clean just the vent flex line...I never knew about the inside venting. Pop the inspection bottom cover off and you will see all the lint.

You won't have to worry about drying the trains if you have a fire.


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## Bman (Aug 24, 2010)

Sorry guys, I thought I posted a reply yesterday, it must not have gone through.

Big Ed, the gate valve for the outside hose faucet is right over the train workbench. I think I may have disconnected the hose from the outside spicket after the water had already froze, maybe it was colder than I thought one of those early winter nights. Somehow, in the basement (I'm not sure exactly where) between the gate valve for the hose shut off and the wall, water was spraying into the basement. I'm guessing about 90% of the water that entered the basement went directly onto my workbench. Unfortunately for me the workbench is slightly bowed in the middle and all the water settled there, right where the engines were located. 

After further inspection, I don't think the water was covering any of the decoders, in most places it was just above the gas tank on the locos. I'm not sure exactly how deep the Zephyr was sitting in the water, as soon as I saw all the water on the bench my first instinct was to get everything to dry ground as fast as humanly possible. At that time I went [email protected]#$&!% crazy moving stuff and I didn't look back!!

I have found no white water residue on any of the decoders as they tend to sit high in the engines, I do have quite a bit of white water residue on the couplers of almost every engine though, they kinda look weathered now!

My track was all nickel silver so whatever was on there, from the water or previous corrosion was taken care of by some light work with a bright boy. 

I haven't tried anything yet as far as the Zephyr or the engines are concerned. I'm still drying them out, haven't had the courage yet to give it a go.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Bman said:


> Sorry guys, I thought I posted a reply yesterday, it must not have gone through.
> 
> Big Ed, the gate valve for the outside hose faucet is right over the train workbench. I think I may have disconnected the hose from the outside spicket after the water had already froze, maybe it was colder than I thought one of those early winter nights. Somehow, in the basement (I'm not sure exactly where) between the gate valve for the hose shut off and the wall, water was spraying into the basement. I'm guessing about 90% of the water that entered the basement went directly onto my workbench. Unfortunately for me the workbench is slightly bowed in the middle and all the water settled there, right where the engines were located.
> 
> ...



It couldn't hurt aiming a fan on them too?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I had this exact problem with a "frost free" outside faucet, the issue is that it was installed incorrectly! They idiot plumber had slanted the pipe so that water was trapped in the faucet when you turned if off, so the "frost free" feature didn't work. The pipe cracked and when I used the water, I was watering my basement. 

Nowadays, I make sure I turn off the water inside, drain the pipe, and leave the outside faucet open for the winter. So much for the stupid "frost free" bib. 

I hope you opened up the Zephyr case and really dried it out.


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## Bman (Aug 24, 2010)

I wish I had a dehumidifier, but I have had a fan blowing on all my engines and Zephyr since Saturday. I will have to look into some of these techniques of drying and cleaning before I go and use my stuff again.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Back to washer water disaster preventative action ... a couple of recommendations ...

1. Use only steel braid-wrapped hoses for hot/cold water feed. (Rubber ones will burst big time.)

2. Better still, for just a couple of bucks more, buy the steel braid-wrapped hoses that have an auto-shut-off valve built right into the screw-on nipple connection. The hoses are really neat ... they look just like the normal type, but if it sees a sudden increase in pressure flow, it automatically trips a tiny valve built into its end, and stops any disasterous water flow. You can actually cut the hose under full water pressure with a tin snips mid-length, and the autovalve will kick off near instantaneously, with just a mere drop of two of water trickling out the end before the auto shut down. Amazing... by Watts "FloodSafe" ...

http://www.watts.com/pages/whatsnew/floodsafe_connectors.asp

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Those are a great idea TJ, I'm going to have to consider them.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

tjcruiser said:


> Back to washer water disaster preventative action ... a couple of recommendations ...
> 
> 1. Use only steel braid-wrapped hoses for hot/cold water feed. (Rubber ones will burst big time.)
> 
> ...



Yes I have the steel braided lines.
I never heard of the shutoffs your talking about either. 
Automation is supposed to work but over time they stop working too.
I will stick to the manual ones. 
But like I said post a big reminder sign.:thumbsup:


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