Condensation

[Orange L285]

To say Texas has had some very strange weather lately would be an understatement and a TEXAS sized understatement at that...

Went out to the shop today for reasons other than tractor time and found very large puddles of "water" on the floor under the tractor. SO LARGE in fact I thought my shop had sprang a leak!!! (have had rain the last two days)
After a few minutes looking for a roof leak that does not exist I notice the rear tires have condensation up about 3/4s of the tire. I know they are filled with "Heavy water" for ballast and thought I may have developed a leak after the -2F a week ago but was happy to see the condensation which only a few times a year do I see temperature swings great enough to see condensation and only once before have I seen puddles...
Science is kool...

 

[Mak65]

Too funny. I saw my tractor (TX based) for first time since the cold yesterday. Same thing - both loaded rear tires were sweating. Never seen this before. Only difference my tractor barn has a dirt floor so no puddles.

 

[DogHandlerMN]

Mine was all frosty the other day. We just crawled out of a sub zero to a pretty mild day.... both rears tires and rims frosted.

 

[Orange L285]

Mine was all frosty the other day. We just crawled out of a sub zero to a pretty mild day.... both rears tires and rims frosted.

NO WAY I was going outside when it was -2F to get an AWESOME pic like yours!!! I will just say mine looked like that too. ;-)

 

[FrozenOrange]

We get huge temp swings here in AK. Last week it was minus 35 then warmed up to plus 20 and snowed hard. Condensation is a big problem. When it's warming you have to make sure fuel tanks are full. When you take off the cap there will be frost in the filler neck and underside of the cap. I had to remove my fuelbowl and bring it in to melt. Moisture had collected and turned to solid ice in the bowl. Another winter occurrence. We're used to such things but folks in TX.... Not so much.

 

[eipo]

What you all are experiencing is condensation forming on something that's cold while warmer, moister air settles in.

Think of a cold can of soda you pull out of the fridge on a hot day. If the air is loaded with moisture already, the can will sweat because it cant evaporate as fast as it could if the air was dry.

 

[Tioga Tim]

To say Texas has had some very strange weather lately would be an understatement and a TEXAS sized understatement at that...

Went out to the shop today for reasons other than tractor time and found very large puddles of "water" on the floor under the tractor. SO LARGE in fact I thought my shop had sprang a leak!!! (have had rain the last two days)
After a few minutes looking for a roof leak that does not exist I notice the rear tires have condensation up about 3/4s of the tire. I know they are filled with "Heavy water" for ballast and thought I may have developed a leak after the -2F a week ago but was happy to see the condensation which only a few times a year do I see temperature swings great enough to see condensation and only once before have I seen puddles...
Science is kool...

My farm tractor does that often, usually spring and fall when there are large temperature swings. Kinda helps tell you how full your loaded tires are filled.
Tim

 

[BIGO]

It happened to me in south florida this year . Thought my rear tires were leaking fluid but it was condensation from the rims

 

[Borane4]

On the first warm day after the Texas icemageddon, I started moving my tractor and heard a mysterious thump and shudder as I went forward. It felt like a loose wheel flopping around, but did not occur at any regular rotation. After driving it more, I think the fluid in the rear tires that was partially frozen and the ice blocks were going up over the top, then falling down the other side and making a thump. Once it fully warmed up the "problem" disappeared. I dont use beet juice, the dealer filled them with "antifreeze" which is probably over-diluted with water.

 

[Orange L285]

"warmed up to plus 20" ... in TX.... Not so much."

 

[In Utopia]

Had the same experience with filled tires.
Learned a lesson the hard way years ago during another hard freeze in Texas.
Rear tires on my 640 Ford were water filled and froze. Didn't give them enough time to completely thaw out. Did a couple of hours of box blading, put the tractor up.
Next day both rear tires were flat. When the tire guy broke them down the tubes were shredded. The ice cut them up beyond repair.
This year I didn't move either tractor for several days until they completely thawed out.