How to prevent locks from freezing.

[Jstpssng]

We do the same thing, but once that butane cools, you got nothing...... Lock oil is your freind!

Oh, for that I carry a can of deicer.
And a propane torch.

I just like having the ability to start a fire in winter.

 

[Bocephous]

WD40 works well.

 

[miscjames]

WD40 works well.

WD40 just wasn’t cutting it for me. It still would freeze up. And it seemed to wash out of the lock after a good rain.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have one gate lock which is filled with ice after every rain storm followed by cold temps. I thaw it, leave it on the truck defroster until it gets so hot you can barely handle it; and put it back on so that I can do it again next time after spraying it with various lubricants. Nothing I have tried seems to help, although I am not ready for the B&C mess which the OPs link describes.

 

[miscjames]

I have one gate lock which is filled with ice after every rain storm followed by cold temps. I thaw it, leave it on the truck defroster until it gets so hot you can barely handle it; and put it back on so that I can do it again next time after spraying it with various lubricants. Nothing I have tried seems to help, although I am not ready for the B&C mess which the OPs link describes.

Ya to me its what ever aggravation you want to put up with

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Hmm. That might not always work, moving south. . I was out in the yard this morning with a hairdryer thawing the pipes on my well. We go into near panic mode if it goes below 25 degrees or so. It got down to 20.

Do you have a well house? We do and I discovered a solution it will help you or someone else since I had years of frozen pipes. Get some reflective foam insulation panels, one side is mirror-shiny. I put a light socket in well house with 60 Watt incandescent bulb. Panel cut to fit, mine is cinder block, top tilts up. Panels reflective side down. This morning I checked and lifting a panel it was toasty warm, I'm guessing 60°F and 9°F outside.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We can't get those normal butane lighters to work in cooler weather.

These small butane torches I use for locks & frozen latches. It works even if not too windy.
I've used it to solder wires together, adjusted low.

 

[Jstpssng]

These small butane torches I use for locks & frozen latches. It works even if not too windy.
I've used it to solder wires together, adjusted low.View attachment 776283

How does it work when the temps are 0' F? I've never had much luck getting butane to work under those temps.

 

[ArlyA]

These small butane torches I use for locks & frozen latches. It works even if not too windy.
I've used it to solder wires together, adjusted low.View attachment 776283

I'm not sure where temperature you are working in but butane does not atomized or whatever its called, to create a good flame at lower temps, like below 40.. This is common knowledge with people who camp in the winter.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I don't know about zero, but I used mine yesterday at 9°F and it worked.