In this section, we will cover the most common issues seen with the Cold Front Snow Gun. If you have any issues making snow, walk through the following steps to find the issue.
Check Temperature/Humidity
Before looking into any other possible cause, let’s go back to the basics. In order to make snow, you’ll need the proper temperature and relative humidity. In our experience, the weather apps are not always correct exactly in the location you are trying to make snow. If you’re attempting to make snow in marginal conditions, then 2-3 degrees off can be the difference between making snow or not. The best method for getting accurate readings is by purchasing a weather station to put outside. You will get an accurate reading exactly where you plan to make snow. If you need to use an APP, then we recommend using the “Weather Underground” APP. This APP pulls data from local weather stations in your area that you can see and get a good estimate of conditions at your home.
Make sure you have the Correct Nozzles in the Cold Front Snow Gun
Verify that you have the correct nozzles selected. The provided nozzle chart will show what nozzles must be used depending on the flow rate of your pressure washer. Adjusting the nozzles may be necessary in rare circumstances. For more information please view the Instruction manual for the Cold Front Snow Gun.
Make Sure Water is Exiting all Nozzles
The bottom nucleation nozzle is very important to produce snow (For a more In-depth explanation of this nozzle click here). Make sure water is exiting all the top misting nozzles and the bottom nucleation nozzle before plugging the air hose in. If no water is flowing to the bottom nucleation nozzle when you turn the water on, then a fitting inside of the snow gun may be frozen or plugged. If you have this issue, do the following:
1) Make sure the Snow Gun is not frozen. You can put the snow gun inside for 20-30 min, run the snow gun under hot water etc. When you know the snow gun is not frozen, then try again. If you still have issues, please move to step 2.
2) If the snow gun is not frozen, and you still do not have any water flowing to the bottom nozzle, you may have a plug in the snow gun. At this point, please contact our support team at support@backyardsnowstorm.com
Check Air Hose for freezing
Air hose length in snowmaking is also important for longer snowmaking sessions. Overtime, water in the air (humidity) will enter the air compressor and air hose. If your air hose is very long, then the water droplets will freeze over time inside of the air hose (for more detailed explanation please click here). To eliminate this issue, you will need to either 1) use a short ~10ft air hose with the compressor next to the snow gun, or 2) insulate the air hose if it exceeds 10ft. For more information about this please visit our article about Air Compressors and Air Hose Lengths.
Check Water Source Capacity
A typical home will have anywhere from 5-10 GPM (gallons per minute) of water capacity. This will depend on your water source and where you live. If you plan to make snow with a large pressure washer, you need to make sure your home can supply enough water. If you use a pressure washer larger than 5 GPM, we recommend double-checking that the water source capacity Is higher than the pressure washer flow rate. If the pressure washer is rated higher than the capacity of the water source, you may have issues as the pressure washer will be starved for water. Measure your water source capacity by using an inline flow meter or performing a “bucket” test to see how quickly water fills a gallon bucket.
Multi-Train Troubleshooting
Ensure each Pressure Washer has adequate water flow and is working properly
When using multiple pressure washers in a “train-system”, it is important to ensure each pressure washer is working properly. Check all the valves on the Garden Split Connection and make sure each port being used is fully open. To test each pressure washer, disconnect each pressure washer hose from the connection manifold and test the pressure washer. You should see an increase in the water flow and pressure when you turn each pressure washer on. After all are verified to be working properly, connect again and turn each pressure washer on one by one. Using the provided pressure gauge, make sure the pressure increases significantly each time a pressure washer is turned on. This will indicate that the water is increasing, and the pressure washers are working together. If you are using a pressure washer that has an unloader valve (such as the AR 610) make sure the valve is unloaded before turning on the pressure washer. After all of the pressure washers are ON, slowing increase the valve until the total combined pressure is in the target pressure range.
Check Home Power Sources
When using multiple pressure washers, you will need to run extension cords to different outlets in your home. This is to avoid “tripping” breakers in your home. If too much equipment is used on a single home breaker, it will trip the breaker and the equipment will stop working. This will stop your system from working properly.
