Getting Your Recycling Equipment Winter-Ready: Insights from BE Equipment

After 40 years of servicing recycling equipment across the country, our team at BE Equipment knows firsthand how brutal winter can be on your balers, compactors, and conveyor systems. As we head into another winter season, we want to share some tried-and-true tips that have helped our clients maintain peak performance during the coldest months. Let’s Get Your Recycling Equipment Winter-Ready.

Why We’re Talking About This Now

Here at BE Equipment, we get countless emergency calls from facilities dealing with frozen hydraulics or struggling with icy components every winter. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than having to tell a client their operation needs to shut down for repairs during their busiest season. That’s why we share our preventive maintenance wisdom – we’d much rather help you prevent problems than fix them in freezing conditions!

Our Top Winter Preparation Recommendations

1. Show Your Hydraulics Some Love
Our service team has a saying: “Hydraulics are the heart of your equipment.” Just like you wouldn’t want your heart working with frozen blood, your equipment’s hydraulics need special attention:

– Switch to our winter-grade hydraulic fluid (we recommend BE FlowMax Winter Grade)
– Let our technicians pressure-test your entire hydraulic system
– Replace those filters – even if they’re “probably fine.”
– Check every fitting and connection (we’ve saved countless clients from major leaks with this simple step)

2. Electrical Systems: Your Equipment’s Winter Weakness
Living in Pennsylvania has taught our team that electrical systems and extreme cold don’t mix well. Here’s what we check during our winter prep service calls:

– All connection points (moisture loves to hide here)
– Control panel heating elements (an often overlooked but crucial component)
– Weather seals around electrical boxes
– Emergency shutdown systems (because they always seem to fail when you need them most)

3. The Physical Stuff Matters

Our field technicians have seen it all, and they insist on these checks:
– Catching rust before it becomes a problem (especially in those hidden corners)
– Applying our specially formulated cold-weather lubricants
– Double-checking every piece of weather stripping
– Making sure safety guards are rock-solid

4. Special Care for Your Baler

As one of the the largest baler sales organizations in the region, we’ve learned a few things about winter baler care:
– Deep clean those chambers (we can’t stress this enough)
– Check ram alignment (even slight misalignments get worse in cold weather)
– Test those auto-tie systems (because nobody wants to hand-tie bales in freezing weather)
– Ensure proper drainage (frozen water is your baler’s enemy)

5. Don’t Forget Your Conveyors
Our conveyor specialists always emphasize these points:
– Belt condition checks (winter stress can destroy a borderline belt)
– Bearing maintenance (our winter-grade grease makes a huge difference)
– Sensor protection (because replacing sensors in February is no fun)

Winter Operations: What Our Most Successful Clients Do

Based on feedback from the facilities we service, here’s what works best:

Daily Checks That Save You Money
– Monitor hydraulic temperatures at startup (we can install temperature gauges if you need them)
– Clear snow and ice before they become problems
– Watch for condensation in air lines
– Keep heating systems running optimally
– Look for ice formation (especially in those problem areas we’ve identified)

Training Your Team
At BE Equipment, we offer free winter operation training for our service contract clients, covering:
– Cold weather startup procedures
– Early problem detection
– Emergency protocols
– Safe winter operation practices

BE Equipment’s Emergency Response Plan

We’ve got your back when things go wrong:
– 24/7 emergency service hotline
– Priority response for service contract customers
– Extensive parts inventory ready to ship
– Backup equipment options when available
– Emergency repair protocols

The BE Equipment Difference

Having served the recycling industry for over 40 years, we understand that every hour of downtime costs you money. Our preventive approach to winter maintenance has saved our clients countless hours of productivity and thousands in emergency repair costs.

Let’s Get Your Equipment Ready

Don’t wait until that first cold snap catches you off guard. Contact our service department today to schedule your winter preparation inspection. Our team is ready to help ensure your equipment runs smoothly all winter.

Remember, at BE Equipment, we don’t just sell and service recycling equipment – we partner with you to keep your operation running at peak efficiency, whatever the weather throws at us.
Do you need to schedule your winter prep service? Call us at 215-536-0700 or email service@beequipment.com. Our team is standing by to help!