Ha! Look what I found......

Lakesrider · 03-18-2009, 06:02 PM

Looking into the water near our dock, I noticed something sticking up out of the sand. I grabed a boat hook to pull it up, but no way. It was stuck. So I hooked a long rope to my SUV hitch and, Wha La......

It is an old circulator for the ice around the dock posts. I wonder if it still works? After some re-wiring that is!

brk-lnt · 03-18-2009, 06:54 PM

I'm pretty sure that yanking that thing out upset the lake bed and violated about 6 or 8 random "protection act" type laws. You best stick it back down there before someone notices it!

ApS · 03-18-2009, 08:30 PM

Winnipesaukee Aquatherm uses that circulator design at my piling dock.

It's a simple but very powerful rig with the motor suspended from the top bar. Just for the winter, those wires are manually strung above the water to timers mounted on a dock post: Romex® wiring is used to connect to shore power.

I suspect it's not old. I would expect the motor will still work, as the working units have that same rusty/crusty appearance. (And the same loose wiring).

What that circulator is doing there may have to do with something I witnessed one spring: I noticed the ice—or perhaps branches pushed by the ice—had pulled my circulator over. The propeller had dug a huge hole in the sand about 6 feet in circumference and 2 feet deep.

My guess is that the circulator dug its own grave by becoming inverted. The Aquatherm guy, who is equipped with a especially long boat hook, probably couldn't pull hard enough to retrieve it. If the wires were wrapped as you photographed them, then it was stored under the dock for the summer and got buried in some other manner.

As the units are rented, the owner may be interested in having it returned. Winnipesaukee Aquatherm: (603) 875-3864.

I think you've got a good circulator there!

Arubaman · 03-19-2009, 07:01 AM

NICE JOB!

You have most likely saved some kid from being cut up or damaging a foot in a dive accident and you removed a navigational hazard.

ACutAbove · 03-19-2009, 08:50 AM

I have rebuilt many of those for my customers. You can go to Wini marine construction over in gilford and get all the parts for it. You will need to know the if it is 120 v or 240v before you plug it in as they generally run these voltages. Scrape the rust off the housing and give it a paint job it will be just like new..
hope this helps....

Lakesrider · 03-19-2009, 12:40 PM

We have 6 docks and have only 4 Circulators like that one. They all belong to us as far as I know. My question is why don't they install sacrificial anodes like those on boats on these? I qwould imagine the electricity in the water is doing the same damage as on a boat in a marina.

03-18-2009, 06:02 PM	#1
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Ha! Look what I found...... Looking into the water near our dock, I noticed something sticking up out of the sand. I grabed a boat hook to pull it up, but no way. It was stuck. So I hooked a long rope to my SUV hitch and, Wha La...... It is an old circulator for the ice around the dock posts. I wonder if it still works? After some re-wiring that is!

03-18-2009, 06:54 PM	#2
brk-lnt Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Down Shores Posts: 1,944 Thanks: 544 Thanked 570 Times in 335 Posts	I'm pretty sure that yanking that thing out upset the lake bed and violated about 6 or 8 random "protection act" type laws. You best stick it back down there before someone notices it! __________________ [insert witty phrase here]

03-18-2009, 08:30 PM	#3
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,938 Thanks: 2,205 Thanked 776 Times in 553 Posts	It's a Keeper! Winnipesaukee Aquatherm uses that circulator design at my piling dock. It's a simple but very powerful rig with the motor suspended from the top bar. Just for the winter, those wires are manually strung above the water to timers mounted on a dock post: Romex® wiring is used to connect to shore power. I suspect it's not old. I would expect the motor will still work, as the working units have that same rusty/crusty appearance. (And the same loose wiring). What that circulator is doing there may have to do with something I witnessed one spring: I noticed the ice—or perhaps branches pushed by the ice—had pulled my circulator over. The propeller had dug a huge hole in the sand about 6 feet in circumference and 2 feet deep. My guess is that the circulator dug its own grave by becoming inverted. The Aquatherm guy, who is equipped with a especially long boat hook, probably couldn't pull hard enough to retrieve it. If the wires were wrapped as you photographed them, then it was stored under the dock for the summer and got buried in some other manner. As the units are rented, the owner may be interested in having it returned. Winnipesaukee Aquatherm: (603) 875-3864. I think you've got a good circulator there! __________________ Is it "Common Sense" isn't.

03-19-2009, 07:01 AM	#4
Arubaman Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Manchester,NH Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nice Job NICE JOB! You have most likely saved some kid from being cut up or damaging a foot in a dive accident and you removed a navigational hazard.

03-19-2009, 08:50 AM	#5
ACutAbove Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Holderness Posts: 219 Thanks: 7 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	I have rebuilt many of those for my customers. You can go to Wini marine construction over in gilford and get all the parts for it. You will need to know the if it is 120 v or 240v before you plug it in as they generally run these voltages. Scrape the rust off the housing and give it a paint job it will be just like new.. hope this helps....

03-19-2009, 12:40 PM	#6
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	We have 6 docks and have only 4 Circulators like that one. They all belong to us as far as I know. My question is why don't they install sacrificial anodes like those on boats on these? I qwould imagine the electricity in the water is doing the same damage as on a boat in a marina.