boiler antifreez

[LittleJohn]

I don't know about it turning to sludge, but I do know that it is a good practice to check your freeze protection/pH of a glycol mixes system.  Reason being is that glycol can sour and go bad (more likely in a solar application where panels can reach >220f); but none the less still a good thing to check.

I personally would check your pipe and boiler manufactures spec's for recommended type of glycol (propylene, methanol, ethanol, etc.).

[yellowrosefarm]

I don't run antifreeze because of the $2000 cost of adding it. I do have an oil backup furnace and the OWB heat exchanger is in the plenum. So, like mentioned above, if the oil burner was firing, the hot air would pass through the OWB heat exchanger heating the water in reverse.......in theory. I've never tried it. I don't really doubt that it would heat the water in the OWB, rather the opposite, that it would end up boiling it pretty quick. Since my circulating pump runs when my house blower fan runs, it would pump all the time the burner was firing. If it was a really cold night and the furnace ran continuously, my gut feeling is that the 230 gallons outside would boil before morning. Has anyone actually tried it to see what happens? I guess someone more savvy than me could figure out a way to switch back and forth. Once the oil furnace had the outside water to temp, shut it off and heat with that water until the temp dropped, then cut the burner back on. Comments??????

[WmFritz]

That is not true. Mine has been filled with it for 8 years and I drain a bit out to check it every year. It looks just as clean as the day it went in.

Ivan, are you saying you are using W/W solvent? If it has ethylene glycol in it, I'm guessing it's such a minute amount that it won't effect much as far as sludge. Some washer fluid has propylene glycol in it instead.  I would be more concerned with circulating a flammable liquid through my home. At work, we handle and store 55 gallon drums of W/W solvent the same as any other flammable liquid.

If your using ethylene glycol automotive antifreeze, every hydronic heating expert I've read advices against it. They say it is blended with silcates and will eventually sludge up wet rotor circulators. Some automotive antifreeze is also made from propylene glycol. Not sure what your using or the ratio.

I have no experience with it. Sounds like you do and its working alright.

[Ivan49]

That is not true. Mine has been filled with it for 8 years and I drain a bit out to check it every year. It looks just as clean as the day it went in.

Ivan, are you saying you are using W/W solvent? If it has ethylene glycol in it, I'm guessing it's such a minute amount that it won't effect much as far as sludge. Some washer fluid has propylene glycol in it instead.  I would be more concerned with circulating a flammable liquid through my home. At work, we handle and store 55 gallon drums of W/W solvent the same as any other flammable liquid.

If your using ethylene glycol automotive antifreeze, every hydronic heating expert I've read advices against it. They say it is blended with silcates and will eventually sludge up wet rotor circulators. Some automotive antifreeze is also made from propylene glycol. Not sure what your using or the ratio.

I have no experience with it. Sounds like you do and its working alright.

I am using auto anti freeze at a 50/50 mix. It was said to be the new style of anti freeze. I got 3 barrels from where my son worked. They lease water pumps out and when they come back in they change all the fluids. It was free. At the time I called Wood Master and asked about warrety issues and was told there was none. I am sure if I could see the inside of the water tank it is rust free. The dealer was not happy about it but I didnot spend 2000.00 for it from him. At the time I was not living here and I was afraid of it freezing up even with the pumps running. If I had been living here at the time I am not sure if I would have put it in.