glycol vs city water

[andis65]

so now that my radiant heat floor system system is running, ive had multiple people tell me i should have used water instead of glycol because its transfers heat better etc. I filled my system 100% with glycol for peace of mind living in upstate NY where it gets pretty cold and if by chance we had a extended power outage i wouldn't worry. At the same time my house heater is full of city water and i don't worry about that, you just make arraigments at the time. So would i be more efficient with water?????

 

[koditten]

I think youwould have been better to mix that 50%. Water is the best heat transfer fluid, the glycol is only there to protect agains freezing. Moving water has a hard time freezing, adding the glycol to just insure further.

I can't remember exactly, but I thought 50% glucol was good for -20*F.

I would add a few gallons of h20 and purge out the same in glycol. save it for when you flush the system in a couple of years.

My 3, 280' loops took 7.5 gallons, to point out that the systems don't contain a lot of volume.

 

[kamesama980]

If it acts like automotive ethylene glycol antifreeze, 70/30 has the best freeze/boil protection but 50/50 is plenty and has much more heat capacity.

 

[custom1]

What brand of Glycol did you use? Some are already premixed at 50%.

 

[Fastback]

I just use RV antifreeze. It's cheap, plentiful and polypropylene glycol. Some dont like this idea because it may not have enough rust inhibitors, but it has more than straight water! Also, my systems water heater was designed to heat water, so it really does not need any rust inhibitors and my pump needs little if any. Think about how many cast iron pumps move water for decades and then tell me how RV antifreeze is going to be worse?

 

[custom1]

Not all RV antifreeze is pure Glycol anymore. Most have ethyl alcohol in them. Probably not good.

I found Prestone is still pure Glycol and says is good for heating systems right on the bottle. About $6 a bottle at Walmart. Or $5 on Amazon with free shipping. Is premixed 50% though.

http://prestone.com/enca/node/415

 

[Rookie2]

Don't use Automotive antifreeze !
Antifreeze turns acidic when it is boiled . As for RV antifreeze , when I called them to check all the engineer would say to me is....DOES IT SAY FOR BOILER USE ON THE LABEL ? I went through all this when i built my system , i mixed 50/50 boiler antifreeze and distilled water and i check yearly and add make up water as needed myself. I do believe a 25% mix would work better for heat transfer and be enough protection.

 

[koditten]

You guys are using the genaric description for the antifreeze. Glycol is a universal description.

Ethyglycol=bad

Polyglycol=good.

There is no RV antifreeze made with ethylglycol.

 

[custom1]

You guys are using the genaric description for the antifreeze. Glycol is a universal description.

Ethyglycol=bad

Polyglycol=good.

There is no RV antifreeze made with ethylglycol.

http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...u=3537373236&gclid=CIzY_dKgprsCFcY7Mgod0x0AYg

Click the link, enlarge the picture and read the bottle. Most now say contains ethyl alcohol. I had a hard time finding one that didn't.
I will admit when I said "pure" above I should have said pure Polyglycol.

 

[koditten]

Well, I'll be.

I also noticed that it does not say non-toxic, which is what almost all the RV antifreeze sold around here says.

Effing labels and the small print!

I can't believe someone would sell something like this, knowing that some newbe will pour it into their freshwater holding tank.

This is just wrong!

 

[koditten]

It does say "safe".

????

 

[anthony666]

bad idea .. very tough on the pumps & heat exchanger .. if your boiler craps out it will most likely void your warranty

 

[andis65]

bad idea to have 100% glycol? so you recommend 50/50? straight water?

 

[andis65]

ill get the info on the solution in my system. its not car or rv antifreeze. its special for heating systems. ill get specifics in a few

 

[anthony666]

bad idea to have 100% glycol? so you recommend 50/50? straight water?

yea for sure

 

[AndyA]

Ethyl alcohol is non-toxic in small amounts. I plan on drinking some tonight (beer). I'm not sure how it would effect plastic pipe and fittings.

 

[Fastback]

A lot of paranoia on here. Remember what W.C Fields said about water..

Seriously, unless you are all stainless water is worse than poly glycol, and I could not care less about a bit of alcohol in my closed system, especially one that uses no flame.

 

[pseudorealityx]

For what mixture to use, see here:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/propylene-glycol-d_363.html

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-glycol-d_146.html

 

[andis65]

Thank you for the chart! ill be releasing some of that product and mixing it 50/50. thank you so much for the help!!

 

[UpstateNY]

ill get the info on the solution in my system. its not car or rv antifreeze. its special for heating systems. ill get specifics in a few

Do you have the specifics ? Rochester here too, where did you buy the solution ?

 

[koditten]

The name of the product you are thinking of is called "NoBurst". Pretty common for the boiler industry.

 

[Rookie2]

Camco Boiler antifreeze-100

http://www.camco.net/Products?page=1&ps=12&v=g&np=0&Sec=1

 

[andis65]

I bought my solution at crown electric supply just east of webster. ill post a pic of the label when i get home tonight

 

[andis65]

ill grab a pic of the label for you when i get home tonight. I got the solution at crown electric supply just east of webster. Its $70 for a 5 gallon pail
I have 10 gallons extra Ill sell you at half price if you want. hit me up at [email protected].