Ethylene Glycol

[Welderpaul]

Light's come on on me welder telling me the coolant is low. Low as in nowt in. Had a leak, mended now, but the instructions tell me to put in a 50 - 50 mix of water and ethlene glycol. Whilst i'm sorted for the water, is the EG required as antifreeze? or does it do something else. where do you get it from? Is it sort of thing a car place will have.
Antifreeze in a welder?

 

[Drains]

Is this for a water cooled torch?

Ethylene glycol is a better coolant than water. Better heat transferance. It's just standard antifreeze.

Goes well in wine as a sweetener, I recall

 

[Welderpaul]

Is this for a water cooled torch?

Yep.

 

[MarkMG]

It is also a rust/oxidise inhibitor, ie protects the metal bits inside

 

[TAITSIE]

Make sure you get the mix ratio correct EG lowers both freezing and boiling points

 

[Wozzaaah]

Mark Mg spot on Ethylene glycol is a very good rust inhibitor. I'm gonna flush my miller dialarc through with Fernox or equivalent then fill it with a weakish mix of EG and water. TBH a mix of Fernox would be just as good to stop any buildup of sludge but is more expensive.

 

[Welderpaul]

Mark Mg spot on Ethylene glycol is a very good rust inhibitor. I'm gonna flush my miller dialarc through with Fernox or equivalent then fill it with a weakish mix of EG and water. TBH a mix of Fernox would be just as good to stop any buildup of sludge but is more expensive.

So just stick antifreeze in then?

 

[Wozzaaah]

Yep, I reckon 60/40 or even 75/25 mix would be fine, let's face it, it's never going to freeze, you only want to stop any corrosion or sludge build-up

 

[Welderpaul]

Aye, EG just sounded posh in the instructions. Suppose i could tip coffee, sugar and milk in the tank so when brew time comes round, just take the hose of the torch and hey presto - a brew!

 

[Wozzaaah]

Wouldn't fancy it myself but hey,.. don't knock it 'til you try it

 

[shenion]

I would go with water wetter as it improves heat conductivity. Used in race cars/bikes as they don't need to support freezing temps. Lowered the running temp on my bikes (also has lubricators for pump and corrosion inhibiters.)

Also use distilled water as tap water will have minerals that will cause scaling or promote corrosion. Very important if you have an alum heat exhcanger.

 

[MrFluffy]

How come everyone thinks itll never freeze? Having left a pressure washer in the shed in a cold snap after using it and coming back to find it split inside, I think id want the antifreeze properties of it too

 

[Lippyp]

Very true, my garage gets bloody freezing (its got a tin roof) if we were staying here I'd insulate it but it's not worth it now. Rushes out to check that the pressure washer is drained.......

 

[Hitch]

If it says 50-50, put 50-50 in there

Too much antifreeze can do more harm than good.