OK, I know that the color of RV/Marine antifreeze is insignificant and more arbitrary.
However, I've had a fairly strange occurrence in my winterizing last year and now this year. It seems that on the hot water side of my boat's plumbing system the AF goes in pink (or red for the -100˚F) and comes out of the hot water faucet almost clear. The cold side comes out pink (or red). Initially, I was thinking that I needed to run more AF to purge the water heater, and actually . . . I did drain the existing water from both the supply tank and the water heater tank.
After pumping nearly 20 gallons of AF through the hot side and seeing little/no color (i.e. clear liquid) I came to the conclusion that something in the hot water side might be reacting with the dye in the AF and making it clear. Copper maybe? The stuff coming out of the faucet has definitely got the alcohol smell to it.
2 years ago I noticed a similar lack of color when I drained down the heat exchanger of the engines. I thought it was water, but I smelled the alcohol. . . so it lost its color.
So, does certain types of plumbing react with the dye in AF? copper maybe?
Hi. Is at all possible that or you have a mixer valve (like on a shower where cold and hot mix to get you the right temperature out the shower head), causing such a thing ? If it’s left at a temperature regulating position, it could then get mixed with the cold water supply before finding its way out a tap.
Not sure I’ve ever put AF through a domestic water system before. I normally just drain the water feed tank…run the pump with the sink, shower taps open and closed a few times..then drain the hot water cholorifier to bilge or overboard..purge the coil (if it’s raw water engine fed)..crack open the plumbing fittings at a couple of places to ensure draining of supply side. Then open up the water pump (jabsco) inlet (filter bulb if fitted) and outlet. Make sure that’s drained of water. Here in Scotland, it’s terribly common for guys to forget the water pump needs opening up, resulting in an expensive start to the new season. Saying that…it’s been so mild here the last few years. A few sustained days of below freezing end of January or February at the worst, most recently. It’s more the hugely varying range extremes of temp and humidity from one day to the next, that plays havoc with fuel tanks or their contents, if left at a silly level..especially now that the ethanol fuel eventually found its way to our pumps.
Anyway. See what you think about the mixer valve theory..or even something similar within the heater itself, should there be a clever temperature regulating setting, control or ability featured
