Recycled my fresh water system antifreeze .Anyone else do this???

[crazy charlie]

I typically use 6 gals of -50 water system antifreeze every fall.I have galley and bathroom sinks and a shower so I need to use a lot of it. This spring Instead of draining all the pink stuff down the driveway,I put it back into the containers that I saved for this purpose.It was very pink so didnt seem to be diluted at all.I just put the recycled 6 gals back into my water system and to play it safe in case it was slightly diluted,I put a gal of -100 in with it.
First time I have done this in my 30+ years of boating. Why didnt I do this ever before????????? Anyone do this?? Charlie

 

[Scott Danforth]

use a refractometer to verify quality.

 

[Lou C]

Refractometer is the way to go

 

[JimS123]

I thought about it but never did it. My boating cabinets are full of a lot of "stuff", and I don't have room to store any more. Besides, the need to test it to me ain't worth the trouble.

 

[crazy charlie]

Refractometer is the way to go

Hmmmm,dont have one.never heard of one. Probably on the same principle
as my old Prestone antifreeze tester.Charlie

 

[Jmunk]

Hmmmm,dont have one.never heard of one. Probably on the same principle
as my old Prestone antifreeze tester.Charlie

The old style testers are really only good for testing Ethylene Glycol base coolant. Most “Marine and RV antifreeze” is Propylene Glycol based and need a refractometer to be reasonably accurate. I have both styles and found the old style to be as much as 30-40 degrees off on the freeze temperature when testing PG based.

I have tested new PG and my $20 refractometer is right on with what the manufacturer rates it at. This helps when I buy PG concentrate and mix it myself.

 

[Lou C]

Yep those typical Prestone testers are only for ethylene glycol. A refractometer will do EG, PG and battery water. Very useful if you use a lot of PG antifreeze. I bought one to mix my own batch of PG from Sierra concentrate. It’s about $7 a gallon cheaper than -100. I don’t really like using -60 in a cast iron engine because our temps can go as low as 5*—>0*F. Even West marine says not to use -50 or -60 in those temps yet people do.

 

[dingbat]

The freeze point isn't the only important quality of your Glycol mixture.

Glycol deteriorate in the presence of metals, oxygen and sunlight decreasing in both alkalinity and pH. Both properties effect the rate of corrosion protection the solution offers.

We monitor both alkalinity and pH along with microorganism activity (yes, they can and do live and thrive in glycol) and add corrosion inhibitors (buffers) as required.

https://www.acustrip.com/res/pss/PSS-1550.pdf

 

[crazy charlie]

The freeze point isn't the only important quality of your Glycol mixture.

Glycol deteriorate in the presence of metals, oxygen and sunlight decreasing in both alkalinity and pH. Both properties effect the rate of corrosion protection the solution offers.

We monitor both alkalinity and pH along with microorganism activity (yes, they can and do live and thrive in glycol) and add corrosion inhibitors (buffers) as required.

https://www.acustrip.com/res/pss/PSS-1550.pdf

Glycol??? Im posting about no tox water system antifreeze. That aint glycol is it?????Charlie

 

[Jmunk]

You’d have to read the label on the antifreeze to see what exactly is in it and go from there. The low toxic stuff I use contains propylene glycol.

 

[Lou C]

toxic antifreeze = ethelyene glycol
non tox antifreeze = propylene glycol

 

[dingbat]

Glycol??? Im posting about no tox water system antifreeze. That aint glycol is it?????Charlie

Yep…Propylene glycol

Used in toothpaste, vape juice and a lot of other household and personal products

 

[mr 88]

No reason for that to break down chemically under your conditions , re use it .

 

[flashback]

Yep, I've seen it at tractor supply, I believe the farmers give it to their livestock...

 

[JimS123]

Yep, I've seen it at tractor supply, I believe the farmers give it to their livestock...

It's a nontoxic material so that if you use it and it gets into your water supply in very small quantities you won't be hurt. It's not for general consumption.

If any farmer feeds it to his livestock he must be a total moron.

 

[flashback]

It's a nontoxic material so that if you use it and it gets into your water supply in very small quantities you won't be hurt. It's not for general consumption.

If any farmer feeds it to his livestock he must be a total moron.

I meant a straight medical grade PG not antifreeze. I believe they use it for a condition called ketosis..

 

[crazy charlie]

Im thinkin its time to close my post when livestock is mentioned and Im
asking about a fresh water system on my boat..Thanks all