Antifreeze top up brand for Eberspacher

[steviebravo]

I need to top up the reservoir for my Eberspacher. The instruction state that brands should not be mixed.

 

Unfortunately the previous owner is no help on what brand so is it that important?

 

As long as the top up is BS 6580 wouldn't that be ok?

[matty40s]

if its blue - use blue.

If its pink - use pink.

[steviebravo]

Thanks for your reply. Well it is pink. The chandlery says even though the BS is the same the chemicals might be different. Can't see it myself. Do you agree please?

[Sea Dog]

In a pinch, Prestone do an anti freeze that they claim is compatible with all others. It might buy you the time to get to the bottom of what's actually in there or til you get round to a full flush and change so that you know for certain in future.

[matty40s]

pink is a longer life antifreeze - 5 years plus - blue should be changed every couple of years.

mixing them can cause the organic chemicals in one to precipitate out silicates from the other and sludge everything up.

Edited March 14, 2016 by matty40s

[steviebravo]

Thanks for the tips.

[frangar]

Be warned that some of the long life stuff isn't good for copper or brass......antifreeze is now quite complicated!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[matty40s]

Good Point - however, there isn't much copper or brass in an eberspacher.

[ditchcrawler]

Good Point - however, there isn't much copper or brass in an eberspacher.

But there may be where the hot water is flowing to. Why not just top it up with water and then before next winter flush it and refresh as you don't know what it is, you probably don't know how old it is.

[Southern Star]

But there may be where the hot water is flowing to. Why not just top it up with water and then before next winter flush it and refresh as you don't know what it is, you probably don't know how old it is.

That's exactly what I would do. Mixing different types of antifreeze can wreck a car/truck engine, so it probably won't be good in an Eberspacher. I know somebody who had this happen (the mistake was made by a Volvo Truck main dealer, believe it or not), and it took two days for a different Volvo dealership to put right, firstly the cooling system had to be chemically treated and left for 24 hours, then treated with a different chemical and left for 8 hours, with lots of flushing in between. The big "no no" is mixing orange antifreeze with any other colour, so I'm told. I would drain the lot off, flush the system and refill with pink or purple ethylene glycol based antifreeze.

[frangar]

Good Point - however, there isn't much copper or brass in an eberspacher.

I was thinking pipes and calorifier coils.....

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Geoff Taylor]

The Eber is ok on any type of anti freeze, but as Matty correctly states, do not mix blue and pink. The green is ok to mix with blue as both are ethylene glycol (the pink is not).

Some of the green brands have a tracer chemical in them that makes it change colour if a head gasket fails and blows exhaust gases into it.

[steviebravo]

Sea Dog suggested Prestone which claims it can be mixed with any antifreeze. Anyone know any different?

[Geoff Taylor]

I am a bit old fashioned and would not use Prestone and stick to copying the colour of what is in there and before doing anything dip the mix with an antifreeze tester as it may be so strong you could get away with only a water top up.

[Joe the plumber]

Looks like I've got a job on shortly as I've used the OAT type with my new central heating and it's all brass fittings and soldered copper pipes.

 

I'm glad I read this before it had been in there for a long time, but as I've just finished laying all new carpet tiles throughout the boat, at least they'll come

up again easily prior to draining the stuff out.

 

As Sir Henry Rawlinson commented when his prisoners of war finally escaped: 'Oh...BUM!'

 

Thanks for the tip though.

[Joe the plumber]

Further research indicates it's (ie OAT antifreeze) only harmful to lead based solder. Fortunately mine isn't, but I still think I'll change it to be on the safe side.

[cuthound]

Further research indicates it's (ie OAT antifreeze) only harmful to lead based solder. Fortunately mine isn't, but I still think I'll change it to be on the safe side.

Lead was banned from solder in the EU wef 2006, so the use of OAT antifreeze in hesting systems should only be a concern on boats older than this.

[ditchcrawler]

Lead was banned from solder in the EU wef 2006, so the use of OAT antifreeze in hesting systems should only be a concern on boats older than this.

I didn't throw all mine away and I am sure I haven't bought any since, bet I am not alone.

[cuthound]

I didn't throw all mine away and I am sure I haven't bought any since, bet I am not alone.

Good point, but these days how many boats use copper pipe with capillary joints in their heating systems?

 

Nearly all boats I have seen in the last 25 years have used plastic pipe for the heating system.

[frangar]

I thought OAT could damage yellow metals too? Oh and my boat has copper pipes joined with capillary joints......was like that when I brought it.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth.

[Neil Smith]

If its pink as you say get pink but only mix to 25% in the heating system.

 

Neil

[Joe the plumber]

I thought OAT could damage yellow metals too? Oh and my boat has copper pipes joined with capillary joints......was like that when I bought it.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth.

There seems to be slightly conflicting advice about this, but I've now drained mine and put plain water in it (what a lovely job....) Once it's had a good run to flush it through this weekend, I'm going to use this instead:

 

http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-central-heating-inhibited-antifreeze-5ltr/74586

[Neil Smith]

Is that not more expensive than the pink antifreeze, I think I paid about £13.

 

Neil