How often, it at all, do you change your anti-freeze?

[Tumshie]

32 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Point being, how does one dispose of antifreeze? Can the pink stuff just be poured down the elsan? 

If your local cowp/dump/tip takes oil or batteries they will prolly take antifreeze in a suitable container. Our local 'recycling centres' will take it, then it'll picked up from there to be properly disposed of.

 

Please don't pour it away any where, even if it is the 'safer' pink stuff it's still not that safe. 

[Wanderer Vagabond]

3 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Ah, I see!  Modern, retrofittable, controls allow you to choose a program which for example will leave the heating off but with a "frost protect" floor of 7 degrees. These can either be relatively simple programmable thermostats or "smart" versions.  Ours (Hive, others are available) does this and also allows me to fully control the system remotely by phone app.  Perhaps something like this might suit your circumstances? 

At the moment the land based address is occupied (by my daughter) so the central heating is now in regular use and I have no concerns about it freezing this year. I'm going through the handbook of my Nokia 6300 but can't find out how to set up one of these 'app' things your speak of

1 hour ago, WotEver said:

I can attest to the simplicity of fitting a Hive controller. It took me all of 10 minutes including setting up the WiFi connection. 

The only WiFi that I have is on the boat with one of these here new-fangled MiFi widgets, there is no WiFi at home (unless I go there with my widget!)

7 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

If your local cowp/dump/tip takes oil or batteries they will prolly take antifreeze in a suitable container. Our local 'recycling centres' will take it, then it'll picked up from there to be properly disposed of.

 

Please don't pour it away any where, even if it is the 'safer' pink stuff it's still not that safe. 

Ah, one of the answers I was looking for, I'll have a check next time I take engine oil to the recycling centre to see if they take antifreeze, I haven't noticed a place for it so far though.

[Tumshie]

3 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Ah, one of the answers I was looking for, I'll have a check next time I take engine oil to the recycling centre to see if they take antifreeze, I haven't noticed a place for it so far though.

I know that not all places take it so it might be worth phoning the local council first as the might have a list of the places that do, it might just be the bigger centres. 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Tumshie said:

I know that not all places take it so it might be worth phoning the local council first as the might have a list of the places that do, it might just be the bigger centres. 

 

I once asked my council if they accepted asbestos. They said yes provided it was double bagged, labelled according to their specification, delivered by appointment and a few other details. 

 

So I duly did all this and when I got to the recycling centre they all looked rather bemused, and then one said "oh asbestos, yeah just chuck in in that skip over there".  Said skip was half full of unbagged smashed up roofing panels, flues, gutters etc. No attempt whatsoever to keep the fibres from blowing about. 

 

This sort of experience makes me wonder if they would accept my anitfreeze then just tip it out on the ground as I leave. 

[Tumshie]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I once asked my council if they accepted asbestos. They said yes provided it was double bagged, labelled according to their specification, delivered by appointment and a few other details. 

 

So I duly did all this and when I got to the recycling centre they all looked rather bemused, and then one said "oh asbestos, yeah just chuck in in that skip over there".  Said skip was half full of unbagged smashed up roofing panels, flues, gutters etc. No attempt whatsoever to keep the fibres from blowing about. 

 

This sort of experience makes me wonder if they would accept my anitfreeze then just tip it out on the ground as I leave. 

 Yeah - I can see why you might have your doubts. That is not good. 

 

[Sea Dog]

4 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

Alternatively a "dumb" manual thermostat set to 7 degrees with the heating set to "Always on" will have exactly the same effect.

Now that's a very sensible point!  Also, lot of "non-smart" controllers/thermostats do have a frost protect backstop for off periods when the heating is set to normal on/off cycle times. How often it gets that cold in the UK for this to be a problem when you're only out at work or whatever is debatable.  I find Hive useful when we're away on the boat and the "kids" are at the house and want the heating or hot water when it's not otherwise in use.  The option for press "boost" on the mobile or switch back out of "holiday mode" from afar is a boon to me.

[peterboat]

6 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

I believe this is (potentially dangerously) untrue, in this country at least. Ethylene glycol antifreeze can be any colour. The less poisonous propylene glycol stuff is usually red, but the colour is not a guide (unlike in the US, I think, where red is reserved for PG based antifreeze).  PG antifreeze will be clearly labelled as such. There seems to be a complete lack of standardisation in antifreeze colours.

Oats wise I have only seen pinky orange/violet and that is after far to many years in the motor industry. After a quick google USA wise it comes in a multitude of colours http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrCxGFG0_1bQywA0LEnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByMHZ0NG9yBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM3BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1543390151/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.oemantifreeze.com%2foem-blue%2f/RK=2/RS=ccJT61gZOoR6yupJbwTrCzAPtd4-

And no doubt my Japanese Honda [personal import] has the blue long life stuff. Life isnt easy is it?

Edited November 27, 2018 by peterboat

[cuthound]

I used Ford 10 year antifreeze in my boat.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ford-Super-Plus-Premium-Anti-Freeze-1336808-x/dp/B00THEQERS

 

50% concentration for the engine and 25% concentration for the Webasto central heating.

 

The extra cost of the antifreeze is justified by only having to change it every 10 years in my opinion.

[Guest]

Regarding the Fernox mentioned in a couple of posts; is this the ordinary fernox product that I used to bung in the C/H header tank when I had a house? What ratiodoes one add to the engine cooling system?

Many thanks.

[DHutch]

No sealed engine cooling loop on the steam engine.....     ..however I have meant to do something with the heating system.

 

Squirrel Morso, three steel rads. copper pipe, sealed system with accumulator, no pump. Its been untouched now for a I bet 10-15 year no issues with freezing, presumably very little oxygen. Added about 1litre three years ago which is the only time its been opened I know of. However maybe we should be putting something into it at some point.

 

 

Daniel

[Dr Bob]

21 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Point being, how does one dispose of antifreeze? Can the pink stuff just be poured down the elsan? 

I wouldn't. It's not designed to take organic liquids.

There are many places I would pour it though where it is unlikely to attract dogs or cats.

[TheBiscuits]

2 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

I wouldn't. It's not designed to take organic liquids.

There are many places I would pour it though where it is unlikely to attract dogs or cats.

What, like formaldehyde (Elsan Blue)?

 

I do agree you shouldn't tip antifreeze down the elsan point though!

[Machpoint005]

5 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

I wouldn't. It's not designed to take organic liquids.

 

I beg to differ:

 

"Urine is an aqueous solution of greater than 95% water. Other constituents include urea, chloride, sodium, potassium, creatinine and other dissolved ions, and inorganic and organic compounds."

[Dr Bob]

4 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

I beg to differ:

 

"Urine is an aqueous solution of greater than 95% water. Other constituents include urea, chloride, sodium, potassium, creatinine and other dissolved ions, and inorganic and organic compounds."

Of course you are right.  The organic liquids are in very small quantities ie less than 1% and the UK's sewerage system is designed to process that material. Pouring large quantities of ethylene glycol or hydrocarbon oils is not a good idea for a variety of reasons. I think you know what I meant?

[Tumshie]

34 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

There are many places I would pour it though where it is unlikely to attract dogs or cats.

A friend of mine who's a builder was laying a concrete pad for some one, when mixing the concrete rather than have a running hose he would fill a large drum with water, and he would mix Evoplast into that water (I want to say evoplast but it was 20 years ago). At the end of the job he then tipped out the drum some where he thought was safe but enough of a puddle was left to allow the dog (of the people he was working for) to consume a fatal dose and once it's drunk there is nothing any vet can do. 

 

Just because a dog or cat might not get at it doesn't mean other animals are safe - horses, cows, hedgehog almost all animals would be drawn to it and would want to drink it. 

Edited November 28, 2018 by Tumshie

[MtB]

54 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

A friend of mine who's a builder was laying a concrete pad for some one, when mixing the concrete rather than have a running hose he would fill a large drum with water, and he would mix Evoplast into that water (I want to say evoplast but it was 20 years ago). At the end of the job he then tipped out the drum some where he thought was safe but enough of a puddle was left to allow the dog (of the people he was working for) to consume a fatal dose and once it's drunk there is nothing any vet can do. 

 

Just because a dog or cat might not get at it doesn't mean other animals are safe - horses, cows, hedgehog almost all animals would be drawn to it and would want to drink it. 

 

 

But Miss, MISS....

 

Evoplast is a plasticiser not an antifreeze IIRC. I doubt it contains ethylene glycol. 

[Tumshie]

4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

But Miss, MISS....

 

Evoplast is a plasticiser not an antifreeze IIRC. I doubt it contains ethylene glycol. 

 

I did say it was 20 years ago and that was my way of saying that I may have got it wrong - cos you know that does happen but the facts remain he killed the dog. ?

Edited November 28, 2018 by Tumshie
To Blow A Raspberry At Mike.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Tumshie said:

 

I did say it was 20 years ago and that was my way of saying that I may have got it wrong - cos you know that does happen but the facts remain he killed the dog. ?

 

Yes that must have been very distressing to all. Maybe the anti-freeze was removed from the product due to incident like this. 

 

A goggle yesterday revealed ethylene glycol metabolises eventually into oxalic acid when consumed in large enough quantities by humans. Quite a lot needs to be consumed though, so I still have my doubts about ethylene glycol being the culprit as the builder's drum of water will have been quite heavily diluted. 

[Dr Bob]

10 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

But Miss, MISS....

 

Evoplast is a plasticiser not an antifreeze IIRC. I doubt it contains ethylene glycol. 

Please, please do not mention plasticisers. Rusty will be along with his hexa-nonyl plasmatic hydrate.

[Tumshie]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Yes that must have been very distressing to all. Maybe the anti-freeze was removed from the product due to incident like this. 

 

A goggle yesterday revealed ethylene glycol metabolises eventually into oxalic acid when consumed in large enough quantities by humans. Quite a lot needs to be consumed though, so I still have my doubts about ethylene glycol being the culprit as the builder's drum of water will have been quite heavily diluted. 

When he told me he was quite drunk and a little hysterical And It Was 20 Years Ago so I may 'ave got the song wrong but the dance was the same. 

 

Humans my need quite a lot but my dog only weighs 20kg and a cat a lot less and a hedgehog even less again. 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Tumshie said:

Humans my need quite a lot but my dog only weighs 20kg and a cat a lot less and a hedgehog even less again.

 

Yes but dogs, cats and hodgehegs have proportionally smaller stomachs compared to humans so would be inclined to drink less in the first place. So the risk may turn out to be the same. 

[Dr Bob]

2 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

When he told me he was quite drunk and a little hysterical And It Was 20 Years Ago so I may 'ave got the song wrong but the dance was the same. 

 

Humans my need quite a lot but my dog only weighs 20kg and a cat a lot less and a hedgehog even less again. 

My duck doesnt like it.

[MtB]

9 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Please, please do not mention plasticisers. Rusty will be along with his hexa-nonyl plasmatic hydrate.

 

I don't understand this, but I award you a greenie anyway!

[Tumshie]

6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Yes but dogs, cats and hodgehegs have proportionally smaller stomachs compared to humans so would be inclined to drink less in the first place. So the risk may turn out to be the same. 

I wish that was true but unfortunately it's not, I've had more than one dog that ate it's self to a bit of a barrel, they don't necessarily regulate the way we do and some will continue to eat until they physically can't fit any more in.  And as dogs do die from drinking antifreeze then they can obviously consume enough.  

 

 

Edited November 28, 2018 by Tumshie

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

I wish that was true but unfortunately it's not, I've had more than one dog that ate it's self to a bit of a barrel, they don't necessarily regulate the way we do and some will continue to eat until they physically can't fit any more in.  And as dogs do die from drinking antifreeze then they can obviously consume enough.  

 

 

Yes I get that, but if dogs die from drinking builder's plasticiser I am suspecting it is something else in the plasticise water not ethylene glycol antifreeze, given the very high degree of dilution in plain water. Ethylene glycol won't stand much dilution and stops working if diluted a lot, hence my suspicion some other agent is responsible for the dog's death when it drank the highly diluted plasticiser.