[C320-list] Winterizing

[Steve Magennis]

Cheap vodka is only 80 proof, 40% ethanol by weight.  You would need
about 4 gallons of this stuff and completely replace the water with the
vodka to achieve any significant freezing point depression.  That's
totally un-economical.

A 40% by weight ethenol solution will only give you a freezing point of
-20F while a more reasonable dilution (say 10% will give you a freezing
point of +24F.) If you are expecting 20 % to help, forget it, that
freezing point is 12.5F.

Since ethanol is less dense than water, you would need about 50 volume
% to make up a 40 weight % solution. 

The ONLY way that it might make sense to use cheap vodka is if you blow
the lines ABSOLUTELY dry and then fill them with the cheapest vodka you
can find.  Don't waste your time or money.  

Steve
Alchemist #909

--- Morey Waltuck <mwaltuck at comcast.net> wrote:

> Does anyone in the northeast winterize their fresh water system with
> cheap 
> vodka?  I just heard about it and a few owners say it is done so that
> there 
> is no antifreeze taste or smell to get rid of in the spring.  If so,
> do you 
> use the same quantity as you would antifreeze?
> 
> Morey Waltuck
> Getaway #352
> Quincy MA
> 
> 
> 
> 


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