What is non-freezing?
All non-freezing are made on the basis of one of three types of alcohol: isopropyl, methyl and ethyl.
Alcohol |
Density, g / cm³ |
Dynamic viscosity coefficient at –20 ° С, MPa ∙ s |
| Isopropyl C₃H₈OH | 0.785 | 10.1 |
| Ethyl С₂H₅OH | 0.789 | 2, 38 |
| Methyl CH₃OH | 0.792 | 1.16 |
From the table it becomes clear that with a significant similarity of alcohols by the formula and density, they have a very unpleasant difference. This is viscosity at low temperatures.
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5 misconceptions about non-freezing, or why legal washing is dangerous
Isopropyl alcohol in the cold turns into a thick, viscous substance, and its two opponents remain quite fluid. The high viscosity of the isopropyl alcohol based washer makes it difficult to spray a liquid stream from the washer nozzle. Often, the jet falls on the windshield below the rest line of the wipers.
We have said many times that the methanol-based glass washer fluids that are prohibited in our country fully ensure high-quality washing and, therefore, glass cleaning. However, such liquids are not prohibited in many northern countries. And, most importantly, when used for their intended purpose, nobody is poisoned. And when taken orally, I'm sorry. For example, battery acid is also not particularly useful for drinking, but it is not yet banned.
Ethyl alcohol based washer fluids are very expensive to produce due to high excise taxes on raw materials. Nevertheless, all three types of liquids can be found on sale. But here one more problem arises. Before implementation, any of them can be diluted so that the characteristics declared by the manufacturer do not materialize.
The freezing point of a liquid is determined by its alcohol content. The larger it is, the lower the freezing temperature. Accordingly, the proportion of alcohol in diluted non-freezing water is less. And as a result, the freezing temperature is higher. Well, the liquid frozen in the washer reservoir threatens to turn around for the owner of the car a lot of problems.
What if the washer freezes in the tank?
In modern cars, unlike cars of the Soviet era, the washer tanks are located very deep in the cavities of the engine compartment, covered with front fenders and bumpers. You can’t remove a tank with a liquid frozen in it to warm it at home under a stream of hot water. And it’s even better if the tank does not burst during freezing, and the pump withstands such mockery and does not have to be replaced with a new one.
Fluid can be checked before purchase. How? Read on. If the seller refuses such a check, it is better not to buy anything from him. Fluid can be checked before purchase. How? Read on. If the seller refuses such a check, it is better not to buy anything from him.
How to recognize a diluted washer?
On eggplants with a washer, the temperature is indicated below which the liquid will freeze. Sellers always assure that it is true and, they say, "no one returned." This sounds especially ridiculous from the lips of sellers from the sidelines. After all, no one will travel a few hundred kilometers in order to return 150 rubles. Is it possible to verify the honesty of the seller before buying a washer? Can. There is an interesting analogy with alcoholic drinks of different strengths. For them, humanity has long come up with a way to test the concentration of alcohol. This is an alcohol meter.
An alcohol meter is a float with a scale showing the density of a solution of ethyl alcohol in water. If you miss the alcohol meter in a jar, it will be difficult to get it. It is better to use forceps, but always with soft sponges, otherwise you risk crushing a fragile device. An alcohol meter is a float with a scale showing the density of a solution of ethyl alcohol in water. If you miss the alcohol meter in a jar, it will be difficult to get it. It is better to use forceps, but always with soft sponges, otherwise you risk crushing a fragile device. |
The alcohol meter can be improved and “launched” into a jar with a washer on a thin thread, well tied on its upper part and fixed with a tiny drop of superglue. The alcohol meter can be improved and “launched” into a jar with a washer on a thin thread, well tied on its upper part and fixed with a tiny drop of superglue. |
The device can be made even more convenient to use.
If you have a hydrometer for batteries, then rinsing it and inserting an alcohol meter into it, we will get an excellent tool for checking non-freezing. If you have a hydrometer for batteries, then rinsing it and inserting an alcohol meter into it, we will get an excellent tool for checking non-freezing.
An alcohol meter can be purchased at any household for the price of 25-50 rubles. I strongly advise you to choose an anti-freeze with such an assistant! It is enough to lower a simple device into a glass washer fluid to approximately estimate the alcohol content in it, and therefore the freezing temperature. Perhaps in the store you do not have the nerve to open a can of washer and measure the density of the liquid. Although some supermarket visitors open eggplants to make sure the liquid is not too smelly. But if you are not one of these, then you can buy one can, measure the proportion of alcohol in the liquid, and then, if it suits you, buy a few more containers.
How to understand that omyvayka contains enough alcohol? Everything is simple.
The alcohol meter scale is graduated in percent. For example, the number “20” at the level to which the float plunged indicates a 20% ethanol content in the aqueous solution. But what if a different alcohol was used at the base of the anti-freeze, you ask. Pay attention to the table at the beginning of the article. It follows from it that the density of all three alcohols is very close. And this gives us the opportunity to check not only alcoholic beverages, but also non-freezing liquids (based on any type of alcohol) using an ordinary household alcohol meter with a relatively small error.
This is how an alcohol meter behaves in a good glass defroster with a high alcohol content - it drowns completely. This is how an alcohol meter behaves in a good glass defroster with a high alcohol content - it drowns completely.
The proposed method allows you to make sure that the freezing temperature stated on the label corresponds to reality. In this case, we cannot check the remaining characteristics of the liquid. I repeat, everything is pretty approximate, but you will cut off the bad liquid right away. The following table will help you with this.
Freezing temperature, ˚С |
The proportion of alcohol, % |
||
| Isopropyl | Ethyl | Methyl | |
| -ten | 24 | nineteen | 15 |
| -15 | thirty | 25 | 20 |
| -20 | 45 | thirty | 25 |
| -25 | 55 | 34 | thirty |
| -thirty |
65 |
39 | 33 |
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What to do if the washer is frozen?
As you can see, at omyvayki freezing temperatures up to -15 ° C, all alcohols show similar results, and at lower isopropyl alcohol goes into separation. In other words, isopropyl alcohol requires a much higher concentration to achieve low freezing temperatures. When buying liquids in supermarkets and branded gas stations, you will be dealing with the isopropyl base, and therefore the alcohol meter should “sink” deeper. In car markets and dealers on the highway, you can focus on indicators for the other two alcohols.
