There are a huge number of different antifreezes. They are used in different systems, so they may have specific properties. They prevent the rapid boiling of the liquid, and are also able to not freeze at sufficiently low temperatures.
From the additives that make up the refrigerant or liquid for heating systems, their service life depends. The proper use of such products is also of great importance. To do this, you need to know how to dilute antifreeze (concentrate). There is a certain methodology that should be followed in the process of carrying out such actions. After all, the antifreeze concentrate is designed to be diluted before use.
general characteristics
Antifreezes of various types are used in many power units and systems. Such substances can protect the system from overheating or freezing. They are used in the automotive industry, in heating systems, cooling systems and other facilities.
Too many manufacturers produce antifreezes in the form of concentrates, which must be properly diluted. This will lower the crystallization temperature of the substance. Therefore, how to properly dilute the antifreeze concentrate, you should find out before using the substance.
Most fluids include ethylene or propylene glycol. Also, manufacturers add various additives to the composition, which improve the operation of the units and prevent their wear. They protect the system from corrosion and increase the wear resistance of internal surfaces.
The need to dilute antifreeze
Two types of antifreeze are on sale. It can be a concentrate, or a ready-to-use substance. The need to dilute antifreeze with water is its full cooling property.
If the refrigerant is used in the hot season, the water from the mixture will evaporate faster, the same concentrate will remain inside the system. Its constituent ethylene glycol will adversely affect the details of the system.
The combustion of fuel in the engine occurs at temperatures above 2100 degrees. Without forced cooling, the parts would become so hot that they would exceed the oil ignition temperature threshold. All contact surfaces would wear out extremely quickly.
However, the question of how to dilute antifreeze (concentrate) should be resolved in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Too much cooling can also harm the system. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a thermal regime of 85-95 degrees.
For heating systems, it is also important not to exceed the vaporization limit. Therefore, the establishment of the upper temperature limit for such substances is also at the level of 95 degrees.
Cooling effect
To properly dilute antifreeze for a car engine or heating system, it is necessary to take into account the lower limit of the crystallization temperature of the substance.
So that the liquid does not freeze at a temperature of -30 degrees, ethylene glycol is present in so many products of this type. When mixing it with water, you can achieve a crystallization onset at -36 degrees.
If the temperature drops significantly, the fluid will become viscous and will not damage the engine or radiator. To understand how to dilute antifreeze for heating, refer to the instructions on the packaging. If in a private house an emergency shutdown of heating occurs, the liquid in the heating system will not allow the pipes to break off from too low a temperature.
Boiling Antifreeze
In addition to the cooling effect, the liquid can prevent too much vaporization. It is also very important to read the instructions on how to dilute antifreeze correctly.
If the system overheats, its further operation will be impossible. It is possible that even after cooling, its elements will not be able to work correctly due to serious damage. Therefore, to prevent such situations, you should also understand how to properly dilute antifreeze for the engine or heating system.
The additives and substances included in the liquid make the boiling threshold much higher than that of water. This ensures that in summer the antifreeze will not boil away quickly, and the heating system will not overheat in the winter.
Varieties of antifreeze and its manufacturers
To know how to properly dilute antifreeze (concentrate) of such brands as Kostrol, Shell, Tosol-Synthesis and others, you need to pay attention to the class of liquid.
If it is G11 antifreeze, its color will be green, blue, lime. The service life of such products does not exceed 3 years. Substances labeled G12, G12-plus have red, orange, purple paint. They do not contain silicates that cause rust formation. Their additives increase the life of the substance up to 7 years.
Classes G11 and G12 must not be mixed together. They have too different composition. Only G12-plus antifreeze has the ability to be added to both of these types of concentrate.
According to consumer reviews, the most popular manufacturers today are brands such as Mobil, ZIC, Shell, Tosol-Synthesis, and Castrol. Antifreeze (concentrate), which every motorist should know how to dilute, is ideally diluted with water.
Dilution water
To dilute antifreeze, both concentrate and finished liquids, special distilled water is suitable . It is impossible to use its pharmacy variety for these purposes. And even more so, one should not use water from a water supply system or a river, a lake, a well, etc.
Unsuitable substance will contain mineral salts. Such substances will form scale during operation.
To decide how to dilute antifreeze with water, if special fluid is not available, you should resort to another method. Normal tap water should be boiled over a fire for about half an hour. This will remove substances that interfere with the operation of the system from it.
Some manufacturers claim that ordinary water is suitable for their products. This is easy to verify by pouring a similar fluid into the antifreeze. After 48 hours, check the result. Turbid water or the presence of sediment indicates the need to use a distillate.
Concentration selection
When deciding how to dilute antifreeze for heating systems, car engines, and other systems, you should pay attention to the temperature regime of the liquid.
A conventional concentrate has a freezing point of -65 degrees. In ordinary life, such conditions do not occur. Therefore, it is necessary to do the following.
- Dilute the concentrate with distillate in a ratio of 1: 1. This will increase the crystallization temperature to -40 degrees. This is quite enough even for harsh winters.
- If you take 2 liters of antifreeze and 3 liters of water, then the freezing temperature will rise to -30 degrees.
- A proportion of 1: 2 will give a liquid with a crystallization boundary of -20 degrees. Depending on the climatic latitude, you should choose one of three methods.
Do not dilute the concentrate too much. This will reduce the effect of additives and impair fluid quality.
Step-by-step instruction
To understand how to dilute antifreeze (concentrate), and then replace it in the system, you should read the step-by-step replacement instructions.
First, the old antifreeze should be drained. To do this, unscrew the radiator cap and drain valve from the bottom. The system is then washed with distilled water. You need to let her work a little and drain the spent liquid.
After the above manipulations, add the correctly diluted antifreeze concentrate to the system. To do this, consider the above recommendations. In the summer, you will need to add more water. But in winter, the crystallization level of such a substance should be at least -20 degrees.
After familiarizing yourself with the technology, how to dilute antifreeze (concentrate), replacing the used fluid with a new one will not be difficult. Acting in accordance with the listed recommendations, it is possible to ensure the correct operation of the system and its long-term operation.