Roger Millin wrote: > Tony replied to Andrew's plea with: >> >> "Normal" antifreeze should be changed every two years (so the makers >> say)but I expect it will do for longer - they will be covering their >> backs. >> >> You can buy 5 year antifreeze but you must work out any cxost >> advantage - its dearer. >> >> Never run at more than a 50% mixture or below about 20%. I starts >> with 50% (easy to get by filling pint of antifreeze - pint of water) >> sp you can thgen top up with water without risking overdiluting the >> antifreeze for a while. >> >> Ideally both the engien/skin tank and teh central heating would be >> flushed using a hose and "blowing" the water throuigh the >> systems "backwards". This is likley to be messy on the engine - may >> require the thermostat to be removed) and virtually impossible on the >> central heating. Best flush throug from the fillers to the best of >> your ability. >> >> I hope that the central heating has a header tank and not a prerssure >> vessel (accumulator) otherwise you need a pump to re-presurise the >> accumulator system with the 50% antifreeze mixture. >> >> I also hope the installer has fitted a drain cock and hose connection >> at the lowest point! If this is a narrowboat I expect you will need >> to pump the old liquid out to avoid spiling the flooring. I find a >> drill pump adequate for this because it is being fed by gravity for >> much of the process. Make sure the hoses are cliped in place to avoid >> drips. >> >> Ideally you wopudl mix the antifreeze and water before refilling the >> central haeting system, but at this time you will not know teh >> capacity, so fill pini & pint about, but it may take a week or so to >> get the total radiator surfaces hot. Bleed the radiators as per >> normal domestic ones, but if this is an accumulator system make sure >> you repressurise it as required. > > Yep, spot on, can't add anything to that. > As far as mixing antifreezes is concerned I think that the non- > compatible type is more expensive (probably the 5 year type, as > mentioned by Tony). If you go for one that contains Ethylene Glycol > you should be OK (and this will be the type that most motorist's > centres will sell). Be prepared to use much more than you think you > will. From memory, doing both the central heating and engine on > Albion, on the one pint AF, one pint water basis, as described by > Tony, it took 20 litres for the resultant 50/50 mix. > If you are still unsure I will help at the Blue Lias. > Yes, I know, Mr Keens I still haven't sent my booking in yet. I > intend to do it today(ish) ;-)) > Roger
Ho hum...what am I meant to do with gallons of the stuff that I "inherited" from my garage, some decade and a half ago? :-) -- Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest - The Wilderness years... Follow the truly independent TNC at : http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk Visit this site and help save our waterways from the DEFRA cuts http://www.saveourwaterways.org.uk/
