Freeze protection complications

[tkotitan]

So I just fixed my setup after it froze last year when winter came sooner than expected. I only blew out one O-ring in front of the generator and the bottom of my reservoir had a tiny leak.

So this time, instead of distilled water, I dumped 50% rubbing alcohol in the reservoir and bubbler (I have a check valve so the bubbler has to be filled separately). It is probably at 20-30% concentration after adding water, which should keep well below zero.

My question is - won't the isopropyl fumes eventually evaporate and get into the air intake? Is this a good thing?

I was thinking of using methanol - just grabbing a bottle of windshield cleaner - since the blue color will help me see my water level better as well. This will generate more hydrogen I am told, but won't I also burn methanol? Is this a good thing?

Should I just buy vodka and put up with a little ethanol leaking into the system? Or am I paranoid and none of it will leak in to get burned?

[myoldyourgold]

Adding alcohol to the reservoir is a NO NO. To the bubbler it is OK and yes it will not last very long. You should go to a dry filter to solve this problem. Use maximum strength electrolyte to prevent the reactor and reservoir from freezing and a CCPWM to control the amps when warmed up. The electrolyte will go to mush in extreme cold -40 and below but will in most cases not go solid unless the vehicle sits for a few days in this extreme cold. It takes a while to get into production but you need to warm up the engine when it is that cold anyway. Just expect less gains in winter because that is what is going to happen. LOL

[tkotitan]

What is a dry filter? I am curious because my bubbler is currently empty. The check valve broke and dirty water was getting sucked back into the system so I emptied the bubbler, and the gas goes straight into the intake through it.

Why no alcohol? Does that include ethanol, methanol, and isopropyl?

[tkotitan]

Oh I forgot - I don't have a PWM so increasing KOH concentration is not an option. I may shop for a EFIE,MAP,PWM combo but that is my other thread.

[myoldyourgold]

Do a search in this forum for Dry filter or dry bubbler. You can use any absorbent material that can be changed easily. Or even a 10 micron water filter will work. The rope type filter can even be washed dried and reused many many times. I use a dry filter first and then a bubbler. The clean moisture from the bubbler is a good thing. The dry filter removes any escaping electrolyte and the bubbler adds a little moisture. In the extreme cold just bypass the water filter and leave it empty.

The combo PWM EFIE's I have seen are not worth the money. Maybe the manufactures have updated things recently but I doubt it. You can not build a reliable PWM and EFIE and sell it so cheap.

Alcohol in the electrolyte in my experience damages the coating that is on the plates resulting in an inefficient reactor.