Water Wetter/Isopropanol Surface Film?

SledgeMakeGood · 07-26-2004, 04:45 PM

Anybody else ever get a thin, white film on the top of their reservoir after mixing Watter Wetter with rubbing alcohol, or know of why this is happening? I don't know of chemical problems when mixing the two.

I recently got a GM truck radiator with 100K miles on it, had to do a lot of Drano-ing to clear out the green Aluminum flakes (presumably colored by antifreeze). It was flushed (forward and back) with tap water for about two hours total over several days (allowed to dry to flake off more then flushed again), then dried for 24 hours. I did accidentally use some tap water when filling the res, but I doubt that has anything to do with it. The rad is Aluminum, my blocks are Copper. The submersible pump shaft is exposed, but I've inspected it after extended running and found no corrosion. The pump is filtered on the intake side with a very low-impedance particulate foam, but the foggyness remains. My clear-top copper blocks are as copper-y as ever.

The film breaks and sticks to my finger at the lightest touch, leaving me to think it's something suspended in the coolant that solidifies in contact with air (also, the coolant has been foggy for some time). If Watter Wetter did this, there'd be more people with radiator clogs driving around, so my best guess is that it's something to do with the combination of rubbing alcohol and the coolant additive. I've used alcohol before with no buildup or even clouding at all.

Is it possible this is bacteria? My res temps are just barely what you'd call "luke warm", so if it weren't for the alcohol, I'd think this would be one possibility. Can Isopropanol evaporate out of an exposed water solution entirely? And even if it did, wouldn't the Water Wetter keep bacteria from forming?

Thanks in advance for any input.

redleader · 07-26-2004, 05:18 PM

Its a plastic polimer, and yes its what happens when you mix the two. Use a nonpolar solvent like pinesol to get it out,. Failing that something like acetone or gasoline should also remove it, but will damage plastic seals so i would not recommend using them.

SledgeMakeGood · 07-26-2004, 07:26 PM

Ugh, I've gone and screwed myself again, then, haven't I?

Thanks a bunch for the info, I'll be draining the whole thing I guess.

redleader · 07-26-2004, 07:30 PM

I flushed it a little with pinesol and left the rest. Its been over a year and it doesn't seem to hurt or do anything, so i'm just putting up with it.

07-26-2004, 04:45 PM	#1
SledgeMakeGood Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 7	Water Wetter/Isopropanol Surface Film? Anybody else ever get a thin, white film on the top of their reservoir after mixing Watter Wetter with rubbing alcohol, or know of why this is happening? I don't know of chemical problems when mixing the two. I recently got a GM truck radiator with 100K miles on it, had to do a lot of Drano-ing to clear out the green Aluminum flakes (presumably colored by antifreeze). It was flushed (forward and back) with tap water for about two hours total over several days (allowed to dry to flake off more then flushed again), then dried for 24 hours. I did accidentally use some tap water when filling the res, but I doubt that has anything to do with it. The rad is Aluminum, my blocks are Copper. The submersible pump shaft is exposed, but I've inspected it after extended running and found no corrosion. The pump is filtered on the intake side with a very low-impedance particulate foam, but the foggyness remains. My clear-top copper blocks are as copper-y as ever. The film breaks and sticks to my finger at the lightest touch, leaving me to think it's something suspended in the coolant that solidifies in contact with air (also, the coolant has been foggy for some time). If Watter Wetter did this, there'd be more people with radiator clogs driving around, so my best guess is that it's something to do with the combination of rubbing alcohol and the coolant additive. I've used alcohol before with no buildup or even clouding at all. Is it possible this is bacteria? My res temps are just barely what you'd call "luke warm", so if it weren't for the alcohol, I'd think this would be one possibility. Can Isopropanol evaporate out of an exposed water solution entirely? And even if it did, wouldn't the Water Wetter keep bacteria from forming? Thanks in advance for any input.

07-26-2004, 05:18 PM	#2
redleader Thermophile Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The deserts of Tucson, Az Posts: 1,264	Its a plastic polimer, and yes its what happens when you mix the two. Use a nonpolar solvent like pinesol to get it out,. Failing that something like acetone or gasoline should also remove it, but will damage plastic seals so i would not recommend using them.

07-26-2004, 07:26 PM	#3
SledgeMakeGood Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 7	Ugh, I've gone and screwed myself again, then, haven't I? Thanks a bunch for the info, I'll be draining the whole thing I guess.

07-26-2004, 07:30 PM	#4
redleader Thermophile Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The deserts of Tucson, Az Posts: 1,264	I flushed it a little with pinesol and left the rest. Its been over a year and it doesn't seem to hurt or do anything, so i'm just putting up with it.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)