Boiler anti freeze

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muleman51

Member
Hearth Supporter
Feb 18, 2008
246
SE Minnesota
Happy Thanksgiving! Just a thought. Could you use RV antifreeze in a outdoor boiler. You can buy it cheaper than regular boiler antifreeze. Even if you had to add some sort of additive. I should get my boiler hooked up again this year. But not real excited with the price of LP , hardly seems worth all the effort except that I do like to cut wood when I have the time.
 
As long as you keep the water above 32 degrees and keep it circulating it won't freeze. unless you go away for extended periods of time where it could get cold I wouldn't worry about it. my boiler will hold over 100 degrees for days with no fire. If you do go away for long enough for it to freeze it's recommended you use straight glycol for antifreeze.
 
I seem to remember the reason not to use it being related to the heat exchange capability post-treatment. An anti-freeze treated boiler will not move heat as efficiently as one with just water in it if I recall correctly.

If you're looking to protect it during periods of non-use I'd see no downside. But you'd want to get it back out of there when you kick it back on (pain in the ass)...
 
Then why not drain it if it's for long term storage over the winter? Might be tricky to make sure every little section and valve is cleared. Use an air compressor?
 
corrosive issues ?
 
I was buying anitfreeze, but then figured out that I could get a nice generator for the same money.
Antifreeze will need to be topped up every so often, and from what I've read, will need to be replaced every so many years.
In my system that was 45 gallons of antifreeze at $11/gallon.
I took the chance that I might have an extended power failure on the one week a winter I wouldn't be home.
My system had the OPB heating the oil boiler through a brazed plate HX, and the house calling for heat at the circulator like normal.
When the OPB ran out or jammed, the oil boiler heated the OPB through the same HX and thermopex loop.
 
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