South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-02
Motor Cars
ANTI-FREEZE SOLUTION
A Safeguard Against Freezing

In the early fall and the greater
part Of the sr-ing season through
out the greater part Of the country
u Is not necessary to use a solu-
ton that viii stand extremely low
temperatures A small percentage of
alcohol will usually suffice as it will
not freeze when the thermometer
stands at % degrees Fahrenheit. or
degrees below the freezing
point OF water. But for temperatures
lowering around the zero mark, we
must use solutions Of the maximum
resistance TO freezing in order to
be safe. As a rule the safest course
is 10 provide for much lower tenn
peratures than might be expected
in the course OF ordinary events. so
n a a sudden drop Of the mercury
will not come on unawares and
cause serious damage. when IL can
be guarded against.
The accompanying table and
charts give the properties Of var-
ious mixtures OF alcohol, ~glycerine
and calcium chloride, and show just
what mixtures Of various proper
tons will stand in the way OF low
temperatures. For those who wish
TO compound their own anti-freeze
solutions. the above three sub
stances are those most convenient
TO obtain, and the easiest 20 handle.
Alcohol is most favored because it
is readily handled and makes a
clean mixture. 1t is the best solu-
ton from the viewpoint OF deleteri-
Gus actions on metal and the rub
ber-hose connections of the cooling
system. Unfortunately it's price at
present is quite high and a falling
off of its use has resulted.
Alcohol.
Alcohol gives off a vapor when
heated. boiling at 172 degrees Fab
renheit. If the solution has sufh-
cient alcohol to withstand tempera-
lures below zero. it will get hot
enough TO evaporate readily in mild
weather. Therefore mixtures strong
in alcohol. require frequent atten-
ton. and the use OF a hydrometer TO
detect when the alcohol contents.
has fallen so low as to raise the
freezing temperature above the re-
quired point. In radiators which
have a tendency to leak. alcohol
mixtures are likely to find their way
out or warm days.
Glyccrinc and Alcohol.
While ~glycerine and alcohol mix
lures are favored by quite a few,
glycerine is objected to by some u
thorities as having a de~leterious eff
feet upon rubber hose connections.
This d~eleterioUs effect Of glycerine
upon rubber, is not sufficient how
ever to make its use p~rohibitive. as
the disintegrating of this substance
on the compounds composing the
hose is not pronounced except when
the mixture is very hot. Glycerine
does. however. possess wonderful
solvent qualities ~dissolving most sub
stances hat are acted upon by wa
ter and n great many others. espe-
cially metallic oxides. Glycerine, is
an oily liquid with a specific gravity
OF 1859 and a boiling point Of 554
degrees Fahrenheit. 1t is hygro-
scopic. in that it absorbs water
readily from the air. For this reason
the connections of the cooling sys-
tenn in which it is used should be
as tight as possible for %glycerine
'creeps." This peculiarly can bet
ter be understood by the analogy of
the creeping of the e~lectrolite in a
storage battery up the surface Of the
terminals. This does not dry up.
but increases in quantity owing TO
the Microscopic property or sui
phuric acid. Glycerine and alcohol
mixtures while somewhat expensive,
have the advantage of a higher boil
ing point and a much smaller loss
by evaporation than when alcohol is
used alone in water. Wood
CmethyD and grain (ethyD alcohol.
either may be employed. and both
have their advocates. Denatured
alcohol. which is grain alcohol with
a small admixture of substances to
make il non-potable. may be used,
as the denaturing compound is