Alcohol Evaporators

[esksboy]

Anyone have any feedback on using alcohol evaporators to keep your air system clear? I've been draining my tanks daily but we got a cold snap and everything seems to be freezing up on me. Just wondering if they're worth the money to keep lines from freezing up. Cheers esksboy.

[ralph]

An alcohol evaporator is just part of a good working air system. Is your compressor in good shape or is it pumping oil? Has you air dryer been rebuilt or replaced recently. If either of those two aren't up to the chore then an alcohol avaporator probably won't solve all your problems. If they are in good shape then yes it shuld solve your problems.

[Pinner]

If your air dryer is working properly you really shouldn't have any issues. Alcohol evaporatorss can be hard on air lines.

A new desiccant filter helps, and I like to dump a litter of ABAF into the wet tank at the beginning of the season.

Adding it at the compressor does not work.

[bikerboy]

for our snowplows we are always going from cold to hot, they are stored in heated shop when not being used, we just put air brake anti freeze in wet tank at the start of the season and never drain the tanks. and never have a problem all winter.

[Pipeman]

If your air dryer is working properly you really shouldn't have any issues. Alcohol evaporatorss can be hard on air lines.

A new desiccant filter helps, and I like to dump a litter of ABAF into the wet tank at the beginning of the season.

Adding it at the compressor does not work.Too much alcohol will f;;; up some of the valves. pots ets. My trailers had an Alcohol injector on them. Damn things only cost a few bucks. I also had them on my jeeps, lowbeds and boosters.

[ralph]

Adding it at the compressor does not work.

WHy is this?

[Pinner]

The air dryer should treat it like water and get rid of it.

[ralph]

Even if it is atomized/vapourized? Not trying to argue (actually trying to learn) but I have always filled the exhaust line off the compressor when I had issues and VOILA in 10 or 15 minutes I was rocking.

[Pinner]

Well if the desiccant filter or something before the wet tank is iced off, it would clear things up. By design the air dryer should spit any liquids out. Right ?

[ralph]

I agree but shouldn't it be vapourized or atomized by the pressure in the system thus allowing some to go through OR am I just thinking too hard?

[RodeoJoe]

We used to dump liquid methyl hydrate directly into the glad hand on the trailer brake line if the truck didn't have an injector on it. During the last few years I've seen warning notices on trailers by the trailer air connectors cautioning against the use of alcohol in brake lines, 'specially Bendix stuff.

[Pipeman]

WHy is this?The Air dryer will spit it out ???

[OilPatchTrucker]

Wqell myself and my truck Ive been running for 4 years dont have one and I have no probs with anything freezing?? mae sure air dryer is looked after at regular servicing and drain tanks manually also..Nevr had system freeze up once and we run in some pretty extreme weather and conditions

[Pipeman]

Actually, I should clarify one thing. When I refer to Alcohol sniffers I should mention that I used Air Brake Anti Freeze which is Methyl Hydrate with an oily additove in it that will not destrop and part of the system..

You want problems, keep dumping jugs of pure Methyl Hydrate (Alcohol), after all, it's a lot cheaper than ABAF you know.