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12-11-2017, 06:01 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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Any refractometer experts?
I tried to use my trusty refractometer for the first time today to check for the proper ratio of water/glycol of the century aqua hot fluid in my system. I did the calibration of this tool as outlined in the instructions and that went off without a hitch. After that I placed a few drops of the century fluid from the expansion tank in the viewing window of the refractometer and viola!!! I look through the viewfinder and all I see is white.
For those who have done this and are familiar with it there should be a blue color on top of the viewfinder and then white on the bottom and where those two colors meet is where you can read the mixing ratio in percentage indicated by a graduated scale. The aqua hot manual goes into good detail on this and how to do it, but it does not tell you whether to add either distilled water or boiler fluid based on what reading you are getting. Problem is that my reading was all white. [emoji85] No blue. [emoji86]
Anyone know what the story is with this? Am I really out of whack proportionally here? If so, what do I add? Distilled water or century fluid?
Thanks!!
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Sid and Phyllis
2017 Aspire 44B
2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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12-11-2017, 06:20 PM
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 188
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Well if it doesn't show up at all, then either it's a problem with the tool or the tank is mostly water. I'd use a sample of the coolant I know is new and correct and double check the meter. If it shows good with new coolant out of the bottle then I'd say the tank is mostly water. I've checked a lot of boiler's over the years that are mostly water. Normally not new systems such as yours but nothing ever surprises me when working on a new unit from any manufacturer.
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12-11-2017, 06:37 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InfinityJim
Well if it doesn't show up at all, then either it's a problem with the tool or the tank is mostly water. I'd use a sample of the coolant I know is new and correct and double check the meter. If it shows good with new coolant out of the bottle then I'd say the tank is mostly water. I've checked a lot of boiler's over the years that are mostly water. Normally not new systems such as yours but nothing ever surprises me when working on a new unit from any manufacturer.
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Ok I was thinking the same thing as far as checking it out of the bottle. Will give that a try tomorrow and see how that goes.
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Sid and Phyllis
2017 Aspire 44B
2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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12-11-2017, 06:53 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 11,530
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Yep, I would interpret that it is all water. Never thought that the meter is bad since you calibrated it. Your test tomorrow will be interesting!
Gary
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Gary and Dee, Zowie and Bowie (traveling cat sibs)
2019 Cornerstone 45B, X15-605hp, Imperial, Spartan K3,
2013 Honda CR-V toad, Demco Excali-Bar II,
Demco Baseplate, Demco Toad Light system, 73 de W5FI
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12-11-2017, 07:03 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,788
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Any chance you can pull a sample from a system drain rather than the expansion tank? It's a bit of a reach but maybe you have a slug of water floating on top of the heavier century fluid.
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2006 Hurricane 31D built on a 2006 Ford F53
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12-11-2017, 09:41 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,686
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Gotta say..I don't know how you'd end up with 100% water (or even 75% water); I guess unless someone was into sabotage or something. Just saying.
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Dave and Beth
2015 Cornerstone 45J
2020 Ford F-150 Lariat
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12-11-2017, 11:32 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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Everyone is saying the same things that were going through my head. I think the first plan of action will be to take a sample straight from the bottle. If that looks like it should then I will give aqua hot a call and see what they say about this odd reading.
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Sid and Phyllis
2017 Aspire 44B
2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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12-12-2017, 06:47 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,569
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Sid, with the problems I have had with Century Fluid in the past, (sludge) nothing would surprise me about Century Fluid. Does it even have a consistent formula? Nobody would answer that question at Century Chemical Corp. in Elkhart after several requests.
Testing the Peak Coolant in the radiator would probably be a more accurate than Century Fluid.
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Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
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12-12-2017, 07:03 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,180
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You might try using Fresh Century fluid of the proper ratio as a reference model.
See if that gives you a discernible Reading...then back to measuring your coach.
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Charlie & Ronni
2016 Ventana 4037
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12-12-2017, 09:16 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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Spoke with aqua hot this morning. They say taking the sample out of the expansion tank is fine. I’m about to try taking the sample straight from the century bottle and see what I come up with and go from there.
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Sid and Phyllis
2017 Aspire 44B
2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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12-12-2017, 09:22 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brobox
Sid, with the problems I have had with Century Fluid in the past, (sludge) nothing would surprise me about Century Fluid. Does it even have a consistent formula? Nobody would answer that question at Century Chemical Corp. in Elkhart after several requests.
Testing the Peak Coolant in the radiator would probably be a more accurate than Century Fluid.
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I remember the “sludge” thread. Read through it with great interest. Basically I did start to get some of that about two months after I stopped running the diesel burner and ran electric only. When I realized that turning off the diesel burner was the only thing I changed since the black/sludge began I removed the expansion tank and cleaned thoroughly and replaced and then started running the diesel burner 100% of the time. That was exactly two months ago and so far no sign of black/sludge. My fluid is 100% clear and green.
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Sid and Phyllis
2017 Aspire 44B
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12-12-2017, 09:29 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swberry
I remember the “sludge” thread. Read through it with great interest. Basically I did start to get some of that about two months after I stopped running the diesel burner and ran electric only. When I realized that turning off the diesel burner was the only thing I changed since the black/sludge began I removed the expansion tank and cleaned thoroughly and replaced and then started running the diesel burner 100% of the time. That was exactly two months ago and so far no sign of black/sludge. My fluid is 100% clear and green.
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So the electric heat is causing the fluid to break down?
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12-12-2017, 10:04 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_D
So the electric heat is causing the fluid to break down?
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I don’t know. What I do know is that the black build up stopped when I stopped using electric only and started using the diesel burner at all times, so that is what I am doing from now on.
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Sid and Phyllis
2017 Aspire 44B
2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
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12-12-2017, 10:17 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 417
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So here is the refractometer;
Very easy to use. I calibrated it using distilled water according to the instructions. Very easy and this is how it is supposed to look after calibration;
This is a drain valve from the aqua hot where I took the fluid sample. The aqua hot tech said you can take it from the expansion tank or this little ball valve drain port;
This is what the century green fluid looked like coming out of the drain; I saw particles in there, but no black and/or sludge;
Here is what my refractometer shows for the century green straight from the bottle;
Here is what the refractometer shows for my system fluid;
Soooooo..... This is obviously a brand new system and looks like it’s mostly water. Not sure how that happened, but what I will do is start adding the 50/50 mix straight into the system. This will gradually bring the ratio into the proper proportion over time.
I wanted to post this since the “idea” is that the aqua hot burner will boil the water out of the fluid leaving the ratio where distilled water will be need to be added. This might sound right in theory, but I think I have proven here that this system was mostly water to begin with for whatever reason and therefore this theory does not apply. [emoji3]
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Sid and Phyllis
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