Hey all. Been reading and learning a lot about compressors. Heat seems to be the major concern with these units. In all my reading of those that use water as a coolant medium, I've seen no mention of adding a surfactant to the water. Is no one using a surfactant? Why not?
I can see why you wouldn't if you have a system, like I read about recently, that you run an intake line from one side of a filled kitchen sink and the out put line to the other side of the sink. But running surfactant treated distilled water would transfer and carry the most heat away from a compressors internals, in a closed system. Or even, if you were using a 5 gallon bucket as your coolant reservoir. I think, in that scenario, I'd have a dedicated bucket with treated distilled water that was only used for that purpose. After use, put the lid on the bucket and save it for next time.
A surfactant breaks down the surface tension of water and allows it to coat the surfaces it's in contact with much better than water alone. Adding it to water that is used to cool, pick up and transfer heat away from an air compressors internals seems a no-brainer.
I've used one for years, in everything that uses water as a coolant. Works wonderful in keeping my big bore 2 stroke water cooled dirtbike engine in check. My surfactant of choice is Red Line Watter Wetter. Can be had at several different automotive stores. One bottle will treat everything you have that's water cooled.
With all the posts I see of folks giving the temperature readings they're seeing from their compressors, I'd be interested to see some folks do a temp readings comparison test, with and without surfactant treatment.
Thoughts?
I can see why you wouldn't if you have a system, like I read about recently, that you run an intake line from one side of a filled kitchen sink and the out put line to the other side of the sink. But running surfactant treated distilled water would transfer and carry the most heat away from a compressors internals, in a closed system. Or even, if you were using a 5 gallon bucket as your coolant reservoir. I think, in that scenario, I'd have a dedicated bucket with treated distilled water that was only used for that purpose. After use, put the lid on the bucket and save it for next time.
A surfactant breaks down the surface tension of water and allows it to coat the surfaces it's in contact with much better than water alone. Adding it to water that is used to cool, pick up and transfer heat away from an air compressors internals seems a no-brainer.
I've used one for years, in everything that uses water as a coolant. Works wonderful in keeping my big bore 2 stroke water cooled dirtbike engine in check. My surfactant of choice is Red Line Watter Wetter. Can be had at several different automotive stores. One bottle will treat everything you have that's water cooled.
With all the posts I see of folks giving the temperature readings they're seeing from their compressors, I'd be interested to see some folks do a temp readings comparison test, with and without surfactant treatment.
Thoughts?
