Date:         Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:28:28 -0600
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Frozen Windshield Washer Fluid Tip
Comments: To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <10cf01cb8cef$c34f5620$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

---- Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> re
> alcohol evaporates out the
> wiper nozzle slowly
>
> are you saying that alcohol evaporates out of a water-alcohol solution ?
>
> that would mean a beer or glass of wine sitting out would have less alcohol
> in it after a while.

Well, yes, that is the case.

>
> if they were serious about the freezing protection of the product, they'd
> say what temp it's good down to, one would think.

The beer or the wine, which one?  Or both?  In the old days, the Austrian and Swiss monks used brandy, but I think that's a medical no-no now, as is any alcohol.  However, many a  person has found schnapps to be a real warmer upper when coming indoors from brutal cold.

WRT windshield washer fluids, some products are labeled with a freezing point, but it looks more like a "claim" than an actual fact.  But, being a water/alcohol mix, the freezing point will change over time with differential evaporation.  That's one of the reasons that ethanol gave way to ethylene glycol as coolant system antifreeze in the 1950s.  Of course, if you knew the proportion of alcohol by weight in the windshield washer fluid, you could calculate the freezing point depression.

BTW, most of these windshield washer fluids are isopropyl rather than ethyl alcohol, I believe, the same as Windex.  Don't drink any.

DMc

David McNeely