Non reactive anti-freeze for pontoons? Suggestions?

[jakedaawg]

Non reactive anti-freeze for pontoons.

I am wondering what anti-freeze I could place in the front chambers of a pontoon. I need something that will not eat away at the aluminum. Just a quart or two.

The idea is that the front chamber of the pontoon is the hardest to seal because it has a weld on the bottom and the top. These get water from leaks or just simple condensation. As time goes by eno7gh gathers that when it freezes during winter storage the seam pops.

I figure that if I add a non reactive antifreeze after I weld up the leak they will have a longer effective repair.

 

[jbcurt00]

Moved to Pontoon forum.....

PM me if you arent getting any replies by the end of the week. We'll try elsewhere.....

I suspect you may get some fix the problem, skip the anti-freeze replies

You'll need to consider the AF may get out, despite your intentions. Leaking AF into a waterway would be mucho no bueno..........

 

[jakedaawg]

Thanks jb...I thought about here but then thought this mayy be a little technical for this specific area. You all surely know better than I. Thanks for the time it took to move....

 

[dingbat]

If you put a cup of water in a 1 gallon jug, will the jug split when it freezes?

I'll give you a hint. Water expands 9% when frozen....

 

[MH Hawker]

fix the leak

 

[rallyart]

Glycerol

but I think it will not be an issue unless there is enough water in here to make you want to drain it and fix any leaks If it was me, I'd not worry unless there is a significant leak

 

[jakedaawg]

If you put a cup of water in a 1 gallon jug, will the jug split when it freezes?

I'll give you a hint. Water expands 9% when frozen....

Actually, it is pretty common for freeze damage in the very front chamber. Happens where the seam is on the bottom as it curves to become the stem.

 

[jakedaawg]

fix the leak

This is for after the leak has been fixed....You also can not fix condensation.

 

[Scott Danforth]

if you fixed the leak, you can pressure test the section. it should hold 3psi indefinitely.

as far as a little water on the inside, it will be fine. if you feel you want to add something, add isopropyl alcohol

 

[snowseeker]

The pontoon I just got had a split seam in the front like mentioned. I welded it up and am thinking of welding bungs in the rear bottom of the front sections so I can pull them and drain off any water that accumulates threw the year before storage.

 

[Scott Danforth]

why not simply siphon any water from the top plug. thats what its there for. pressure testing and siphon draining if needed.

 

[jakedaawg]

Thanks guys. I will figure it out another way. Lets let this thread die.

 

[snowseeker]

why not simply siphon any water from the top plug. thats what its there for. pressure testing and siphon draining if needed.

With our new pontoon there is no top plug, just a metal vent tube bent in a J shape.

 

[jakedaawg]

That is a siphon tube. As the toon heats during the day it for es condensation out. As it cools dry air is brought in.. leave it alone. They work.

 

[jakedaawg]

No Title

My post was in a effort to solve this. As seen in the photos the fault is not in the toon itself but in the stem cap. After I have drilled and drained and the welded for repair condensation can still get into that cap area. If, as a repair person, I could find a non reactive and non evaporative anti freeze, i could introduce that into the area thus solving the issue for.many years?!

I will post pics of the inside shortly.

 

[jakedaawg]

No Title

Here is a pontoon I had laying around. I cut the top off to investigate how to solve this issue.

I do several of these weld jobs every season. The issue is more of an internal issue and is not accessible for repair.

Fix the leak does not cut it. That's what we do.

As you can see, upon manufacture these are welded on the inside. That's where the bead is. Then, on the outside, a stem cap is welded on.. somewhere there is a failure, either on the inside or under the stem cap. This allows water between the cap and the toon skin.

A non reactive antifreeze, introduced after repair, would solve the issue.

Pink rv antifreeze reacts over time. Green automotive definitely reacts, there has got to be something that will not evaporate that is neutral to aluminum.

 

[jakedaawg]

What you can not see in the 2nd pic in post 15 is how the cap is bulged from freeze damage. The vee piece that runs the stem on the outside is what I call the stem.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Flex Seal now sells a tape that they claim will seal anything including boats. Give it a try. It's wide enough..Let us know how it works.

 

[snowseeker]

I saw that! Looks like a possible good temporary fix deal but again one of those things a welder would not be happy to see.

 

[WaterDR]

It would seem to me that the problem is not that the water is freezing but that water is in the tubes in the first place.

As to corrosion resistance, any automotive antifreeze designed for an aluminum block engine should not pose corrosion concerns. Those products all have corrosion inhibitors in them.

But don't forget the water! Depending on where you boat whatever water is going to get into the toons may cause issues with internal corrosion. Then there is the microbio issues too