De-icing

TKS deicing fluid is isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol (antifreeze). You
can spray it on a plane safely, including plexiglass, landing gear, props,
etc. I've also bought cheaper non aviation stuff from home depot, and mixed
it with hot water and sprayed it on the plane as well, which also works.

It will make a big slimy slippery mess of a hangar floor and it doesn't go
away or evaporate.

In article ,
"Viperdoc" wrote:

TKS deicing fluid is isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol (antifreeze). You
can spray it on a plane safely, including plexiglass, landing gear, props,
etc. I've also bought cheaper non aviation stuff from home depot, and mixed
it with hot water and sprayed it on the plane as well, which also works.


What is it you purchase from HD?

I bought the cheapest pink antifreeze ( which I believe is used for filling
outdoor sprinklers, etc. It consisted of ethylene glycol and water, without
the isopropanol, but still does the job as deicing fluid, although I
wouldn't put it in the TKS tank of my plane.

The pink stuff is usually propylene glycol It is sold as "RV antifreeze"
and can be used in drinking water systems and is non corrosive.

Mike
MU-2


"Viperdoc" wrote in message
...
I bought the cheapest pink antifreeze ( which I believe is used for filling
outdoor sprinklers, etc. It consisted of ethylene glycol and water, without
the isopropanol, but still does the job as deicing fluid, although I
wouldn't put it in the TKS tank of my plane.

Viperdoc wrote:
I bought the cheapest pink antifreeze ( which I believe is used for filling
outdoor sprinklers,

Outdoor sprinklers are filled with air in the winter. You must live
down south.

Newps wrote:

Outdoor sprinklers are filled with air in the winter.

Not all, by any means. When I worked for Grinnel Fire Protection, we frequently
designed sprinkler systems which used anti-freeze. These were closed-head
systems. The water was shut off at the main valve and the system drained. There
was a filler port at the top of the system, and it was filled with anti-freeze.
Then the water was turned back on.

If a fire occurred, one or more heads would blow, the anti-freeze would drain
out the open heads, and water would follow from the mains. After the fire was
out, the system had to be drained before it froze.

This type of system was very popular as an outside branch of a larger inside
system; for example, a few heads providing protection for an outside truck
loading dock.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Kobra wrote:

snip
When I asked my A&P he said that "...people use all kinds of crap, but he
didn't recommend any of it because it was bad for the plane. He said it
could eat the paint and ruin rubber. He said even the de-icer that they
make for airplanes is bad for the plane and that he'd never put that "$hit"
on his plane.

I guess he wouldn't be too thrilled if my Bonanza, with its TKS weeping
wing anti-ice system, rolled into his shop.

Go here to read about the how it works and the de-icing solution this
system requires:

http://www.weepingwings.com/system.html


--
Peter

In article ,
"Kobra" wrote:

Flyers,

I remembered that an instructor told me back in my primary training, that
you could de-ice a plane with properly diluted anti-freeze bought at an auto
supply and sprayed on with a garden sprayer.

Kobra,
Anti-Freeze is just that ANTI-freeze. It does not effectively melt ice.
It prevents it from freezing. Heated glycol will work. It is ithe heat
that melts the ice and the remaining glycol will prevent it from
re-freezing. The airlines use a variant of this method.

Alcohol will melt the ice layer by layer. Your best bet is heated
glycol. If this is not possible a un-heated glycol-alcohol mix.

Michelle P

Use propylene glycol commonly sold as "RV antifreeze" it is non corrosive
and non toxic.

Mike
MU-2


"Kobra" wrote in message
...
Flyers,

I went to fly on Thursday and low and behold my baby was covered with a
half inch of snow and ice. I could brush off the top 1/4 inch of snow,
but the bottom 1/4 inch was ice that was welded to the airframe.

I remembered that an instructor told me back in my primary training, that
you could de-ice a plane with properly diluted anti-freeze bought at an
auto supply and sprayed on with a garden sprayer.

When I asked my A&P he said that "...people use all kinds of crap, but he
didn't recommend any of it because it was bad for the plane. He said it
could eat the paint and ruin rubber. He said even the de-icer that they
make for airplanes is bad for the plane and that he'd never put that
"$hit" on his plane.

Now I'm scared to de-ice my plane. This is all new to me as this is our
first winter out of our hangar. The owner raised the rent in the spring
and we raised our middle finger in defiance. (BTW, I'm going to start a
new thread on this hangar issue...it will be called "What would you pay?")

So how to you all de-ice your planes and are my mechanic's fear justified
on the use of auto anti-freeze?

Kobra

I am curious about it also, and want to know what people who own composite
airplanes do about that nasty ice crust .

How about applying a stream of hot air (a hair drier-type device)?

Please advise!

-- City Dweller

"Kobra" wrote in message
...
Flyers,

I went to fly on Thursday and low and behold my baby was covered with a
half inch of snow and ice. I could brush off the top 1/4 inch of snow,
but the bottom 1/4 inch was ice that was welded to the airframe.

I remembered that an instructor told me back in my primary training, that
you could de-ice a plane with properly diluted anti-freeze bought at an
auto supply and sprayed on with a garden sprayer.

When I asked my A&P he said that "...people use all kinds of crap, but he
didn't recommend any of it because it was bad for the plane. He said it
could eat the paint and ruin rubber. He said even the de-icer that they
make for airplanes is bad for the plane and that he'd never put that
"$hit" on his plane.

Now I'm scared to de-ice my plane. This is all new to me as this is our
first winter out of our hangar. The owner raised the rent in the spring
and we raised our middle finger in defiance. (BTW, I'm going to start a
new thread on this hangar issue...it will be called "What would you pay?")

So how to you all de-ice your planes and are my mechanic's fear justified
on the use of auto anti-freeze?

Kobra