water wetter in intercooler?
I don't think this will do much, as I thought water wetter changed the boiling point of the water so it could run higher temps under pressure. The W/A IC doesn't run under pressure, so it's effects are minimal, if any 
Addatives to coolany degrade the waters ability to transfer heat away from the source, this would be a bad think in a IC situation. the only reason to use a addative would be to reduce corrossion(sp?) in the system.
RussC
[Edit by russc on [TIME]1120144445[/TIME]]
Addatives to coolany degrade the waters ability to transfer heat away from the source, this would be a bad think in a IC situation. the only reason to use a addative would be to reduce corrossion(sp?) in the system.
RussC
[Edit by russc on [TIME]1120144445[/TIME]]
[QUOTE="RDAvena"]water wetter does not change the boiling point of the coolant. It disperses the surface tension in the water so that it clings better to the water passages in turn removing heat more efficiently.[/QUOTE]
Does this mean that the water clings to the system surfaces rather than to other water molecules?
Does this mean that the water clings to the system surfaces rather than to other water molecules?
It helps the water spread out over the surfaces a little better.
Here is a way to test it. Put a few drops of water on a metal or plastic surface. You will notice the surface of the drop has tension. It makes itself "round" sort of and does not spread flat. Add the smallest bit of water wetter to this drop and the water will spread out over the surface of the part it is sitting on because the surface tension of the drop has been released. It will not be a dramatic flattening of the drop but it does increase the area of the drop which helps it cling to a surface better. The better it clings or spreads on a part, the better it can transfer heat away from the part, and help to make the coolant a little more efficient.
Here is a way to test it. Put a few drops of water on a metal or plastic surface. You will notice the surface of the drop has tension. It makes itself "round" sort of and does not spread flat. Add the smallest bit of water wetter to this drop and the water will spread out over the surface of the part it is sitting on because the surface tension of the drop has been released. It will not be a dramatic flattening of the drop but it does increase the area of the drop which helps it cling to a surface better. The better it clings or spreads on a part, the better it can transfer heat away from the part, and help to make the coolant a little more efficient.
I'll never use Red Line Water Wetter again after an experience I had in '93. My 535i was overheating and one attempt to get the thing to cool was to use Water Wetter in the coolant, which was 50/50 Prestone/water. There was no gain in cooling, but the coolant did turn into a jelly-like substance after the Water Wetter was added. I recall a couple of other folks having this same experience (no, I don't have a link, nor do I recall what coolant they were running). In the end, the overheating problem was a clogged radiator (yes, I understand that is not really relevant to Watter Wetter's pros/cons).
[QUOTE="Shawn D."]I'll never use Red Line Water Wetter again after an experience I had in '93. My 535i was overheating and one attempt to get the thing to cool was to use Water Wetter in the coolant, which was 50/50 Prestone/water. There was no gain in cooling, but the coolant did turn into a jelly-like substance after the Water Wetter was added. I recall a couple of other folks having this same experience (no, I don't have a link, nor do I recall what coolant they were running). In the end, the overheating problem was a clogged radiator (yes, I understand that is not really relevant to Watter Wetter's pros/cons).[/QUOTE]
Strange, I have used it in my e21 323i and I have never had this type of issue. I have changed the coolant/water mix every two years and it comes out clean. No blue Jello. With regards to gains the only difference is that where the temp gauge used to be right at 12 o'clock it is now a little bit before that.
Strange, I have used it in my e21 323i and I have never had this type of issue. I have changed the coolant/water mix every two years and it comes out clean. No blue Jello. With regards to gains the only difference is that where the temp gauge used to be right at 12 o'clock it is now a little bit before that.
There are couple of "water wetter" type cooling products out there. They're all basically the same as far as I'm concerned. They're a surfactant that makes the metal to water heat transfer a little more efficient. If you read the bottle, claims, and instructions fully and completely you'll find that it is most effective when added to plain water. It's actually very efffective when used that way and cools a fair bit better than plain water and slightly better than 50/50 water and antifreeze. Water wetter + water + antifreeze has only a slight and not very compelling advantage over water plus antifreeze, however. Probably has something to do with the fact that antifreeze has very little surface tension to begin with.
I'd recomend it for a water/air intercooler where you're not using antifreeze, but its advantages in a radiator with antifreeze are very small. Course if you're living someplace cold where you don't want your intercooler fluid to freeze, you're prbably using a 50/50 mix anyway.
Jeremy
I'd recomend it for a water/air intercooler where you're not using antifreeze, but its advantages in a radiator with antifreeze are very small. Course if you're living someplace cold where you don't want your intercooler fluid to freeze, you're prbably using a 50/50 mix anyway.
Jeremy
Oh! So basically you're saying, Water Wetter is soap! Perhaps if I added dishwashing detergent to my cooling system instead, not only would surface tension be dispersed... but it would clean my cooling system of dirt and grime?
(The above comment is made in jest, however, if you have any scientific-type answers to the above statement.. lets hear em!)
[QUOTE="RDAvena"]water wetter does not change the boiling point of the coolant. It disperses the surface tension in the water so that it clings better to the water passages in turn removing heat more efficiently.[/QUOTE]
(The above comment is made in jest, however, if you have any scientific-type answers to the above statement.. lets hear em!)
[QUOTE="RDAvena"]water wetter does not change the boiling point of the coolant. It disperses the surface tension in the water so that it clings better to the water passages in turn removing heat more efficiently.[/QUOTE]