CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Meemil]

Hi,

My 9500 ultra project keeps progressing and finally I'm at the point where I need a new coolant for the tubes.

What's the best stuff in EU? I've heard about the IceClear AF, which would be ideal as it's non-toxic (always nice for a household with 3 curious dogs ) and performs even better than traditional glycol. Too bad it seems nonexistent over here.

Are there any possible alternatives or should I just do my own glycol/glycerin mix?

Cheers,
Eemil

[Tim in Phoenix]

Guys

Electrohome spec'd Triethylene Glycol with ten percent water so you would want to stay close to that for specific gravity, since the fluid is forming the first lens and bending light. And no you don't want to tint the coolant.

[Meemil]

Alright, but I remember reading that such combination contributed to "sweating" of bellows? Is water really advisable?
What about propylene glycol + glycerin? Or does it really have to be ethylene? If so, I think I can get that stuff from Germany.

And no worries about tinting, I've got filtered C-elements.

Cheers,
Eemil

[gjaky]

According to the SDS (safety sheet) of the IceClear AF stuff it only consist of glycerin (40 to 60%) and the rest is water and some corosion inhibitor agent (<4%), but gycerin+water mixture isn't suppoesed to eat aluminum unlike glycols, so one may can fare well without the inhibitor. In fact Iceclear PGX is the same but without the inhibitor added.

[Tim in Phoenix]

Guys

You could get focus issues and a prism effect with the wrong density of fluids.

[Meemil]

Thanks for the heads up guys!

Gjaky and Tim, what do you prefer as a coolant/what do you use in your PJs? Also how has your mixtures aged? I really am not sure which direction to go with these possibilities, so any opinions are appreciated

Cheers,
Eemil

[gjaky]

Here in Budapest I can buy any chemicals fairly easily. I am using 70% ethilene-glycol with 30% glycerin, so far with good results. But with the hope being less aggressive to aluminum I am going to try the glycerin water mix as above.

[Tim in Phoenix]

Guys

I have always used triethylene glycol with ten percent distilled water. Chemistrystore.com sells it as a cosmetics ingredient. $27 a gallon. One Marquee tube is about 22 fluid ounces, so 20 oz glycol each tube, six tubes a gallon.

[gjaky]

Tim, we live in europe...

[Meemil]

Haha yeah, it's a bit difficult here. In Finland, it's impossible to acquire clear ethylene glycol without special license, it's also illegal to ship liquids (especially toxic ones) from other countries AFAIK.

Thanks for the suggestions though!
I'd be interested in the glycerin+water combo. So 60% glycerin and rest just basic tap water should do the job without affecting the focus?

Cheers,
Eemil

[gjaky]

Always use deionized water...

[Meemil]

Ah my bad, I'm not thinking
But if that ratio is good imma give it a shot.

[Tim in Phoenix]

[Meemil]

Kremer Pigmente seems to sell MONO-ethylene glycol in nice price (in EU too!)
Glycerine however is really expensive locally.

Tim's solution seems most affordable atm. Does it matter whether it's tri- or mono-ethylene? I'd like to try mono with 10% of distilled water if possible.

Cheers!

[tschaeikaei]

Hey, after some research and talking to other experienced users, i decided to use propylene glycol.
I filled both my Marquee 9500 ultras tubes and so far i am very happy with it.
You can get the stuff at any electric cigarette store or on ebay for about 12€ per liter.
Best thing: absolutely not toxic, doesn't corrode metals.
I cannot tell if it lasts 5 years or 100, but for the seven months it is in there, everything is fine.

Personally, i'd never use monoetylene glycol again. That stuff is just horrible. Ate my freshly painted Marquee LC housings in two years.
Regards, Julian

[ronaldus]

Hi All,

I also use the propylene glycol glycerin mix since more then 2 years now and no clouding or what's so ever.

Regards,

Ron.

[Meemil]

Thanks guys for input! I've been thinking the same. So much easier to acquire too, hell, even local pharmacy sells it over here.

My otherwise minty blue's chamber looks horrible, full of corroded spots. Gotta give it a good epoxy treatment and never go back to ethylene.

Cheers!

[CIR Engineering]

Bump