Alcohol evaporator needed ?

[wcolt45]

Hello all, living in wv the winters arent as harsh as in other parts,but pretty cold none the less. I am wandering if a alcohol evap is a (necessity) to keep the old deuce goin in mild winter climates. Thanks

 

[Westech]

Not necessary but it would help for sure.

 

[Bighurt]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/8272-alcohol-evaporator-block-heater-etc.html

 

[wcolt45]

I like the idea of having one but seem hard to find, any sources for them?

 

[Bighurt]

Any heavy truck brake shop should have Bendix AE-1 on hand.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yup, they work well. If it gets cold where you live, get one.

 

[wsucougarx]

Hmm, last year there was a SS selling the USGI kits on here. Maybe he'll chime in

 

[quickfarms]

How cold does it need to be to use an alcohol evaporator?

 

[6x6TRex]

I like the idea of having one but seem hard to find, any sources for them?

I made one for our Deuce out of a 1L pop bottle and some 1/4" clear tubing similar to: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/attach...r-block-heater-etc-alcohol_evaporator_132.jpg I then used a bike water bottle holder to mount it to the firewall.

 

[wcolt45]

Thanks for the idea,would like to find one at a reasonable price,if not i'll make one

 

[saddamsnightmare]

October 27th, 2011.

WColt45:

Being in West Virginia you will NEED a alcohol evaporator, not if. Don't jury rig it either. Yes the deuce does have hydraulic brakes, BUT the power to stop in any reasonable distance is determined by the air pack. Even with draining several times a day in Texas, when we got cold weather below freezing, all it takes is for the drain valve to freeze, and suddenly your truck is going to start to build ice in the air brake power assist system. My truck also has a Air-o-Matic steering unit, so I did not want it to freeze up.
The problem with where you are likely at in West Virginia, is that you are not going to get only one or two days of -32*F, you may get several weeks of it. And don't forget your air brake compressor is going to be breathing in all that spray from other vehicles, and it is going right to the air brake tanks. You could take the breather hose over to the air filter canister and cut some of the spray out, and if you fit the intake with a 90* elbow and put the mushroom on top, your gonna get less rain and spray on your air filter element, which will help the truck overall in the winter. It is money well spent in the long run when your trucks brakes work like they should, and not weaken out due to ice in the system.

Just my .02 worth, but from experience.

 

[bones1]

Take a look here http://www.bendixvrc.com/itemDisplay.asp?documentID=5147
''air brakes come with a dryer installed and if it is working correctly, the system will never freeze. The idea is to catch and remove the humidity from the compressed air as it leaves the compressor, and not let it get into the system where it can freeze. Putting alcohol in the system is treating the symptom, but not the cause, and yes it may be bad for the seals''.

This dryer is very popular http://www.anythingtruck.com/commercial/airb_airdryer-ad9function.mv

 

[wcolt45]

Dryer seems best but pricey,the search is on for an evaporator.

 

[bones1]

True, they are a bit pricey.Wonder if drier/ evaporator off of car a/c units would work.

 

[graf_222]

I picked up my evaporator two years ago off ebay for around $60. It is a Haldex# A-72420.

 

[wcolt45]

graf_222 ,i assume one line goes to the compressor? where does other one go?

 

[graf_222]

Yes one line goes to the compressor and the other goes to the air tanks...my unit is plumbed in the main air supply line

 

[cranetruck]

Yes one line goes to the compressor and the other goes to the air tanks...my unit is plumbed in the main air supply line

Hmm...the military vaporizer is designed to let the compressor draw alcohol vapor along with the air to be compressed when running, it's not an "in-line" type of thing.

As far as the fluid, the military specifies methyl alcohol.

 

[dittle]

I don't have an evaporator installed on my deuce and I've never had issues with it up here. I also have not seen an evaporator kit installed on the reserve unit vehicles up here either.