Tracing loss of coolant

[tolhurstorganic]

My Pinky Ketch engine -Betamarine 28 has been loosing coolant when running or not.
A Vetus calorfier is fitted and this I have isolated by turning off the two valves from the heat exchanger. This stops the coolant loss so it must be leaking from the calorfier primary circuit. I cannot see any leak from this and am wondering if it is internal leak in the tank itself with coolant getting into the freshwater in the tank. The tank was drained during the winter so frost damage unlikely.
Does anybody know of a dye that can be used to trace such a leak? Any advice and comments welcome.

 

[sarabande]

what does the freshwater taste like ?

 

[tolhurstorganic]

Dunno about the taste as there is a separate drinking supply that goes through a filter that takes all taste out, can't see any colour of coolant in other water

 

[VicS]

Does anybody know of a dye that can be used to trace such a leak? Any advice and comments welcome.

Fluorescein ! It does however need to be in a very slightly alkaline solution and you need UV light to see it fluoresce

 

[vyv_cox]

Assuming you have a conventional domestic water system with a positive displacement pump, you can try a simple test. The water pressure from the pump will be in excess of 2 bar, 28 psi. The pressure cap on the engine will be rated at less than 1 bar, maybe 10 psi. If the calorifier coil is leaking, fresh water will get into the coolant, whether the engine is running or not. Does the coolant overflow when the water is switched on? If not, then your leak is somewhere else.

 

[pvb]

Assuming you have a conventional domestic water system with a positive displacement pump, you can try a simple test. The water pressure from the pump will be in excess of 2 bar, 28 psi. The pressure cap on the engine will be rated at less than 1 bar, maybe 10 psi. If the calorifier coil is leaking, fresh water will get into the coolant, whether the engine is running or not. Does the coolant overflow when the water is switched on? If not, then your leak is somewhere else.

Spot on.

 

[charles_reed]

My Pinky Ketch engine -Betamarine 28 has been loosing coolant when running or not.
A Vetus calorfier is fitted and this I have isolated by turning off the two valves from the heat exchanger. This stops the coolant loss so it must be leaking from the calorfier primary circuit. I cannot see any leak from this and am wondering if it is internal leak in the tank itself with coolant getting into the freshwater in the tank. The tank was drained during the winter so frost damage unlikely.
Does anybody know of a dye that can be used to trace such a leak? Any advice and comments welcome.

I had exactly bthe same problem, caused by a minute score, resulting in a leak, on the lowest part of the feeds from engine to calorifier. I would suggest careful examination of all connections and the length of the pipes - mine starting slowly took nearly 12 months to finally trace.

 

[tolhurstorganic]

Yes a 25psi pressure in domestic circuit with a 10psi cap, if cap removed coolant level still goes down if calorfier circuit open. Shut calorifier off and coolant level stable.
So looks like it has to be in piping to calorifier but nothing shows so this is why I am wondering about a bright coloured dye to help indicate from where the leak is dribbling.

 

[Alpha22]

Halfords 5 year antifreeze is a fluorescent yellow colour. Top up with some of this and you will soon be able the see if the drips are coolant water.