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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking > MetalWork Discussion > Can I add bleach to my coolant?
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    Can I add bleach to my coolant?

    I've heard others say they use bleach in their coolant. Is this a viable option or will it damage my mill please?

    I'm machining plastics, aluminium and stainless and using a water soluable coolant (10% mix) cutting using a 1/2" 2 flute end mill.

    My problem is that the sump stinks- like when you leave your clothes in the washing machine too long- that horrible "damp" smell.

    Will bleach be ok to add?
    I love deadlines- I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    180
    Ther is a chemical made just for your problem. Try another type of coolant. I use syncool and have no problems at all and my machine may sit for days before I get back to run it.

  3. #3
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    I am dubious about adding bleach. I know it has been mentioned in other threads, and it will probably work, but I worry about causing corrosion. Theoretically if you are using the correct dilution, keep out tramp oil and keep the mix aerated there should be no problem with bad odours. Theory doesn't work for us and we use an old fashioned disinfectant called Creolin.
    An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out.

  4. #4
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    Nov 2005
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    Thanks guys, corrosion was my niggling worry Geof. Mazak, thanks for the advice. I'll change coolant, wondered why mine was so cheap and now I know the answer

    My problem is I don't use the mill for like two weeks, most of the stuff I do is diamond machining on a different beast, so my mill can be sat there for like two weeks with the coolant suppurating. I can't justify running an aerator 8 hours a day electricity wise (electric bills have just hiked about 30% here in the UK).

    I'm sat here 30 feet away from the mill in a different room and I can still smell the bloody stuff. It's one of them horrible damp smells that really annoys you. Can't concentrate on the maths I need to do because of it.

    I won't add bleach. I was worried about corossion and if you, Geof, are worried too then that's good enough for me. I'll change the coolant as per Mazak's suggestion.

    Thanks again chaps!
    I love deadlines- I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by ImanCarrot View Post
    ..... I can't justify running an aerator 8 hours a day electricity wise (electric bills have just hiked about 30% here in the UK)....
    Go on, a little aquarium pump should not cost more per week than the price of a pint; drink less and enjoy a less smelly environment. Probably good for your health all round; no more noxious fumes and your liver gets a respite.
    An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out.

  6. #6
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    Mar 2006
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    Let it stink, drink a few more pints and you will not notice or care. lol

    Dick Z
    DZASTR

  7. #7
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    Nov 2005
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    True enough Geof, it's gotta be cheaper to run an aerator than replace the coolant every month. I'll have a go at that instead of the bleach.

    Zastrow, ROFL I can just see my Governor's face as I present a Purchase Requisition for:

    Item 1. Qtty: 01 off Aquarium Aerator.
    Item 2. Qtty: 24 off. Cans of Stella Artois Lager.
    Item 3. Qtty: 1 off. Macallans Whisky, 10 year old, 75 cl bottle.
    Item 4. Qtty: Many please, Co-Codamol/ Paracetamol for hangovers
    Note: Goods In Inspection shall be caried out on a 100% batch basis *glug* lol.

    Incidentaly, I subscribe to the Darwinian Theory of drinking... Brain Cells start dieing off about 6 months after you're born, now consider that throughout nature the strongest survive and the weakest die... therefore drinking of alchohol accellerates the death rate of weak brain cells. Ergo: Drinking alcohol makes you cleaverer. Erm...... gotta be a flaw there somewhere
    I love deadlines- I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    3154
    when changing coolant brands it is VERY important to clean extremely thoroughly with bactericide.
    I wasn't really having problems with my coolant but supply chain was bad so I switched brands.
    Machines stank so bad in 1 week that I was retching just walking by them. I was pissy with the rep that sold me the new "super" coolant. I had major work stripping and cleaning with their special bactericide and of course dumped all my tanks.
    Turns out that if I would have run the bactericide in the old coolant for a week FIRST (doing lots of machine hose downs) it theoretically would never have happened (so I am told).
    Now I have aeration on timers and can go a month between uses without it getting bad.
    www.integratedmechanical.ca

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    4826
    I've been using Houghton Hocut 795 since I got my Haas mill (used) about 4 years ago. I have never changed all the coolant in this machine yet.

    I might also not run the coolant for a week or two sometimes, but I do have a skimmer running daily for an hour. After a long sit, the coolant does have a mild 'stinky socks odor' when it is used again. But, the smell dissipates once the whole tank has been aerated (through use) and is quite satisfactory to continue to use.

    I've used other coolants in the past, and experienced poorer results and would have to replace the coolant. But this Houghton stuff seems to be pretty good and does not grow a skin. I do not use a bacteriacide, as I don't want that stuff soaking into my skin when I'm working with wet parts or chips or washing down the machine and getting splashed on. I don't like to use bleach except in a clean-up stage when redoing a machine. I don't know if one can trust that the bleach only makes it bad for bacteria, for it may react with coolant as well.

    The stuff that the skimmer picks up, I wick the oil off the top of that with absorbant paper towels. Then, what remains gets used up in the saw, or for drilling manual on the drill press, places where I normally do not keep a tank of coolant on the go.
    First you get good, then you get fast. Then grouchiness sets in.

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    406
    I use Trim sol c320 chemical coolant concentrate. In 6 years I have
    never had a moldy smell no matter how long the machine sits.No
    aerator or and additives.The coolant mixes at about 3% on the refractometer. That means 3 gallons of concentrate makes 100 gallons of coolant. They may no longer carry c320 as they are always making improvements but if you talk to a sales rep. they will recommend the newest formula for you. At about 80 U.S. dollars for five gallons its not to hard on the wallet. Also they will tell you that all you need to do as the coolant evaporates is ad water and check with a refractometor adding coolant as needed to keep the right concentration ratio. I mix with a stir as I add more water. No signs off rust and it does'nt gum up. Just my 2 cents.
    Judleroy

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    7
    DO NOT ADD BLEACH!!! I had a repair guy in a few years back that said the bleach will cause everything internal to rust. he told me he's had to flame cut out ball screws that have rusted solid to the linear bearings due to bleach. A good tip is to fully clean your tank when changing coolants and go get a "little giant" pump ($100 or so) and set it up to pump in buy your coolant pumps and run a garden hose to the opposite end of your tank. Run it 24/7. This constant circulation will make your coolant last longer. It has worked miracles for us in our Mori SVL5020's which have 180 gallon coolant tanks. We change coolant once a year if that. No smells, no mold, just gotta clean out some chips from time to time. Adding any chemicals to your coolant will only make the matter worse in the long run.

  12. #12
    bleach works quite well if common sense is used
    you can use chlorine bleach in the coolant tank just the same as you can use bleach to turn a bucket of pond water into drinking water . the majority of us mix chlorinated water (tapwater)with the consentrate then add that to the machine , chlorine disipates into the air quite rapidly so its not as though it sits in the tank forever , a bucket of tapwater for example looses the chlorine within 24 hrs
    i think the corrision issues are due to people diluting the coolant with too much bleach , a capfull is plenty for a large sized tank
    A poet knows no boundary yet he is bound to the boundaries of ones own mind !! ........

  13. #13
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    Apr 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by ImanCarrot View Post
    I've heard others say they use bleach in their coolant. Is this a viable option or will it damage my mill please?

    I'm machining plastics, aluminium and stainless and using a water soluable coolant (10% mix) cutting using a 1/2" 2 flute end mill.

    My problem is that the sump stinks- like when you leave your clothes in the washing machine too long- that horrible "damp" smell.

    Will bleach be ok to add?
    If your tank is sitting for a while between uses then you need to remove the swarf at the tank bottom, and aerate. We used to have problems not with smell but with slime that would plug the pump intake screens. We bought something called Triadine 20 from J&L Industrial and add it according to label directions. It kills bacterial and fungus and is approved for use in machining centers. Stuff works great and now we get 6 month's out of a batch of coolant as opposed to 2 months. We could probably go longer but at 6 months I'm sure it's pretty much toast due to the high volume of aluminum we run through it. In my opinion adding a chlorine to water soluble oils that are made from petroleum products will likely produce chlorination byproducts, ie chlorinated petroleum, but then again who knows, I'm just a machinist and not a chemist Hope this helps.

  14. #14
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    Jun 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by ImanCarrot View Post
    I've heard others say they use bleach in their coolant. Is this a viable option or will it damage my mill please?

    I'm machining plastics, aluminium and stainless and using a water soluable coolant (10% mix) cutting using a 1/2" 2 flute end mill.

    My problem is that the sump stinks- like when you leave your clothes in the washing machine too long- that horrible "damp" smell.

    Will bleach be ok to add?
    I'm with dertsap on the common sense point. A little bleach goes a long way and to be honest I use to throw a couple of cap fulls into the Mazak lathe (cap. just under 60 gal) where I use to work if the coolant was getting a little green around the gills. It would usually extend the coolant life by a few months although an aerator and skimmer would have extended it much longer to be honest and would have been cheaper in the long run. They wouldn't buy an aerator nor a skimmer though so in the summer it was biofilm heaven if it sat for a couple of days between jobs. No corrosion issues, everything, including the inside of the pockets with collet holders where corrosion free. I talked with the Mazak tech about it when we had to pull the turret for a hydraulics problem. Said the bleach wasn't a problem at all and no corrosion issues either. A better brand of coolant with a biocide, a skimmer and aerator would have been ideal though. BTW we cut 303; 304; 316 SS, delrin, nylon, UHMW, mild steels, S7 tool steel, 6061 and 1075 alum on that machine w/ no problems from the bleach reacting with the parts either.
    Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
    Mark Twain

  15. #15
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    May 2004
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    46
    Be careful with the Triadine 20, we bought some and never put it into the tank.
    Breathing the mist is harmful! Not sure what they were thinking when selling this to us.
    We tried a product called picocool which was more expensive and never worked well.
    Switched back to Rustlick G-1066 D. We added a small aerator and oil skimmer to solve our problems we had with bacteria growing.

    Take back the Triadine 20 or make sure you don't breath the mist!

  16. #16
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    Apr 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr Pete View Post
    Be careful with the Triadine 20, we bought some and never put it into the tank.
    Breathing the mist is harmful! Not sure what they were thinking when selling this to us.
    We tried a product called picocool which was more expensive and never worked well.
    Switched back to Rustlick G-1066 D. We added a small aerator and oil skimmer to solve our problems we had with bacteria growing.

    Take back the Triadine 20 or make sure you don't breath the mist!
    Triadine 20 is a mild respiratory irritant, much like water soluble oils, the key to using Triadine is to dose it correctly, and only redose when culture plates show the need to, you can't just add a little each week or the concentration can build up to unhealthy levels. Proper ventilation is a must in any machine shop running a bunch of VMC's and lathes with flood coolant. We use Rustlick G-1066 D but only in our surface grinders that grind ceramics with diamond wheels, G1066D is specific for diamond machining. On a side note, breathing mists of many things can be harmful, you must have proper ventilation to keep people healthy in the shop. G1066D spray mist is harmful to breath as well, contains a fairly high % of boron in it.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by JDenyer232 View Post
    Triadine 20 is a mild respiratory irritant, much like water soluble oils, the key to using Triadine is to dose it correctly, and only redose when culture plates show the need to, you can't just add a little each week or the concentration can build up to unhealthy levels. Proper ventilation is a must in any machine shop running a bunch of VMC's and lathes with flood coolant. We use Rustlick G-1066 D but only in our surface grinders that grind ceramics with diamond wheels, G1066D is specific for diamond machining. On a side note, breathing mists of many things can be harmful, you must have proper ventilation to keep people healthy in the shop. G1066D spray mist is harmful to breath as well, contains a fairly high % of boron in it.
    We use the rustlick on every machine since we grind glass with diamond wheels.
    I wasn't aware of the boron in the rustlick, I'll check into it. The picocool was horrible for misting and was impossible to ventilate and didn't work as well.

    Thank you for the information, I appreciate the help.
    P.S. sorry for kinda hijacking the thread about putting bleach into coolant.
    All relevant, we all learn new things!

    Dr Pete

  18. #18
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    Apr 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr Pete View Post
    We use the rustlick on every machine since we grind glass with diamond wheels.
    I wasn't aware of the boron in the rustlick, I'll check into it. The picocool was horrible for misting and was impossible to ventilate and didn't work as well.

    Thank you for the information, I appreciate the help.
    P.S. sorry for kinda hijacking the thread about putting bleach into coolant.
    All relevant, we all learn new things!

    Dr Pete
    No problem, we all learn something new here, that's what makes this a great forum. No matter what is in a coolant, we must use ventilation to get rid of spray mists, it's not just the coolant but whatever you are machining or grinding that can get in the lungs, ceramics and glass are far worse for your lungs than any coolant additive. Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate, or yeah did I mention ventilate

  19. #19
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    Sep 2008
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    Adding Bleach?! I've worked with a variety of coolants...First hand experience, if you need to add something to your coolant, CHANGE BRANDS! There are a lot of choices, some better, some worse... Rustlik certainly falls in the latter catagory!

    I'm not sure what you're running, but from my own experience, Qualchem QC251c or Blaser Vasco 1000 works extremely well on a variety of materials. Qualchem has almost NO ODOR whatsoever, but is a bit of a hog with make up. Blaser has a mild perfume scent, but holds up extremely well and requires very little make up to maintain! Both coolants put up with the typical shop "lack of maintenance" abuse! Typical changeovers in my shop are 12 to 18 months (9 machines) and I have roughly 0 time to maintain this stuff... I'd call some local reps and ask for demo's...Most vendors will charge up a machine for you at no charge to try their stuff out...

    Stuff to stay well away from include Rustlik and Hengstefer Neosol (Rustlik "spoils" if you leave it sitting and Neosol smells like old socks after a few months!). Whatever you do, though, DON'T ADD BLEACH TO YOUR COOLANT! Guaranteed that you will burn out seals and screw up the internals...

  20. #20
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    Jul 2004
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    I personally wouldn't add anything to the tank without first consulting with your coolant manufacturer.

    We've had EXCELLENT dealer and factory support from Qualichem. We were having some problems, (stank, then foaming...application induced problems, and not the fault of the coolant) and they were immediately available to offer an intermediate soluttion, then the next day, the rep came by and took a water and coolant sample. About a week later, they sent a lab report and long term recommendations. Bravo!

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