Pharmacist’s solution

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

Pharmacist’s solution is:

-3 % propylene glycol
-20 % isopropyl alcohol/ethanol
-distilled water up to 100 %

I found propylene glycol at a “compounding pharmacy.” In South Carolina these are pharmacies that mix (compound) drugs and medicines in special ways for special needs.

By the way, the propylene glycol is very inexpensive.

Good Luck!

Wil

 

[Photofan1986]

Thanks for sharing, I was looking for the receipt lately, because I've been refilling old carts that have been purged with water, but they don't work as they should.
My question, however, is in what proportions are those ingredients used? If I remember correctly, the % is concentration, right?

 

[PeterBJ]

The ingredients in pharmacist's recipe are pure, meaning the concentrations are 100% or very close to 100%. The percentages in the recipe are percentages of the finished mixture.

This means that if you want to prepare 100 ml of this solution, you should start by adding 3ml of propylene glycol to an empty bottle, then add 20 ml of isopropyl alcohol and finally add distilled/demineralized water till the total volume of the mixture is 100ml.

 

[Lucas28]

What's puzzling me: Is propylene glycol the same as Glycol, the working component in anti freeze?
And is isopropyl alcohol the same as ethanol, which is the alcohol in our drinks?

In that case I can make the solution with supermarket ingredients. In anti freeze there are additives to color it and to prevent corrosion in the engine, but that won't harm in a 3% solution.

For the alcohol I can dilute a bit of colorless liquor, say gin. Dutch gin (jenever) evaporates without a residue. Medical alcohol is obtainable but expensive.Until now I've used the cheaper methanol, but that is not recommended by the forumers here.

 

[PeterBJ]

According to other posts by pharmacist, the 3% of propylene glycol can be substituted by 2% of glycerine AKA glycerol. Both propylene glycol and glycerine are non-toxic.

I think ethanol AKA potable alcohol is a good substitution for isopropyl alcohol AKA iso propanol AKA 2-propanol. In stead of using
genever (probably similar to gin?) I would recommend using vodka, as I think this is the purest form of diluted ethanol obtainable. Don't use denatured ethanol, as you don't know the denaturants used.

An alternative recipe for the conditioning fluid using liquor would then be:

2% of glycerin AKA glycerol
50% of vodka (40 vol%)
Distilled/demineralized water till 100%

Ethylene glycol is toxic, and when used as an anti-freeze some additives that may or may not harm the print head are used. I recommend not using anti-freeze in this recipe.

Here are some Wikipedia links, to the chemicals discussed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol , and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

 

[Photofan1986]

Thanks for the clarification! What's the best way of using the mixture? I used the bottom inlet with a clip to put a couple of ml into the cart, with the pressure of a syringe.. Does it need a couple of minutes to work on the sponge? And after that, can I blow into the top hole (ball removed) to dry the cart?

 

[Roy Sletcher]

According to other posts by pharmacist, the 3% of propylene glycol can be substituted by 2% of glycerine AKA glycerol. Both propylene glycol and glycerine are non-toxic.

I think ethanol AKA potable alcohol is a good substitution for isopropyl alcohol AKA iso propanol AKA 2-propanol. In stead of using
genever (probably similar to gin?) I would recommend using vodka, as I think this is the purest form of diluted ethanol obtainable. Don't use denatured ethanol, as you don't know the denaturants used.

An alternative recipe for the conditioning fluid using liquor would then be:

2% of glycerin AKA glycerol
50% of vodka (40 vol%)
Distilled/demineralized water till 100%

Ethylene glycol is toxic, and when used as an anti-freeze some additives that may or may not harm the print head are used. I recommend not using anti-freeze in this recipe.

Here are some Wikipedia links, to the chemicals discussed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol , and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

Are we talking cocktails here?
If it is Shaken and Not stirred sounds like something James Bond would drink.

2% of glycerin AKA glycerol
50% of vodka (40 vol%)
Distilled/demineralized water till 100%

Gotta go now. I think my printer is an alcoholic and I have to contact Dr Phil about it.

RS

 

[pharmacist]

All ethanol (pure, denatured, diluted) is alcohol. But not alcohols are ethanol. So propylene glycol is a glycol, but not all glycols is propylene glycol .

 

[Tudor]

You should be able to find glycerin in a pharmacy that can make drugs following a recipe. Isopropyl alcohol (99%) can be found at electronics stores or electronic repair shops. Maybe you can't find distilled water, but you can find demineralized water in auto shops and supermarkets.

 

[The Hat]

I have just ordered 500 ml of propylene glycol from my local Chemist (Drug Store).
The stuff is made just up the road in Northern Ireland.