2026 Winter Guide: How to Protect Your TEYU Industrial Chiller from Freezing

When shop temperatures drop below 0°C (32°F), standard cooling water freezes and expands, cracking pipes, blowing seals, and damaging core components. To avoid unexpected downtime this winter, follow these practical maintenance steps covering antifreeze selection, mixing ratios, daily operation, and shutdown draining.

1. Use Ethylene Glycol, Never Ethanol
Choosing the wrong fluid will do more harm than the cold itself. Stick to ethylene glycol formulated for industrial cooling systems:
Why it works: It has a high boiling point, low evaporation rate, and stays chemically stable in closed-loop systems to prevent both freezing and internal rust. It is also safe for standard EPDM and NBR seals.
Strictly avoid ethanol (alcohol): Ethanol evaporates fast and offers weak freeze protection. It causes vapor locks that kill water flow, swells rubber seals, and creates serious leak and fire hazards.

2. Get the Mixing Ratio Right
More antifreeze isn’t better. Keep your mixture balanced so your chiller can still shed heat efficiently:
Stick to a 3:7 ratio: Mix 30% ethylene glycol with 70% purified water by volume. Never exceed 30%—higher concentrations thicken the fluid, strain the pump, reduce cooling performance, and increase corrosion risks.
Don’t mix brands: Different brands use different chemical additives that can react and form sludge. Always drain and flush the system before switching fluids.
Flush it out in spring: Once temperatures stay consistently above 5°C (41°F), drain the antifreeze, flush the lines thoroughly, and refill with regular purified water.

3. Daily Winter Operating Tips
If your equipment runs through the winter, keep these four habits in mind:
Insulate exposed lines: Keep the chiller indoors above 0°C (32°F) whenever possible, and wrap any exposed external piping in foam insulation.
Check for ice before startup: Always inspect water lines for ice, blockages, or leaks before powering on. If you spot ice, cut the power immediately. Let the unit thaw completely before restarting—never force-start a frozen pump.
Run 24/7 if possible: If your power supply is stable, continuous circulation helps keep water from freezing. (Note: This helps, but doesn't replace proper antifreeze or insulation.)
Adjust CWFL settings: On TEYU CWFL dual-circuit fiber laser chillers, check your manual and switch the high-temperature circuit (which cools the laser head) to Constant Temperature Mode. This keeps temperatures steady and protects your beam quality in cold shops.

4. Long-Term Shutdown: Drain and Dry Completely
Leaving a chiller idle in sub-zero storage? Don't leave a drop of water inside:
Drain the tank and lines: Open the bottom drain valve. Depending on your model, disconnect the inlet/outlet pipes and remove the water-supply port plug to let all trapped water escape.
Blow out the lines: Use low-pressure compressed air to dry the permitted internal piping. (Warning: Never blow compressed air into ports or connectors marked with a yellow label near the water inlet/outlet—high pressure will ruin internal parts.)
Cover and store: Once bone-dry, wrap the unit in a clean plastic bag or dust cover and store it in a dry indoor space.

Need Help With Your Specific Model?
A few minutes of prep now saves costly repairs later. If you aren't sure which antifreeze or settings fit your industrial chiller, reach out to our engineering team at service@teyuchiller.com.