Alcohol stabilizer for offset printing dampening solution

An alcohol stabilizer for offset printing dampening solution, wherein the alcohol stabilizer is for controlling the concentration of alcohol in a supply of dampening in solution in a main dampening solution vessel, the stabilizer comprising:

• a dampening solution measuring vessel, a device in the measuring vessel for setting a dampening solution level in the measuring vessel;
• a metering float floating in the measuring vessel for adjusting the float level of the metering float dependent upon the concentration of alcohol in the dampening solution in the measuring vessel;
• an alcohol supply, a valve from the alcohol supply for selectively permitting and halting the delivery of alcohol to the main dampening solution vessel;
• the metering float being connected with the valve from the alcohol supply for the metering float to open the valve and permit addition of the alcohol when the alcohol concentration in the dampening solution decreases and the metering float rises, and for the metering float to close the valve from the alcohol supply when the concentration of alcohol in the damping solution increases and the metering float sinks;
• a recirculation path for dampening solution, leading out of the main dampening solution vessel and then into the main dampening solution vessel;
• a pump in the recirculation path for pumping the dampening solution through the recirculation path, the valve from the alcohol supply being connected to the pump so that operation of the pump with the valve open moves alcohol into the recirculation path and into the main dampening solution vessel;
• a connection from the alcohol supply path not to the valve or to the recirculation path;
• an emergency cut-off float in the measuring vessel which floats up and sinks in the damping solution in the measuring vessel as a function of the concentration of the alcohol in the dampening solution, including a second valve connected with the emergency cut-off float for preventing the flow of alcohol to the first valve when the alcohol content in the dampening solution reaches or exceeds an emergency cut-off value, which is higher than a pre-determined maximum alcohol limit value at which the first valve should close and as a function of the floating height of the emergency cut-off float in the dampening solution.