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Old 02-08-2016, 06:54 PM   #1
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Rv antifreeze freezing

Not sure if this is the right section but I got a quick question. I drain all the water I could out of the fresh water tank and blew out the water lines. My question is will rv antifreeze freeze up. I put some in the toilet and when it was really cold last month I noticed it was starting to freeze up. Now I'm worried that the water lines will be ruined. Has anybody ever seen this?
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:02 PM   #2
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You can actually make ice cubes from rv antifeeze, but they are more like "slush cubes". While the antifreeze will gel up, it doesn't expand to the point of causing damage unless it's outside of what it's rated for. (ie: -20, -50, -100)
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:06 PM   #3
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No worries. RV antifreeze is propylene glycol, and will not freeze solid. It will freeze, but only to the consistency of a slushy. You are fine.
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:06 PM   #4
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Generally RV Antifreeze is good to about -20 to -50 at full strength depending on the brand, but the more water that is mixed with it the higher the freeze temperature will be.

If you poured it in full strength and did not add any water you should be fine (it must have been REALLY, REALLY cold to start to freeze).

I live in North Carolina so I don't have to worry about really cold temps for extended periods (teens usually for a few days is about as bad as it gets) so I don't use RV antifreeze at all anymore. For me it is too much hassle.

For years I have only used an air compressor to purge the system after opening the low point drains and emptying and bypassing the hot water tank and have not had any issues.

If you purged the fresh water tank with the water pump after draining the tank completely, for me here that would be fine because any water left in the tank or line would have plenty of expansion space after freezing and would not hurt anything.
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:08 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hasley704 View Post
Not sure if this is the right section but I got a quick question. I drain all the water I could out of the fresh water tank and blew out the water lines. My question is will rv antifreeze freeze up. I put some in the toilet and when it was really cold last month I noticed it was starting to freeze up. Now I'm worried that the water lines will be ruined. Has anybody ever seen this?
If done right you will have no problem.
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:10 PM   #6
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I just found out this year that rv antifreeze comes in two grades. If you live up north you should be buying the more expensive grade that has a lower freeze point. I lost my water filter container last year to frozen antifreeze. With temps below freezing in OH I opted for the better stuff this year. That being said we are having a milder winter this year. I will always spend the extra dollars in the future.
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:24 PM   #7
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I just found out this year that rv antifreeze comes in two grades. If you live up north you should be buying the more expensive grade that has a lower freeze point. I lost my water filter container last year to frozen antifreeze. With temps below freezing in OH I opted for the better stuff this year. That being said we are having a milder winter this year. I will always spend the extra dollars in the future.
I usually empty my water filter housing and open the low point drains. Not enough in there to freeze that that point, but enough to make sure there isn't water present to do damage.
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:52 PM   #8
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Well the antifreeze was straight out of the jug that I put in the toilet. It was about 4 degrees out for a few days and it was almost solid in there.
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Old 02-08-2016, 07:56 PM   #9
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Per the specifications on the Jug. The min protection temperature on the label is the temp at which the product begins to expand. The damage done by ice is not directly the result of freezing, it is the result of the ice expanding. The antifreeze will become very slushy or solid, but will not expand.
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Old 02-08-2016, 08:02 PM   #10
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If you bought an extra jug, check it out. It will be a real thick slurpy but not buldge out the sides of the bottle like water would because it doesn't expand. It scared me when I first noticed that it gelled in the bowl a couple seasons ago, but it didn't hurt anything.
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Old 02-08-2016, 09:32 PM   #11
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Rv antifreeze freezing

Quote:
Originally Posted by Major View Post
Generally RV Antifreeze is good to about -20 to -50 at full strength depending on the brand, but the more water that is mixed with it the higher the freeze temperature will be.



If you poured it in full strength and did not add any water you should be fine (it must have been REALLY, REALLY cold to start to freeze).



I live in North Carolina so I don't have to worry about really cold temps for extended periods (teens usually for a few days is about as bad as it gets) so I don't use RV antifreeze at all anymore. For me it is too much hassle.



For years I have only used an air compressor to purge the system after opening the low point drains and emptying and bypassing the hot water tank and have not had any issues.



If you purged the fresh water tank with the water pump after draining the tank completely, for me here that would be fine because any water left in the tank or line would have plenty of expansion space after freezing and would not hurt anything.

Respectfully this is very bad advice you never want to add water to Rv antifreeze, it is NOT like automotive antifreeze!

From camco
• Protects to -50F (-46C) • Safe • Odorless • Tasteless • No mixing required • Non-Toxic • Propylene Glycol base • Safe for fresh water systems • High grade antifreeze for complete freeze protection requirements • All ingredients are listed in the U.S. Federal Register (GRAS)

The only time you ever add water to Rv antifreeze is if its concentrate, and I've never seen anyone have Rv antifreeze concentrate.


I guess I may have miss understood what you were saying.

I'm not sure why anyone would want to add water which is why I questioned your post.


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Old 02-08-2016, 09:44 PM   #12
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It's frozen in the toilet up here, but I'm not sticking my finger in to see if it's a slushy! Like others said, it will freeze but won't expand and crack your lines and fixtures.
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Old 02-08-2016, 10:00 PM   #13
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Rv antifreeze will definitely freeze (depending on temperature). but being non toxic and all that other jazz, its got just enough antifreeze to keep it from expanding enough to burst pipes/fittings, it will just turn into a slush unless temperatures are well below its rated limit. the expansion rate of frozen RV antifreeze is much lower than that of plain water

Most RV antifreezes are ethanol(alcohol) based, making them non-toxic, but they still freeze to some extent and turn into a slush. If you by some chance used glycol based rv antifreeze (its not very popular, especially for domestic sale), if its frozen, its either a bad concentration or a bad batch.

Lets assume you used the standard and readily available ethanol/alcohol based antifreeze. If you allowed the water lines to purge generously with the antifreeze you will be more than fine down to whatever its rated temperature is. It will still freeze to a slushy consistency, but no harm done
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Old 02-09-2016, 07:23 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS View Post
Respectfully this is very bad advice you never want to add water to Rv antifreeze, it is NOT like automotive antifreeze!

From camco
• Protects to -50F (-46C) • Safe • Odorless • Tasteless • No mixing required • Non-Toxic • Propylene Glycol base • Safe for fresh water systems • High grade antifreeze for complete freeze protection requirements • All ingredients are listed in the U.S. Federal Register (GRAS)

The only time you ever add water to Rv antifreeze is if its concentrate, and I've never seen anyone have Rv antifreeze concentrate.


I guess I may have miss understood what you were saying.

I'm not sure why anyone would want to add water which is why I questioned your post.


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TURBS,

Read my post again. I did not and would not suggest adding water to antifreeze I wouldn't do that to someone.

I was asking/questioning IF water HAD been added. Not trying to be picky... just setting the record straight
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Old 02-09-2016, 07:30 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Major View Post
TURBS,

Read my post again. I did not and would not suggest adding water to antifreeze I wouldn't do that to someone.

I was asking/questioning IF water HAD been added. Not trying to be picky... just setting the record straight

I understood what you were saying, but had to read it a couple times. I think he read it as I first did and misunderstood what you were saying.


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Old 02-09-2016, 08:51 PM   #16
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Which I commented about in at the end of my quote


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