Pink stuff is slushy - ok???

[paulmlac]

Ran out to the MH today to run it and the genny. Looked in the toilet. The pink stuff I poured in there is slushy. I poked it with a wadded up power towel and it moves around, barely. Some stuck to the end of the paper towel. It looked exactly like a slurpee. Is that OK? I seem to recall it being more liquidy last year.

[Triguy]

This is fine. I am assuming that this is the Camco AF (i.e., Pink Stuff) or something similar with Propylene Glycol. It will start to get slushy but will still prevent things like pipes from bursting. I think the stuff would still keep your toilet seals dry even though slushy as well. I've always noticed that and haven't had a problem with the seals on our camper toilets (yet).

By the way, this information here from Camco about their -50 RV antifreeze is useful, too.

Propylene glycol antifreezes are designed to provide burst
protection to temperatures of -50 ̊F. or below. Ice
crystals will start to form in -50 RV Antifreeze at temperatures
around +10 ̊F. and will appear to be solid ice at around
-10 ̊F. to -15 ̊F. Propylene glycol based antifreezes continue
to contract and will not expand until temperatures of -50 ̊F.
are reached, thus providing burst protection for pipes. If you
need a product that flows at the lower temperature, a more
highly concentrated product such as Winter Ban -100 or our
Premium Ban Frost 2000 should be used.

[Great Horned Owl]

Water is a rather unique liquid, in that it expands when it freezes. It is that expansion that damages pipes and containers.

Almost all other liquids (including RV, potable antifreeze) shrink when they freeze, and thus, do not cause any damage. It is normal for the antifreeze to turn into a gel when the temperature hits single digits. Don't worry. That won't hurt anything.

Joel

[wrvond]

I left 2 and 1/2 gallons of pink AF sitting out in my carport. Picked one up today and shook it. At 1 degree F, it is fully liquid. No crystals, no slush. I have an electric space heater running inside my camper, so no point in checking for slushy AF there...

[SammySabre]

As everybody looks for the cheapest price of pink juice on sale in the fall, be advised that there is both -50F and -25F juice on the store shelves. Get the -50 for obvious reasons. That -25F is for the guys in the south that are getting a hard freeze this weekend and before you know it, the temp will be way above freezing next weekend.

[paulmlac]

OP here. I bought my pink stuff at Walmart (Cincinnati area). I recall it being Prestone I think. They had some no name round jug. And then Prestone. I figured Prestone was better. I just checked my garage & have a couple gallons of Glacier RV antifreeze that say burst protection to -50 F. Should I add that to the toilet & drains (it would be in addition to the Prestone)? We are supposed to get some of the cold weather this week. Our coldest low is forecast to be -12 F Tuesday morning (plus wind no doubt). Yesterday when I checked it was mid 30's but much colder the past few days.

[wrvond]

Assuming your water is turned off, flushing your toilet would simply allow the slushy stuff to drop down into the black tank, where it will certainly do no harm. All the drain lines, of course, go to the grey tank. It would certainly not hurt anything to flush the toilet and pour a cup or two into the bowl. As well as pour a cup or so into each p-trap. It would certainly make me feel better if it were mine. However, the real concern is not the drain lines. They are big enough, and are open ended, so that any slush is not really going to have anything to push against. I'd be more concerned about my water supply lines. When you winterized, did you use the water pump to push the AF through the lines, and did you let each faucet run until solid pink, or just until most of the water was pushed out?
Personally, I think you are ok, even with slush. But, I'm not going to tell you that it'll be fine if there is any chance at all that damage may occur, and risk being wrong. This is something you're going to have to decide for yourself. I can tell you that I have never, ever, seen the AF in any of my campers slush up. If I did, then I would assume that it was diluted with water and needed to be flushed some more.
Sorry I can't be more help than that.

[paulmlac]

OP Again.

I think I'll do as you say. I'll flush the toilet. Instead of a poop pyramid, I guess it will be a pink pyramid! Then pour new pink back in the bowl. And also more new pink in the sinks & shower drains. Any excess old pink will just gather in the gray / black tanks which are empty so it shouldn't do any harm.

As for the fresh lines, they were blown out, so there's no pink in them. There again, even if there was a few drops of water in them (which there probably is), there's plenty of expansion space since they're probably 95% empty.

Thanks.

[paulmlac]

OP again. Went to storage lot. Mid 40's now but dropping temps coming soon. Pink stuff was liquid. I left it but added new pink stuff on top. Will check again when it gets colder in next couple days.

[wrvond]

Good luck!