Diluting RV Anti-Freeze for Winterization

Hi,

I don't think the pump was designed to work on a frozen slurry of plumbing antifreeze. I'd be surprized to have the living quarters at a comfortable temperature and the anti freeze still be slush. I do use a mechanical thermostat and a light bulb beside the pump to prevent it from freezing during winter use.

I agree with using a by pass for the water heater, and a two position valve just before the pump for drawing anti freeze from the bottle.

Old-Biscuit wrote:


With a 'winterizing' kit on suction side of pump you can pump anti-freeze thru plumbing system FULL strength (no problem for pump). Leave a gallon jug of anti-freeze connected to the kit and use toilet as you please. (Turn pump on, flush toilet, anti-freeze gets sucked out of jug by pump, anti-freeze flows to toilet into waste tank.....everything is freeze protected)

yep I have never put antifreeze into my fresh water tank. didn't think of keeping the jug hooked up as never have used the RV when it was that cold.
bumpy

Agree that the af didn't harm your pump. Its designed so that it will become semi-frozen during extremely cold temps, but does not expand as water does. The expansion is what causes damage. I do capture used af in the spring, but only use it in the waste tanks the following year.

Never dilute and just drain the tank, don't waste antifreeze on the water tank. I installed a few extra valves in my system.
Two valves to bypass the water heater (You can buy a kit).
One valve to cut off water from the potable water tank.
One valve to open a hose that I put into the gallon of RV antifreeze.
You need full strength antifreeze in your water pump.
I cut off the tank valve and open the gallon valve and use the regular pump to fill all lines to include the commode lines. You need AF in your pump.
If you use the commode just pour water from a jug to flush.
That's the way I would do it.

The AF didn't hurt your pump.

The consensus is to NEVER put antifreeze into the freshwater tank because it is very difficult to get it all out. Better to use a bypass piping arrangement that puts the antifreeze thru the pump and into the lines. Never had a pump problem with this approach.
In a pinch we use antifreeze to flush the toilet right from the bottle.

Diluting the anti-freeze is what caused problems with your pump......it froze due to the anti-freeze no longer being full strength.

Diluting the anti-freeze is a waste of anti-freeze, waste of effort and provides minimal freeze protection.

Drain fresh water tank, by-pass water heater, blow the lines out, install a 'winterizing' kit on suction side of pump (stop putting anti-freeze in your fresh water tank....that's unnecessary and a waste of anti-freeze plus the cleanup/flushing of tank afterwards).

With a 'winterizing' kit on suction side of pump you can pump anti-freeze thru plumbing system FULL strength (no problem for pump). Leave a gallon jug of anti-freeze connected to the kit and use toilet as you please. (Turn pump on, flush toilet, anti-freeze gets sucked out of jug by pump, anti-freeze flows to toilet into waste tank.....everything is freeze protected)

Doubt if diluted RV Anti-Freeze would have much freeze protection.