Hopefully someone here can help me out. We were evacuated last Wednesday as a result of the East Troublesome Fire. We were given about 15 minutes fo get out of our home as the roar of the fire could be heard coming northeast toward us and the the town of Grand Lake and the west side of Rocky Man. Nat'l Park. The RV was loaded and ready to go...almost. We headed south to Granby where we spent the first night on a side street. The next 4 nights were spent in a local rodeo parking lot. Those 5 nights were w/o electricity. Temps dropped to -8 on the coldest night and stayed below freezing most of the time. Now comes my problem. I had the foresight to pour 1/2 gal. of RV anti-freeze down into each the 2 tanks, but it looks like that was not enough. I have not tried to drain the tanks, yet. The temps are finally getting above freezing during the afternoons, but I need to do something to thaw out those tanks. If I pour more RV antifreeze into the tanks, will that cause the "ice" to melt? Someone suggested to pour "ice melt" into the tanks but will that cause a problems with the sensors or the valves? Thanks in advance and so far it looks like our home was spared any damage, but we have not been given the okay to re-enter --- hopefully tomorrow.

Anything you pour down there will freeze. If you can find any stick-on electric heat pads, that is your best bet.

I would hookup and try draining before resorting to any other methods

if the ambient temperature is above freezing pour boiling hot water into the tanks. Start with the black tank simply because it is a clearer shot into the tanks.

Keep driving south.Find an RV park and use the facilities there.

I would try a radiant heater--one of the type that glows cherry red.I've used one to thaw a frozen compartment door.You will need to be patient. It takes a LOT of energy for water to change from frozen to liquid.

Froze black/grey tanks.... | Good Sam Community

jdc1
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2020
Anything you pour down there will freeze. If you can find any stick-on electric heat pads, that is your best bet.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 29, 2020
I would hookup and try draining before resorting to any other methods
Lantley
Nomad
Oct 29, 2020
if the ambient temperature is above freezing pour boiling hot water into the tanks. Start with the black tank simply because it is a clearer shot into the tanks.
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 29, 2020
Keep driving south.

Find an RV park and use the facilities there.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Oct 29, 2020
I would try a radiant heater--one of the type that glows cherry red.

I've used one to thaw a frozen compartment door.

You will need to be patient. It takes a LOT of energy for water to change from frozen to liquid.
cavie
Explorer
Oct 29, 2020
If you have Antifreeze in the tanks you will be fine. Antifreeze jells but does not freeze hard and expand. I think that if you find some fresh running water it will be warm enough to let you dump the tanks.
valhalla360
Navigator
Oct 29, 2020
time2roll wrote:
Keep driving south.

Find an RV park and use the facilities there.

You can mess around dumping stuff down the tanks or taking a blow dryer to the pipes but moving south will be the most effective and if you are going to be stuck in the RV for a while before heading home will allow you to use the onboard facilities.
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2020
Everybody seems to have discounted the fact that a good part of what goes into the black tank is the same thing used to de-ice runways.

Ego the black tank is always less of an issue, but the gray sure can be. You can put almost any ice-mellter you want in there unless it is going into a septic system, then you have to be careful.

Matt
shum02
Explorer
Oct 29, 2020
How do you know they are frozen if you haven't drained them?

Is the belly of the rig covered or open?

If open a small electric forced air heater will do the trick blowing on the tank, if it is closed and insulated with a "heated" underbelly turn on the furnace and crank it up. It'll take a while but it will eventually warm it up.

I've had worse, don't panic.
MountainAir05
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2020
Put you some rock salt" couple hands full" and it will thaw them out.