Forum Discussion

Kyte's avatar
Kyte
Explorer
Oct 13, 2014

Pink antifreeze turned purple

Newbie here,

I put good old Walmart antifreeze (Super Tech) in the camper.
It went in pink, but turned a light purplish color at the faucets.
Checked the clear water lines and all looked light purple.

Its the same stuff I used last year with no problem. It went
in pink and came out pink. I checked the ingredients and they
are the same as last years right down to the ingredients numbers.

Any ideas why?

Regards
Kyte in NW PA
  • I did remove the carbon water filter before I started.

    I'm trying the freezer route as subjected before.

    If the water freezes in the freezer I'll drain the lines
    and start over.

    I read that this winter will be singular to last years.
    Hope not..

    Regards
    Kyte in NW PA.
  • Any chance you have a carbon water filter in the line. Had one fail once and it turned my water black. Pink and black might show as purple.
  • You do not need to blow out the lines before pumping in the pink stuff. It will push out the water as it goes through the line. That is why the flow will turn from water to pink. You can buy an adapter that screws into your city water connector and you just run air at about 40 psi through all your lines. Some people leave it at that, others like myself will then add the pink stuff.
  • I put in 3 gallons of new pink antifreeze and 1/2 gallon
    of year old pink antifreeze.

    The RV dealer told me that pink antifreeze never goes bad,
    so I used the 1/2 gallon. It was just as pink as the new stuff.

    I'm thinking that I didn't get all the water out of the lines.

    Will try the freezer approach and let you know how it works.

    Regards
    Kite
  • Pink to purple........hmm you're saying it's the same brand of antifreeze but the colour differs. Could be one of 2 different possibilities as I'm seeing it:

    1. If it's a different batch (you didn't say) it could be the manufacturer is using a different chemical composition. Maybe an OAT as opposed to a HOAT composition now.

    2nd possibility is various chemicals/minerals in the water leached into the pipes (D/K if your piping system is metal or "plastic") and is now noticeable in the antifreeze upon draining.

    All I can think of.
  • most pink stuff will freeze but it does not expand when it freezes like water does dave
  • Didn't blow out the water lines. Didn't last year either.

    I'm not sure exactly how to do it.

    Like I said, I'm a newbie.

    I will put some in the freezer and see what happens.

    Thanks
    Kyte
  • Kyte. Did you blow out your water lines b/4 you put the new antifreeze in? If not, it will be mixed with the water in the lines and HW tank. Put some of the pink/purple liquid out of your faucet in a cup, and place in your freezer. It might turn into slush, which is OK, but if it freezes solid, it might be too weak. Eddie Elk.