Is everybody having trouble finding alcohol free RV antifreeze this season?Walmart has always had it in past seasons. This year, three different brands, but all alcohol based.Checked on line, Home Depot had it at a store 15 miles away (plus at other stores even further). Drive all the way there, but they can't find it. Now when I check again on line, they have zeroed out all inventory within 100 miles of my zip code.Drive to the local hardware chain (since they don't do on line inventory) and they have several brands as well, but all alcohol based.Try Autozone, same thing. Two different brands, but all alcohol based.Is everybody having this problem?

i thought the 'pink stuff' was vegetable based. ???

Ummm, why do you want it to be alcohol free? Not trying to start something, I really want to know the rationale.All you are trying to do is get the water out of the system. The pink stuff with alcohol will do that. Once the water is out, you can safely drain the pink stuff out too. It doesn't have to remain in the system. The water is gone.rk911 wrote:i thought the 'pink stuff' was vegetable based. ???The RV antifreeze is either ethanol based or propylene glycol based. (Note that there is NO ethylene glycol in it. That is in car antifreeze and is deadly.) I am assuming that the OP is talking about avoiding the ethanol based stuff. However, technically, propylene glycol, also, is an alcohol.

ok...we need clarificafiom. OP....are you looking for engine anti-freeze or anti-freeze for the RV's fresh water system? pretty sure the latter is vegetable based.

I never checked to see which I get, they have all worked like they should so I don't really care. Been doing it for 10 years with no issues, so it all seems to work okay.

I ordered in a couple gallons of alcohol free Propylene glycol when I winterized my boat. I didn't have any trouble finding it online. I got it from an online marine retailer. I think it was West Marine. I didn't even try the stores. Our nearest Home Depot is about 30 miles away but then it's 15 miles to the nearest traffic light.What's with all the "vegetable based" comments? I've never heard of such a thing. It's propylene glycol.

Trouble finding alcohol free RV antifreeze this season?

37 Replies

StarkNaked
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2021
Thanks to KD4UPL.

Yes, West Marine has it in stock. West Marine

My local store has over 1000 gallons sitting on the shelf!

They have 5 different blends, all but one are alcohol free.
StarkNaked
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2021
Bobbo wrote:
Ummm, why do you want it to be alcohol free? Not trying to start something, I really want to know the rationale.

All you are trying to do is get the water out of the system. The pink stuff with alcohol will do that. Once the water is out, you can safely drain the pink stuff out too. It doesn't have to remain in the system. The water is gone.

rk911 wrote:
i thought the 'pink stuff' was vegetable based. ???

The RV antifreeze is either ethanol based or propylene glycol based. (Note that there is NO ethylene glycol in it. That is in car antifreeze and is deadly.) I am assuming that the OP is talking about avoiding the ethanol based stuff. However, technically, propylene glycol, also, is an alcohol.

The alcohol-based stuff has two things I would like to avoid. First is it is flammable. Second is that alcohol is harder on rubber seals (like in the dump valves).

And for others that have asked, I'm talking about winterizing the fresh water system.

And thanks for the West Marine suggestion. I have a couple boat places I can try.
KD4UPL
Explorer II
Dec 01, 2021
I ordered in a couple gallons of alcohol free Propylene glycol when I winterized my boat. I didn't have any trouble finding it online. I got it from an online marine retailer. I think it was West Marine. I didn't even try the stores. Our nearest Home Depot is about 30 miles away but then it's 15 miles to the nearest traffic light.

What's with all the "vegetable based" comments? I've never heard of such a thing. It's propylene glycol.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Dec 01, 2021
I never checked to see which I get, they have all worked like they should so I don't really care. Been doing it for 10 years with no issues, so it all seems to work okay.
rk911
Explorer
Dec 01, 2021
ok...we need clarificafiom. OP....are you looking for engine anti-freeze or anti-freeze for the RV's fresh water system? pretty sure the latter is vegetable based.
Bobbo
Explorer III
Dec 01, 2021
Ummm, why do you want it to be alcohol free? Not trying to start something, I really want to know the rationale.

All you are trying to do is get the water out of the system. The pink stuff with alcohol will do that. Once the water is out, you can safely drain the pink stuff out too. It doesn't have to remain in the system. The water is gone.

rk911 wrote:
i thought the 'pink stuff' was vegetable based. ???

The RV antifreeze is either ethanol based or propylene glycol based. (Note that there is NO ethylene glycol in it. That is in car antifreeze and is deadly.) I am assuming that the OP is talking about avoiding the ethanol based stuff. However, technically, propylene glycol, also, is an alcohol.
rk911
Explorer
Dec 01, 2021
i thought the 'pink stuff' was vegetable based. ???

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Trouble finding alcohol free RV antifreeze this season?

37 Replies

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