We're trying to get an early start heading out west this year in April. We're going the South route out and North route back so we will experience some freezing snowy weather for sure. A mix of 50/50 boondocking and full hook up sites.My question is what's an alternative to RV antifreeze, at $3 a gallon and without much alcohol content there must be a more cost efficient mixtures out there? And easier to carry also..I only need this for my 38 gallon greys and a single 38 black tank, water tank will have its own 12 volt pad heater. Obviously the grey and black won't be full maybe half full most of the time and only for a day or two. Other times we will have full hookups so all tanks (not fresh) will be empty.Short of making my own Still what are my options?Ron W

Your grey and black tanks valves are not in an enclosed basement, and the basement is not heated? Just using the 12V pad heater on the fresh tank should help with any grey/black valves close by.But my old trailer had non-enclosed valves that froze solid at -6C once. Once we drove to warmer weather, and they unfroze, they were fine.I don't like using alcohol based antifreeze in my grey/black tanks as I'm afraid the rubber seals will deteriorate.

rjsurfer wrote:We're trying to get an early start heading out west this year in April. We're going the South route out and North route back so we will experience some freezing snowy weather for sure. A mix of 50/50 boondocking and full hook up sites.My question is what's an alternative to RV antifreeze, at $3 a gallon and without much alcohol content there must be a more cost efficient mixtures out there? And easier to carry also..A long trip like this will obvious induce some fairly significant costs which you're obviously willing to handle ... but you're not willing to buy a few gallons of purpose designed RV antifreeze? Seriously? :hRV antifreeze is specifically designed for the purpose and to be non poisonous not only when it's in the tanks but also when it's later disposed of - not so with other forms of antifreeze. JMO, but what you're proposing just to save a few $$ makes no sense at all. :R

To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.

The lines will freeze be for the tanks. As asked above, you can't afford to add $3.00 to the cost of your trip.

Run your furnace when you can and when you can't leave your basement lights on. Those little 12v bulbs put out some pretty good heat that should keep everything warm.

Best alternative to RV antifreeze. | Good Sam Community

45 Replies

JaxDad
Explorer III
Nov 20, 2016
Gjac wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
Gjac wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
Gjac wrote:
To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.

That's an incredibly bad idea.

The 'antifreeze' is alcohol because it's designed to EVAPOURATE so as not to form ice on your windshield.

When you pour it into a tank with as much surface area as a grey or black tank, it evapourates very quickly and leaves you with a tank of straight water.

It really depends on how you use it. I open all low point drains and blow out the water lines and use the windshield washer fluid in my traps and toilet. If I go south for the winter I wait until it gets warm enough before filling FW tank. I have never used RV antifreeze and have been winterizing as described for the last 10 years.

I'm not sure how many traps or toilets your unit has, but mine takes maybe a cup per.

If you had two sinks, a toilet and another appliance (washer) with a drain that would take maybe 4 cups.

A half a gallon is too expensive? You need to find something cheaper?
Isn't that the question that the OP asked (a cheaper alternative) I just answered his question.

No, the OP asked for a cheaper alternative to freeze-proof his black and grey tanks, 76 gallons in total, not a couple P traps.

Even at a 50/50 dilution rate (which likely still wouldn't be safe) that would be well over $100 per dump, and reduce his tank capacity by half.
Gjac
Explorer III
Nov 20, 2016
JaxDad wrote:
Gjac wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
Gjac wrote:
To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.

That's an incredibly bad idea.

The 'antifreeze' is alcohol because it's designed to EVAPOURATE so as not to form ice on your windshield.

When you pour it into a tank with as much surface area as a grey or black tank, it evapourates very quickly and leaves you with a tank of straight water.

It really depends on how you use it. I open all low point drains and blow out the water lines and use the windshield washer fluid in my traps and toilet. If I go south for the winter I wait until it gets warm enough before filling FW tank. I have never used RV antifreeze and have been winterizing as described for the last 10 years.

I'm not sure how many traps or toilets your unit has, but mine takes maybe a cup per.

If you had two sinks, a toilet and another appliance (washer) with a drain that would take maybe 4 cups.

A half a gallon is too expensive? You need to find something cheaper?
Isn't that the question that the OP asked (a cheaper alternative) I just answered his question.
JaxDad
Explorer III
Nov 20, 2016
Gjac wrote:
JaxDad wrote:
Gjac wrote:
To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.

That's an incredibly bad idea.

The 'antifreeze' is alcohol because it's designed to EVAPOURATE so as not to form ice on your windshield.

When you pour it into a tank with as much surface area as a grey or black tank, it evapourates very quickly and leaves you with a tank of straight water.

It really depends on how you use it. I open all low point drains and blow out the water lines and use the windshield washer fluid in my traps and toilet. If I go south for the winter I wait until it gets warm enough before filling FW tank. I have never used RV antifreeze and have been winterizing as described for the last 10 years.

I'm not sure how many traps or toilets your unit has, but mine takes maybe a cup per.

If you had two sinks, a toilet and another appliance (washer) with a drain that would take maybe 4 cups.

A half a gallon is too expensive? You need to find something cheaper?
sonora
Explorer
Nov 19, 2016
K Charles wrote:
Where do you get vodka for less then $3.00 a gallon?

Russia?
Gjac
Explorer III
Nov 19, 2016
B.O. Plenty wrote:
Gjac wrote:
To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.
And it's poisonous if you put any in your regular water system.

B.O.
Read my post I don't use it in my water system when I winterize, I just blow out the water lines with compressed air.
mike-s
Explorer
Nov 19, 2016
rjsurfer wrote:
As I mentioned, sure I can use a couple of gallons of RV antifreeze in each 1/2 full tank (6 gallons antifreeze total) but carrying and resupplying them is a pain.

I'm just wondering if there is better more concentrated antifreeze that I could use instead, let's say a gallon or less?
RV antifreeze uses propylene glycol. The concentration (an therefore freezing temperature) may vary by region. Around here, they sell 1:1 (50 percent) mix, which is good to -20F, so you get 1/2 gallon of propylene glycol per gallon of antifreeze. But, it's intended to be used as provided, not diluted.

You said you had 38 gallon tanks. If you add 2 gallons of 1:1 to a half full tank (19 gallons), you'll end up with about a 1:20 mix. A 1:5 mix (add over 12 gallons per tank) gets you +20F. That 1:20 mix you wanted - that won't do squat to keep things from freezing, maybe lower the freezing point a couple of degrees, so why even bother?
brulaz
Explorer
Nov 19, 2016
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Ron Sir, April is not January. You may be making more out of this than may be warranted.
...

Especially in Texas.
And a light frost should not cause any problems.
I wouldn't worry about it.
B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Nov 19, 2016
Gjac wrote:
To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.
And it's poisonous if you put any in your regular water system.

B.O.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Nov 19, 2016
Ron Sir, April is not January. You may be making more out of this than may be warranted. If the sun-moon-and tides are against you when in Texas why not hole-up for a few days until you see that cold front pass on by? There is a lot of difference between +30F and 0F. I used to flat-out refuse to fight Sierra Nevada blizzards on US 395 and US 95 northbound. Sounds like your trip planning is sort of inviting an unacceptable degree of discomfort. Then again in my ancientness I have grown to despise cold weather. Maybe my sensitivity is. Ot realistic. If she freeze I flees is my mantra...
Gjac
Explorer III
Nov 19, 2016
JaxDad wrote:
Gjac wrote:
To answer your question directly windshield washer fluid is good to -20 degrees and is less than 1/2 the price of RV antifreeze.

That's an incredibly bad idea.

The 'antifreeze' is alcohol because it's designed to EVAPOURATE so as not to form ice on your windshield.

When you pour it into a tank with as much surface area as a grey or black tank, it evapourates very quickly and leaves you with a tank of straight water.
It really depends on how you use it. I open all low point drains and blow out the water lines and use the windshield washer fluid in my traps and toilet. If I go south for the winter I wait until it gets warm enough before filling FW tank. I have never used RV antifreeze and have been winterizing as described for the last 10 years.

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Best alternative to RV antifreeze.

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