I'm new to this site but I've had travel trailers for some time. Every fall I winterize using a gallon of the "pink" RV antifreeze and have never had any issues with any trailers.Last fall...same routine...ran all faucets until they ran pink. Gallon is almost empty so nothing unusual there. Job done until spring flushing with fresh water. This spring, I'm getting ready to sell this 5 year old trailer and I suddenly find two puddles of pink stuff (one under the bathroom sink and one near the pump) and a fitting on the kitchen sink that appears to have frozen, breaking the supply line off. Again...another little puddle of pink stuff. I'm scratching my head. Clearly the antifreeze was in the lines...the lowest the temp got in the trailer was -20F. This stuff is suppose to be good to -50F. Pex isn't suppose to burst when it freezes but I guess it does even when its full of pink rv antifreeze ??????? Has anyone ever experienced this same thing or have any thoughts on this issue ???? I'm thinking it was bad antifreeze...needless to say....I'm more than a little upset. I guess I'll just have to start blowing out the lines every fall.

Looked in TT yesterday morning at two extra gals of pink stuff I'd left sitting on floor last fall. Both were frozen like slushy's (not hard, but definitely frozen). Temp outsidide was -17degF, but I hope the stuff in my lines didn't cause a problem!

The pink stuff will freeze but not expand until – 50*…It could be you still had some water in the lines… just a little water will lower it protection level quickly… I guess it’s also possible you got a bad bottle…I blow out the lines on mine then pump the pink stuff through, then blow the pink stuff out… I don’t trust either method as being fool proof… have made enough repairs on units that were just blow out not so many that used the pink stuff… and all the dealers doing winterizations around here use the pink stuff and have to guarantee against freezing…

According to Dow: Propylene glycol antifreezes are designed to provide burst protection to temperatures of -50° F…Ice crystals will start to form in -50 RV Antifreeze at temperatures around +10° F, and it will appear to be solid ice at around -10° F to -15° F. Propylene glycol based antifreezes continue to contract and will not expand until temperatures of -50° F are reached, thus providing burst protection for pipes… The antifreeze has a freeze point and a burst point… you can get -100 antifreeze for added protection for colder climates and marine engines but it’s not necessary for Rvs in most places…See FAQ here…http://www.camco.net/assets/catalog/winterizeRV.pdf

RV anti-freeze turns slushy at 10*F and should not freeze solid until 'burst temp' which is temp the anti-freeze is rated for (undiluted)So if it's rated for -50*F it shouldn't freeze solid until that temp is reached provided it isn't diluted.If you didn't fully drain plumbing system prior to pumping anti-freeze it was diluted and with the polar express temps it froze.I just drain/blow out system and only use anti-freeze in 'p' traps/toilet bowl.I put nothing in/thru lines.

I'm back to blowing out air lines again also. My personal opinion is that only a little amount of water dilutes the pink stuff where it won't do its job. I now save the pink stuff for P traps and toilet so gasket doesn't dry out and spilt rest of pink stuff gallon between black and gray tanks. My toilet water valve froze up and I know the toilet was running pink. So back to tried and true method.

Strange "pink stuff" freezing problem | Good Sam Community

mwebber78
Explorer
Feb 15, 2014
Typically in January we have extended periods of temps that range from 0 to -20 at night. I've had a handful of RVs and it's easy for low points in the PEX plumbing to hold water which can dilute anti freeze quickly. As others have suggested, I blow out all the lines with air, run anti freeze through until it comes out pink at all terminations, then proceed to blow out the anti freeze and leave all faucets in the open position. After, I dump some in the P-traps and call it good. No issues ever.
ExxWhy
Explorer
Feb 15, 2014
I think many of us will have a test of whatever system we use after this winter. I just use the pink stuff, pump in over 2 gallons of it and call it done. Always worked before, but it was COLD this year! I'll find out if I passed the test in about 3 months.
camperforlife
Explorer
Feb 15, 2014
Drbolasky wrote:
JJBIRISH wrote:

It could be you still had some water in the lines… just a little water will lower it protection level quickly.

This is most likely the case. I also blow out the water lines, run antifreeze through then blow that out. Have had no issues....knock on wood......:E

That is what I do as well. I don't like leaving the pink stuff in the lines and figure it gives me one more layer of protection.
randman132
Explorer
Feb 14, 2014
It was a brand sold by the local walmart here. They didn't have prestone which is what I have used in the past. The trailer is at the storage lot. I'll post the brand when I get back into the trailer this weekend.
dieseltruckdriv
Explorer II
Feb 14, 2014
I drain the water out of the low point drains, then run pink stuff into all the lines. After that, I drain the low point drains again. It is REALLY hard for anything to freeze really hard that way.

Have you ever seen an ice cube tray broken from freezing?
rexlion
Explorer
Feb 14, 2014
Maybe it would be helpful to list what brand of pink stuff you're using. Could it be that some brand or brands are inferior? Just a thought.
wrvond
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2014
I have three unopened gallons sitting in my car port. They were left over after winterizing the TT and motorhome. We have enjoyed temperatures in the negative teens this winter, and prompted by other threads on this subject I have periodically checked on those jugs. At no time have I found them anything but clear of ice. I've checked inside the camper, as well, and not seen any signs of slushing there. My old TT did not have a pick up tube with valve mounted to the pump, so I normally blew the lines dry and poured pink into the traps and toilet. This new TT has a pick up tube, so I drained the system then pumped pink all through the plumbing. I'm confident I'll have no problems when I dewinterize, but, of course, won't know for sure until I run water through the system.
randman132
Explorer
Feb 13, 2014
Thanks for all the replys. This was certainly a big surprise for me since this issue has never come up before in this or any other trailer I've owned. At least I can easily get to the lines to repair them. I guess it's time to buy a bigger air compressor now !
GuyM
Explorer
Feb 13, 2014
This is the last year for "pink stuff" in my lines. I blew mine out last fall and put in what little "pink stuff" I had left from last year. I then bought another gallon and set it inside the camper planning on putting it in the lines when I had time. I never got to it and when I checked on the camper a couple of weeks ago the gallon of "pink stuff" had turned to almost solid slush and bulged the container enough that I was concerned about it breaking if I left it in the camper. According to the thermometer in the camper the lowest temp was -18.

Guy
RoyB
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2014
Not having a large water flow system in my OFF-ROAD POPUP camper I have been doing the blow-out procedure for years. Then after the blow-out of the lines I check to make sure I have no outside hoses connected and add a little pink stuff to the P-TRAPS...

Since we are usually off the power grid the blow-out method is easy method for us to quickly clear out the lines. This is great when you run into a quick unexpected freeze period.

We can recover when the sun comes out by just adding water back into the fresh water tank.

It is our understanding as well that the PINK STUFF will freeze but is designed to reduces expansion inside the lines and assemblies.

Roy Ken