Prestone rv antifreeze

[Jetstreamer]

I don’t know about other areas of the country but in the Milwaukee area I’m unable to find my favorite propylene glycol based rv antifreeze for sale anywhere. Almost all that anyone carries is the cheapy alcohol based stuff that I don’t want to use. What’s more is that when you go online to see who might be selling the prestone brand they are asking outrageous prices per gallon (upwards of $40) for stuff I routinely paid around 4-5$. I just can’t figure out what’s going on??

[Shearwater]

If you can't find propylene glycol based antifreeze at the normal outlets, try boating stores if you live near a large body of water. Alternatively, you can order several varieties from Westmarine (www.westmarine.com).

[Grit_dog]

rhagfo wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Forget that **** and blow out your system!

X2!
When we did winterize we only blew the lines. No flushing no after taste!

X3
I've been draining/blowing out the camper and boat for years without issue. Now yes there is the potential you could get some residual water somewhere, but typically if it's only a little in a low point and has room to expand down the pipe as it freezes it doesn't split the pipe.
I typically drain the FW tank, run the pump/faucets until empty then open 1 faucet at a time and run compressed air into the city water connection. It spits and sputters and blows the water out of the system. Make a couple rounds to each faucet/outlet.
Empty black and gray tanks. Dump a gal of windshield washer juice in each black and gray tank. Done.
Worked in AK sitting outside so it works.

[Shearwater]

Antifreeze flammability -
Old time distillers used to test their products by trying to light the vapors over the liquid. The lowest alcohol concentration where the vapors ignited was designated as 100 proof or 50% ethanol.

[JaxDad]

mobeewan wrote:

Dave H M wrote:
:h One final comment and then i am gone. What is the flash point of RV antifreeze? We are not dealing with undiluted alky. Isn't it or has it not been the case where water is thrown onto alcohol fires at racing events.

If you had to worry about Flashpoint there would be a warning on the container. Same with Windex. Not enough alcohol to worry about.

You mean a warning like the large warning (bottom middle) on the front label of ethanol-based RV antifreeze?

[mobeewan]

Dave H M wrote:
:h One final comment and then i am gone. What is the flash point of RV antifreeze? We are not dealing with undiluted alky. Isn't it or has it not been the case where water is thrown onto alcohol fires at racing events.

If you had to worry about Flashpoint there would be a warning on the container. Same with Windex. Not enough alcohol to worry about.

[Duane4238]

I'm not going to blow the antifreeze out with compressed air when I'm done. I'm just going to open all the lines and let it drain on its own. That way I figure there will be some left at faucets, valves, etc. to protect things for the winter.
Duane

[blofgren]

Duane4238 wrote:
I'm winterizing this Saturday. I've decided to blow out the lines, first. Then add PG antifreeze until it runs out each outlet. Then because I hate the smell and taste in the spring, I'm going to open up my drains and empty all the lines so they don't sit filled up with the PG in them all winter. The residue that's left will protect everything from freezing up. The one thing I really worry about is the toilet water valve. Years ago when I was new to this stuff, I had a toilet valve freeze and crack. In the spring I ended up with water all over the floor when I filled my tank. Not doing that, again.
Duane

I've thought about doing this exact thing as well with the exception of blowing the antifreeze out after pumping it through.

[Duane4238]

I'm winterizing this Saturday. I've decided to blow out the lines, first. Then add PG antifreeze until it runs out each outlet. Then because I hate the smell and taste in the spring, I'm going to open up my drains and empty all the lines so they don't sit filled up with the PG in them all winter. The residue that's left will protect everything from freezing up. The one thing I really worry about is the toilet water valve. Years ago when I was new to this stuff, I had a toilet valve freeze and crack. In the spring I ended up with water all over the floor when I filled my tank. Not doing that, again.
Duane

[fj12ryder]

We don't use the water lines for drinking anyway, so any kind of flavor or aftertaste is a non-issue. It usually takes about a gallon and a half to do our water lines. Put the pump line in a bottle of antifreeze and turn on the pump, run the water at the different outlets until you see antifreeze, pour a little in the black/gray tanks and you're done.

[blofgren]

rhagfo wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Forget that **** and blow out your system!

X2!
When we did winterize we only blew the lines. No flushing no after taste!

I would do this as well but I worry about any low points that could still have water in them. Because of this I think a few bucks spent on antifreeze is a good investment. I find the propylene glycol antifreeze has much less odor and after taste than the cheaper alcohol type.

[rhagfo]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Forget that **** and blow out your system!

X2!
When we did winterize we only blew the lines. No flushing no after taste!

[Dave_H_M]

:h One final comment and then i am gone. What is the flash point of RV antifreeze? We are not dealing with undiluted alky. Isn't it or has it not been the case where water is thrown onto alcohol fires at racing events.

[JaxDad]

fj12ryder wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
Many years back a professor who was widely know for being a ‘wee bit’ too concerned with safety decided to drive home the point when he caught a couple of our classmates laughing about it and putting out a lit propane torch in a container of a Jet A fuel.

He heated a fairly small container of fuel in a pot of boiling water and then asked if any of the doubters wanted to try again.

When one guy took him up on it the fireball shooting up out of the small container was very impressive when the torch got near it ........

Quite a bit of difference in flammability between jet fuel and RV antifreeze, so I fail to see the point.

The point is that anything flammable has a flash point, below that flash point it’s a bit of a task to light it. Above that temperature it’s usually very easy.

The flash point of Ethylene Glycol is about 240 deg. F.

[fj12ryder]

JaxDad wrote:
Many years back a professor who was widely know for being a ‘wee bit’ too concerned with safety decided to drive home the point when he caught a couple of our classmates laughing about it and putting out a lit propane torch in a container of a Jet A fuel.

He heated a fairly small container of fuel in a pot of boiling water and then asked if any of the doubters wanted to try again.

When one guy took him up on it the fireball shooting up out of the small container was very impressive when the torch got near it ........

Quite a bit of difference in flammability between jet fuel and RV antifreeze, so I fail to see the point.