Toilet Freezing Issue

[Art_Davis]

Hi Folks.

We usually migrate from here in Oregon to Yuma for the winter, but are spending our first winter here in cold country. I have always kept some water in the toilet bowl to prevent the seal from drying out. Now I am storing the rv here where it freezes at night. Is there any additive I can use for the toilet bowl water to keep it from freezing? I have found that antifreeze clots and fouls the toilet. I considered adding salt, but am afraid it would damage the toilet.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

[dieseltruckdriv]

pianotuna wrote:
After I drain all tanks.

1. blow lines
2. bypass water heater
3. install pink
4. blow lines and catch as much pink as possible
5. treat traps with undiluted pink

I save the pink for the next year.

This is almost exactly how I do it, but I just drain instead of blow the lines, and the pink I recover is what goes into the sink and shower traps. I know you get colder than we do, we only get to -30 F. 😉

[Bobbo]

cummins2014 wrote:
I never even bothered to blow the lines on a couple old travel trailers ,they had two low point drains, and I blew the water out of the traps with a leaf blower, and was done. Never an issue. I took me longer to go get the leaf blower out of garage then anything.

Diluting the pink stuff ?? , at what 2.58 per gallon at Walmart ,I may use an extra gallon a year if thats the case , which is not keeping me awake at night . My way was brought up to maybe save a bit of work . May I ask ,do you filter that air out of your compressor.

No. But about once every 5 years I open the stopcock under the compressor and drain the water. (Went in halfsies with my Dad in 1984 to buy it. When he passed, I inherited his half.)

[cummins2014]

Bobbo wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:
So is my compressor, but I still wonder why you bother with the air, if you are using antifreeze. you certainly don't need to. I would think its either or. I agree antifreeze is cheap, and just antifreeze works for many.

It just reduces the water dilution of the pink stuff. More peace of mind than practical. It doesn't cost anything more, and doesn't hurt anything. Personally, I just blow out the lines with air, then use pink stuff in the drains/toilet.

I never even bothered to blow the lines on a couple old travel trailers ,they had two low point drains, and I blew the water out of the traps with a leaf blower, and was done. Never an issue. I took me longer to go get the leaf blower out of garage then anything.

Diluting the pink stuff ?? , at what 2.58 per gallon at Walmart ,I may use an extra gallon a year if thats the case , which is not keeping me awake at night . My way was brought up to maybe save a bit of work . May I ask ,do you filter that air out of your compressor.

[cummins2014]

J herb wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:

J herb wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:

J herb wrote:
HI Art,
It's been a long time since we have talked!

I have used RV antifreeze from Walmart ever since we got the Casita and never had a problem with the toilet or any of the plumbing.
I first blow out the lines then add RV antifreeze pump it into the system and add extra to the toilet to keep the seal pliable.

May I ask why you bother to blow the lines out if you running antifreeze thru them, the antifreeze just pushes the water out ahead of it. Soon as I start seeing pink, I go to the next one.

As far as using my air compressor , and seen what drains out of the bottom ,when I drain the water from it. I would need some kind of filter system on my compressor before I would blow that air into my water lines on an RV.

The compressor is handy and adding RV antifreeze is extra protection ,
My BIL only blow out his system and some of the water was left in the toilet valve and it froze and cracked it. It works for me and it's cheep to do.

So is my compressor, but I still wonder why you bother with the air, if you are using antifreeze. you certainly don't need to. I would think its either or. I agree antifreeze is cheap, and just antifreeze works for many.

cummins2014,
We bought this trailer new almost 19 years ago and have not had one problem in over 40,000 miles on it! on and off Hwy use.
I will keep on winterizing it the same way I have been, I hope that your wondering how I do my winterizing doesn't keep you up at night :).

Have a good Holiday Season, Jay

Not at all I sleep well, just thought you might have a reason ,other then creating more work, but guess not. I have been winterizing something or other for the past 40 years or so I am not new to the process. Its been either one in that time period of 40 years, but not both . You too have a nice holiday. season, Greg

[pianotuna]

After I drain all tanks.

1. blow lines
2. bypass water heater
3. install pink
4. blow lines and catch as much pink as possible
5. treat traps with undiluted pink

I save the pink for the next year.

[Bobbo]

cummins2014 wrote:
So is my compressor, but I still wonder why you bother with the air, if you are using antifreeze. you certainly don't need to. I would think its either or. I agree antifreeze is cheap, and just antifreeze works for many.

It just reduces the water dilution of the pink stuff. More peace of mind than practical. It doesn't cost anything more, and doesn't hurt anything. Personally, I just blow out the lines with air, then use pink stuff in the drains/toilet.

[blofgren]

cummins2014 wrote:

olfarmer wrote:
I just use the pink stuff and have for years with out problems.

Same here there its an inch or two in the bowl, by spring its evaporated ,and just some pink residue left that rinses off.

x3.

[J_herb]

cummins2014 wrote:

J herb wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:

J herb wrote:
HI Art,
It's been a long time since we have talked!

I have used RV antifreeze from Walmart ever since we got the Casita and never had a problem with the toilet or any of the plumbing.
I first blow out the lines then add RV antifreeze pump it into the system and add extra to the toilet to keep the seal pliable.

May I ask why you bother to blow the lines out if you running antifreeze thru them, the antifreeze just pushes the water out ahead of it. Soon as I start seeing pink, I go to the next one.

As far as using my air compressor , and seen what drains out of the bottom ,when I drain the water from it. I would need some kind of filter system on my compressor before I would blow that air into my water lines on an RV.

The compressor is handy and adding RV antifreeze is extra protection ,
My BIL only blow out his system and some of the water was left in the toilet valve and it froze and cracked it. It works for me and it's cheep to do.

So is my compressor, but I still wonder why you bother with the air, if you are using antifreeze. you certainly don't need to. I would think its either or. I agree antifreeze is cheap, and just antifreeze works for many.

cummins2014,
We bought this trailer new almost 19 years ago and have not had one problem in over 40,000 miles on it! on and off Hwy use.
I will keep on winterizing it the same way I have been, I hope that your wondering how I do my winterizing doesn't keep you up at night :).

Have a good Holiday Season, Jay

[Edd505]

cpaulsen wrote:
Regular rv pink antifreeze should work fine.......we use it here in the park when we winterize the bathrooms here at TouVelle SP

Isn't that what the pink stuffs for?

[d3500ram]

In the past when I had my TC, I have used windshield washer fluid for the cassette toilet. It is compatible with the rubber wipers when used for windshields and it has a very low freeze temperature.

[cummins2014]

J herb wrote:

cummins2014 wrote:

J herb wrote:
HI Art,
It's been a long time since we have talked!

I have used RV antifreeze from Walmart ever since we got the Casita and never had a problem with the toilet or any of the plumbing.
I first blow out the lines then add RV antifreeze pump it into the system and add extra to the toilet to keep the seal pliable.

May I ask why you bother to blow the lines out if you running antifreeze thru them, the antifreeze just pushes the water out ahead of it. Soon as I start seeing pink, I go to the next one.

As far as using my air compressor , and seen what drains out of the bottom ,when I drain the water from it. I would need some kind of filter system on my compressor before I would blow that air into my water lines on an RV.

The compressor is handy and adding RV antifreeze is extra protection ,
My BIL only blow out his system and some of the water was left in the toilet valve and it froze and cracked it. It works for me and it's cheep to do.

So is my compressor, but I still wonder why you bother with the air, if you are using antifreeze. you certainly don't need to. I would think its either or. I agree antifreeze is cheap, and just antifreeze works for many.

[cummins2014]

olfarmer wrote:
I just use the pink stuff and have for years with out problems.

Same here there its an inch or two in the bowl, by spring its evaporated ,and just some pink residue left that rinses off.

[olfarmer]

I just use the pink stuff and have for years with out problems.

[pianotuna]

cummins2014 wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
keep the door to the toilet open.

Pretty simple just leave the bowl empty .

And the sprayer, water in the line to sprayer and the water in the valve line.