Diluted RV Antifreeze

[pulpwood007]

RV antifreeze is cheap, but I've always wondered if you diluted the antifreeze with 25% or 30% water, at what temp would it begin to freeze, and fail to protect RV plumbing?

Walmart's SuperTech RV antifreeze states it offers protection to -50F. For folks that live in warmer climates where winter temps never get below +10F, it may well be that a diluted concentration would still offer excellent protection.

I think I may run an experiment in my home freezer...............

[K_and_I]

Just bring along 2-3 extra gallons of rv antifreeze and use that to flush until you get south far enough.

[Dutch_12078]

phil-t wrote:
So, after all this - is there something I can use in the grey/black tanks that will take some amount of water/dilution and not freeze? I'm thinking, leving northern NY in 0-20 deg. weather and heading south. Just beable to use the bathroom for washing, etc. till we get a day to the south.
BTW - I winterize by draining everything and adding pink stuff to the system.

We leave upstate NY the first week of January and make several interim stops on the way to Florida. We've never had a problem using the waste tanks even in temps down to -4℉.

[magicbus]

Hmmm... to save weight in my class B I buy the “concentrate” from Wally World. Comes in a gallon jug and I just fill the gallon jug with roughly 3 quarts of water and use it. If I added more water I’d overflow the gallon jug! 😛

Dave

[pulpwood007]

Terryallan wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
As you say, it is already cheap. Why risk it?

agree. at $2.50 a gallon how cheap can you get? But if saving $.050 per year is worth the risk. Go for it.

How did it get to this? Yes......I agree. Go for it.

[Terryallan]

BB_TX wrote:
As you say, it is already cheap. Why risk it?

agree. at $2.50 a gallon how cheap can you get? But if saving $.050 per year is worth the risk. Go for it.

[DrewE]

phil-t wrote:
So, after all this - is there something I can use in the grey/black tanks that will take some amount of water/dilution and not freeze? I'm thinking, leving northern NY in 0-20 deg. weather and heading south. Just beable to use the bathroom for washing, etc. till we get a day to the south.
BTW - I winterize by draining everything and adding pink stuff to the system.

Rock salt is one viable option for black and gray water tanks. It's probably not great for septic systems (in large quantities), but it will do fine to keep things from freezing down to reasonably low temperatures and will (with sufficient water) all dissolve and not cause clogging, will not attack plastic pipes, etc.

[dougrainer]

phil-t wrote:

Dusty R wrote:

phil-t wrote:
So, after all this - is there something I can use in the grey/black tanks that will take some amount of water/dilution and not freeze? I'm thinking, leving northern NY in 0-20 deg. weather and heading south. Just beable to use the bathroom for washing, etc. till we get a day to the south.
BTW - I winterize by draining everything and adding pink stuff to the system.

I've figured that a small amount in the black & gray tanks will not hurt the tank if it freezes.
We have left Michigan in January & February, headed to Florida, used highway rest stops mostly the first day and night. Then after that not worried about the tanks.

Dusty

Yup, my plan, was just looking to not needing to use rest stop facilities in the current state of things. We will manage.

Water will freeze. When it does it expands. Less than full in a fresh/grey/black tank can freeze but it has room to expand. BUT!!!!! It will freeze first closest to the dump valves and then you cannot open and dump. Fresh tank drain tubing/valves will freeze and crack. When the freeze water cannot expand it cracks piping and valves and especially elbows/T's of fresh pressure lines. Use a 1/2 gallon in each dump tank until you get to warm weather. Doug

[KLYoung]

Why risk the chance of breaking your lines.

[phil-t]

Dusty R wrote:

phil-t wrote:
So, after all this - is there something I can use in the grey/black tanks that will take some amount of water/dilution and not freeze? I'm thinking, leving northern NY in 0-20 deg. weather and heading south. Just beable to use the bathroom for washing, etc. till we get a day to the south.
BTW - I winterize by draining everything and adding pink stuff to the system.

I've figured that a small amount in the black & gray tanks will not hurt the tank if it freezes.
We have left Michigan in January & February, headed to Florida, used highway rest stops mostly the first day and night. Then after that not worried about the tanks.

Dusty

Yup, my plan, was just looking to not needing to use rest stop facilities in the current state of things. We will manage.

[Dusty_R]

phil-t wrote:
So, after all this - is there something I can use in the grey/black tanks that will take some amount of water/dilution and not freeze? I'm thinking, leving northern NY in 0-20 deg. weather and heading south. Just beable to use the bathroom for washing, etc. till we get a day to the south.
BTW - I winterize by draining everything and adding pink stuff to the system.

I've figured that a small amount in the black & gray tanks will not hurt the tank if it freezes.
We have left Michigan in January & February, headed to Florida, used highway rest stops mostly the first day and night. Then after that not worried about the tanks.

Dusty

[pulpwood007]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
RV antifreeze is already mixed with usually de-ionized water and should be used straight from the jug. It will freeze at low enough temperatures, but the mixture does not expand to cause damage to fittings. Adding more water could upset that no expansion balance. I don't suggest risking it...

Thank you. That sounds like an accurate explanation. I never had any intention of experimenting with it in my trailer. Just an academic question for those interested in chemistry.

[pulpwood007]

craig7h wrote:
WHY!

Reading the first sentence of my OP will tell you why.

[phil-t]

So, after all this - is there something I can use in the grey/black tanks that will take some amount of water/dilution and not freeze? I'm thinking, leving northern NY in 0-20 deg. weather and heading south. Just beable to use the bathroom for washing, etc. till we get a day to the south.
BTW - I winterize by draining everything and adding pink stuff to the system.

[dougrainer]

cavie wrote:
You can afford an RV but you cant afford $2.50 per gal of anti-freeze? It only takes 2 gals to do most any RV.

Bingo, 20 years ago when full body paint on a Class A was a $10k factory option, people would pay for it. Then scream bloody murder when we charged $75 to wire their TOAD to the New Motorhome. Go Figure:h Doug