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...............

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...

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

Let us know the results of your test. It probably already comes 50-50 so measure carefully and let us know.

Most of the RV plumbing antifreeze out there now is the cheaper alcohol based pink stuff with the flammable sticker on the jug. It says on the label that product will freeze, but will not expand. It says to be sure there is no water left in plumbing and do not dilute product with water because then it WILL expand when it freezes and damage plumbing.

Someone has WAYYYYYY too much time on their hands!

Diluted RV Antifreeze | Good Sam Community

K_and_I
Explorer
Dec 10, 2020
Just bring along 2-3 extra gallons of rv antifreeze and use that to flush until you get south far enough.
Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Dec 10, 2020
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
Explorer II
Dec 09, 2020
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! :b

Dave
pulpwood007
Explorer
Dec 09, 2020
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
Explorer II
Dec 09, 2020
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
Explorer II
Dec 09, 2020
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
Nomad
Dec 09, 2020
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
Explorer
Dec 09, 2020
Why risk the chance of breaking your lines.
phil-t
Explorer
Dec 09, 2020
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
Explorer
Dec 09, 2020
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