How did antifreeze get in fresh water tank?!?!?!?!

[soneill5]

In a rush to winterize this fall, I forgot to drain the fresh water tank. Everything else was done, antifreeze in the lines and all. We have just went though several weeks of sub zero temps in Michigan and now that it's warming a bit and I can turn the valve to drain the tank, antifreeze is coming out.

How in the world would antifreeze have gotten in the fresh water tank? If I drain it, could it draw antifreeze from my lines?

I know I could be in a world of hurt come spring. Please send suggestions to help me mitigate the damage!

[ymehp]

You will be fine! Just fill/drain it a couple times in the spring and your good to go. Also, if you read your manual there is a way to flush the tank with a small amount of bleach. It will remove any smell or cloudiness in the fresh water. We carry bottled water for drinking water regardless.

[Terryallan]

Wondering. Did you run Antifreeze thru the water pump? IF not. It probably froze as well. The pump being frozen, was probably damaged, seals cracked, and allows antifreeze to drain into the fresh tank.
I thinkin, IF you didn't run antifreeze thru the pump. You will need a new one.

[soneill5]

I think the fw tank was 2/3 full. Hopefully that left enough room for expansion.

[John_S2]

Just pretend it is pink lemonade!! 🙂

[travisc]

In the last year we have had our back flow valve fail on the city inlet and in the hot water tank- I'd 2nd this one

[waynec1957]

I always put anti-freeze in the fresh water tank when winterizing. But we don't use it for drinking anyway, only for showers and flushing the toilet. We always take bottled water for drinking and cooking.

[thomasmnile]

Mfar1234 wrote:
Happened too me once .... I now use a cheap vodka as antifreeze ... works for me

Yes, but what do you put in your TT's water lines???? :B

[Mfar1234]

Happened too me once .... I now use a cheap vodka as antifreeze ... works for me

[Snowman9000]

brirene wrote:
Even if you draw more af from the lines, you're still ok as long you don't have water in them. If air replaces the af that was in your line, it still won't freeze. You should be fine. Hopefully your fw tank wasn't full, was it? If so, you might have to worry more about a cracked tank than your lines.

ditto.

[brirene]

Even if you draw more af from the lines, you're still ok as long you don't have water in them. If air replaces the af that was in your line, it still won't freeze. You should be fine. Hopefully your fw tank wasn't full, was it? If so, you might have to worry more about a cracked tank than your lines.

[Captain_Happy]

No big deal. Just wait until spring. Emtpy the water tank competely. Fill the tank up, and drain a few times. You'll be OK.

[GENECOP]

bTW if you fill the Fresh water tank through your street hose connection you probably had one valve in the wrong posistion causing a little AF to feed into the FWT.....

[GENECOP]

No big deal really, as long as you used RV antifreeze just fill and flush out the system in the spring and you will be fine.....

[soneill5]

While we have 40 degree weather, if I drain whats left in the water tank , do I risk drawing anymore antifreeze from the water lines throughout the trailer?