My Anti-Freeze Froze

[Sbb]

How is it that my anti-freeze froze. I get my AS winterized by a dealer. I always add extra to the grey and black tanks, the jugs were outside, we had our first cold weather of the season two days ago, when my husband went to pour it in, it was frozen. I use Walmart brand pink anti-freeze. Any ideas?

[SeeMore]

Mixed and packaged off shore?

[rmkrum]

Buy better antifreeze😄


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[overlander63]

There's a reason it is only $2.50/gal. Seriously. I got some, and it was pretty much pink water.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Sbb

How is it that my anti-freeze froze. I get my AS winterized by a dealer. I always add extra to the grey and black tanks, the jugs were outside, we had our first cold weather of the season two days ago, when my husband went to pour it in, it was frozen. I use Walmart brand pink anti-freeze. Any ideas?

Not all antifreeze is created equal. Check the temperature it's good to before you buy. It should be marked on the label. The good stuff protects to -50°F.

Also, antifreeze that has been mixed with water provides lesser protection. The rated temperature is only for pure antifreeze.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Sbb

How is it that my anti-freeze froze. I get my AS winterized by a dealer. I always add extra to the grey and black tanks, the jugs were outside, we had our first cold weather of the season two days ago, when my husband went to pour it in, it was frozen. I use Walmart brand pink anti-freeze. Any ideas?

That's a question I would ask the dealer that did your work. BUT,
You said two things:
1. winterized by a dealer
2. I use Walmart brand pink antifreeze

You bought antifreeze and took it to the dealer?

Or, did the dealer winterize the trailer with their antifreeze and you poured the Walmart antifreeze into the tanks.

Which part froze?

I've used Walmart brand many times. My trailer winterized with it did not freeze at -5F last year.

[Siegmann]

Was that the Supertech stuff? While it is supposed to have burst protection down to -50 degrees, I understand it gets "slushy" at much higher temps. Was it just too slushy to pour out of the narrow opening?

If frozen solid, then it sounds like a faulty mix/bad batch from the factory.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Siegmann

I understand it gets "slushy" at much higher temps. Was it just too slushy to pour out of the narrow opening?

That is an excellent point. Antifreeze doesn't necessarily provide protection by remaining liquid. It provides protection by not expanding as it gets colder.

Water is one of the few materials in nature to expand when it freezes. Most other natural and manmade liquids contract when they freeze, and so will not harm your pipes even if frozen solid.

[sheriff1]

Sounds like it's time to head south!


2015 F350 CC 4X4 6.7 Diesel
2010 27FB Silver Cloud "The Silver Spoon"

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Siegmann

Was that the Supertech stuff? While it is supposed to have burst protection down to -50 degrees, I understand it gets "slushy" at much higher temps. Was it just too slushy to pour out of the narrow opening?

If frozen solid, then it sounds like a faulty mix/bad batch from the factory.

The stuff I got was the Supertech stuff. It froze at 20 degrees. I can't answer for the OP, only my own experience.

[Sbb]

Here area swers to your questions
- I got winterized at dealer
- I have always added extra on my own to be extra safe in grey and black tank
- I purchased three bottles of pink at. walmart
- we have had very mild winter except last two days
- I asked husband to put jugs in drains
- since I purchased in November, the jugs sat in driveway near AS
- Dennis reported the jugs were frozen solid
- he brought them i side to thaw
- I have no idea where to purchase better RV fluid
- the frozen jugs were not misshaped like a bottle of water would be
- all seems odd, I thought Antifreeze did not freeze
- all three jugs froze

[Sbb]

It was rated -50 degrees

[Ted S.]

RV antifreeze freezes, it just does not expand. You are fine.

[ROBERT CROSS]

If it frozed in the bottle it will freeze in the lines...that's my reason for blowing the lines for at least 20min @ a steady 30psi, pump AF thru and blow again 'til it mists pink.
I gave up on the WallyStuff 8yrs ago after it froze in the toilet and ruined the flapper seal. The bowl now gets 1/8 cup or so of Crisco veggie oil.

Bob

[Sbb]

I think I will add oil too, I had new seal put in last year, they are tender and need care.

[65CV]

I've tried both the good quality antifreeze for marine use and the wally world stuff. The latter is garbage. I used it once and it took forever to rinse out after winterizing.

Your local chandlery or West Marine carry really good quality antifreeze. That said, we no longer use it now that we have drains in all low points and blow the entire system out well. Colin Hyde describes the technique well in one of thevap episodes.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

If it frozed in the bottle it will freeze in the lines...that's my reason for blowing the lines for at least 20min @ a steady 30psi, pump AF thru and blow again 'til it mists pink.

Antifreeze rated for -50°F has a freeze point of +12°F (I just now looked it up). That's when it starts to form slush, ice crystals in a liquid suspension. Antifreeze is a eutectic mixture, made of components with different melting/freezing points. It starts to freeze at +12°F— forming a slush— and finishes freezing at -50°F— forming a solid.

It's important to shake antifreeze thoroughly before use because otherwise the components can separate and develop a frozen layer along with a liquid or slush layer, and thus provide a lesser degree of protection. That's probably what happened with the OP's jugs. They were left to sit, and the components separated. One component froze.

I thank the OP for starting this thread. It gave me a chance to learn something new.

[Ted S.]

I recall there are two basic kinds and a third which blends the two. Ethenal (SP?) is the worst which is flammable and ruins seals and poly- something or other which is better. Then I read they recapture some of it and resell but it may have foreign chemicals in it, so they say get virgin stuff

After much research I found the Prestone to be the virgin good stuff.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Sbb

I think I will add oil too, I had new seal put in last year, they are tender and need care.

Just add the veggie oil, no AF, water or other stuff.....I tried Olive oil, it worked but I couldn't get used to the tas...never mind.

Bob

[Sbb]

Thanks ProtG, what u say makes sense, off to fine a better grade then add my veggie oil. I was spouled by our mild weather. The night it frozrpe it wS4' with lots of wind, factor wind chill and, selarTion od ingredients and bingo.