Mistrust of the pink stuff confirmed?

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by mkveseth

You have to add it to water for it to work.

Not the pink stuff in the jugs. Use it straight as it is sold.


Adding water is for when you are using concentrated antifreeze for an engine, not for the pink stuff.

[2MileHi]

The key here is that it doesn't expand as water does.

[BayouBiker]

The solution does not expand, but the slush does. Fortunately it is mobile and harmlessly pushes out of rigid enclosures.

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by Spartanguy

Today confirmed my deep mistrust of RV antifreeze. I put two jugs out last night because I knew a neighbor was bringing me over a Christmas plate and just sat the unopened jugs out on a spot of my sidewalk to alert of the ice on the concrete walkway, today I go out and the jug is partially frozen.

I promise I tampered with the solution in no way and removed the seal just today. As frozen inside as a slushy from 7-Eleven. It got down to 12 degrees last night, not -50 btw. Bottle was full, poured some out on my ice spot (not sure if that’s kosher or not, but not the topic at hand either way)

Thoughts anyone?

Merry Christmas,...

SpartanGuy

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Yes it will slush. Not freeze....always did that..no problem

[Gene]

I imagine some people just drain the system and not blow it out. Not everyone has a compressor or the lungs of an elephant. There will surely be water remaining in low spots or drops that migrate to low spots. Every RV would have a different amount of water remaining, so only general answers can be made.

I always assumed water would dilute and reduce the usefulness of the RV antifreeze. Other posts seem to confirm (though it is opposite with traditional auto antifreeze—I thought the formula had changed to prevent deaths, but maybe I am wrong) that water makes RV antifreeze less efficient, so would pumping the antifreeze through un-blown pipes mix it with enough remaining water to make it work badly in some way? I doubt there is much scientific information this, but I don't read antifreeze journals. Perhaps it does not matter much unless you live north of the Arctic Circle.

The question behind my thoughts is whether newbies should be told they must blow out the pipes to protect them whether they use RV antifreeze or not? The answers may be dependent where you live, of course.

[richard5933]

It doesn't take that much pink stuff to flush water out of the lines. I watch the color as it fills a clear glass, and then let it flow for a bit after I'm confident that what's flowing is the antifreeze. With lines as small as we're talking about, there is not much mixing going on inside them. The pink stuff just pushes the water ahead of it. I'm not a hydrologist, but it's never been a problem for me.

[BayouBiker]

Ethylene glycol remains the most popular antifreeze for heating and cooling applications including engine coolants. It's toxicity is moderate, get very drunk with grain alcohol to slow metabolizing the glycol and manage the produced formaldehyde to low levels. Same strategy for rubbing alcohol which is a bit more toxic.

RV antifreeze is premixed to 50% concentration for protection down to -50 with faucets left open, -20 if faucets, valves and fittings are all closed tightly. If you don't remove the water, dilution will occur so protection is reduced near the faucets depending on how much extra antifreeze is pumped to flush the diluted solution. Pump it till it is as pink as the original and leave the faucets open to let the slush expand.

Edit: there you go, what Richard said.

[dznf0g]

Ethelyne glycol has not been used in new cars for many years. Dexcool and others are propylene glycol...but a different formulation than rv antifreeze.
The early formulations were problematic in some applications.

[dznf0g]

Correction, ethylene is still used. Glycol is not.
Propylene glycol was used in early dexcool.

[BayouBiker]

Ethylene GLYCOL remains the predominate cooling system antifreezes in all applications and for automotive engine use as well https://images.oreillyauto.com/uploa...%20Chart-1.pdf

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by BayouBiker

Ethylene GLYCOL remains the predominate cooling system antifreezes in all applications and for automotive engine use as well https://images.oreillyauto.com/uploa...%20Chart-1.pdf

https://www-hemmings-com.cdn.ampproj...like-a-rainbow

It has gotten really complicated and confusing, as many aftermarketers brand as dexcool compatible with different formulations. It's about IATs and OATs.

The big problem is incompatible components in various engine systems.
I would advise only using manufacturer recommended and branded coolant....especially on hybrids or EVs with battery cooling systems.

[NY24]

"The pink stuff" is doing EXACTLY what it was intended and designed to do.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

As long as we're getting into the grubby details. Check out a bottle of Miralax. Read the ingredient list ... there's only one ingredient: Polyethylene Glycol ( PEG ). Yes it's exactly the same stuff as is in our favorite "pink stuff". In addition to a bit of an aftertaste there are other effects of not fully rinsing the lines ...... it impacts both people and dogs ... I have empirical data on this, months of it.

Bob

[ROBERT CROSS]

Moot...all my 'pink' stuff is used post human consumption.
It goes from where it is now directly into the waste tanks.
Doesn't get put where it's not needed.

Bob
🇺🇸

[BayouBiker]

Bob, the laxative Polyethylene Glycol is is actually a poly ether (multiple ethyl ethers chained together) and is not used as an antifreeze, but does make a nice food grade lubricant. Propylene Glycol is an alcohol and is used in the pink stuff as an antifreeze. Ethyl alcohol (grain spirits) is also used.

[ROBERT CROSS]

^
Good to know....👍

Bob
🇺🇸

But I prefer to drink my grain spirits...Happy New Year.🥳

[skyguyscott]

It's sorta like Spock walks into the bar from Cheers and Cliff Claven strikes up a conversation with him, and then a few blokes from Monty Python chip in with irrelevant insights.

Occasionally enlightening, always entertaining.

[ronreeder]

Knock Knock!
Who's There?
Ether!
Ether Who?
Ether Bunny!

[napabill]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

As long as we're getting into the grubby details. Check out a bottle of Miralax. Read the ingredient list ... there's only one ingredient: Polyethylene Glycol ( PEG ). Yes it's exactly the same stuff as is in our favorite "pink stuff". In addition to a bit of an aftertaste there are other effects of not fully rinsing the lines ...... it impacts both people and dogs ... I have empirical data on this, months of it.

Bob

Polyethylene glycol (C2nH4n+2On+1) is not the same as Propylene glycol (C3H8O2) as used in RV Antifreeze.

[skyguyscott]

Thank you, Bill for pointing out that rather important distinction. Not that anyone here would drink RV anti-freeze, but if someone found themselves in an emergency situation, it's good to know that one can not substitute one for the other.