Plumbing antifreeze??

[96 EVO]

Anyone ever researched whether plumbing antifreeze still works properly (won't expand), after being heated by say a AH boiler?

Always wondered if heating the stuff close to 200deg may change it's properties .

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Never used plumbing antifreeze will  never use.  Takes too much time to flush out.

[Tom Cherry]

That depends on the specification of the Plumbing Antifreeze and whether it is POTABLE.  If you use the Pink or sometimes Orange RV Antifreeze, it is potable.  It will protect the AquaHot.  AH does NOT recommend using the AH when it is in the boiler.  BUT, it will protect the system in winter.

Chuck may be making the point that the PINK STUFF must be thoroughly rinsed out....otherwise, you get a little cloudiness and maybe a little bit of FOAM.  The trick is to drain ALL the areas.  That included the ICEMAKER LINE.  I NEVER put in in my Res Refer.  I disconnect the icemaker line at the quarter Turn Valve.  You have to flush every faucet and the W?D and shower and the rear service bay wand and drain the lines there.

Also flush the toilet and use the hand wand to get rid of all of it.  The good news...  It is harmless.  Don't know how it mixes with Burbourn.?  It does take a few days of use to totally get it out....but the alternative is NOT an option.

[96 EVO]

3 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

   AH does NOT recommend using the AH when it is in the boiler.  

First time I've heard that!

[Tom Cherry]

1 minute ago, 96 EVO said:

First time I've heard that!

You get a MIXED answer from AH.  I had to had mine serviced....and was worried.  FIRST AH said NOPE.  Then MAYBE....and my tech, who has been trained by AH and is a CERTIFIED AH dealer said it didn't matter.

SO, I don't turn it one.  HOW having said that.  I DO or have done that....just hit me.  If I drive the MH to heat up the batteries, I use the Furnace mode and Genny on the way out (maybe 25 miles)....and then Heat Pump and Genny on the way back.

I THINK there may be a warning somewhere in the manual.....

[Guest Ray Davis]

Remember, Ben lives in cold frozen north, sometimes called Canada.  It's a long way from South Mississippi.  I'm guessing antifreeze is necessary up there especially if one has an Aqua-hot because it's near impossible to get all of the water out of an AH.

11 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

AH does NOT recommend using the AH when it is in the boiler

I didn't know that either, wonder why

[96 EVO]

Little off topic but I was getting 84deg air out of one of my old Duotherm heatpumps the other day, when it was 35deg outside 👍!

Plenty of owners claim these HP's won't work below 40.

[96 EVO]

This is a quote from the AH 400 series 'Use and Care guide'..............

Propylene glycol based antifreeze, “Generally Recognized as Safe” by the FDA, must be utilized for antifreeze and water heating solution. · Interior heat can still be used once the water heating system has been drained and winterized. · Use propylene glycol “Generally Recognized as Safe” RV and Marine antifreeze specifically for “winterizing” application ONLY.

 

What I'm curious about is whether that propylene glycol retains it's burst protection after it's been heated, and then cooled.

I'm thinking it does, the same as the boiler fluid does after being heated many, many, times.

[Frank McElroy]

58 minutes ago, 96 EVO said:

 

What I'm curious about is whether that propylene glycol retains it's burst protection after it's been heated, and then cooled.

I'm thinking it does, the same as the boiler fluid does after being heated many, many, times.

Most boiler fluid is propylene glycol based and heating it does NOT change it's burst protection properties.

[waterskier_1]

Aquahot manual says it is fine to use RV antifreeze, in fact Aquahot recommends it.  I have used it for years, with the boiler on to provide heat.  In Colorado, it often gets below 0⁰F, and if I'm working inside the coach, or loading it to in preparation for a trip, I turn the Aquahot on.  Since i travel all yikes or the year, I winterize multiple times each year when I return from a trip.  I have a new Aquahot 600D curtiousy of the previous owner using only air to attempt to blood out the system. 

  -Rick N 

[96 EVO]

Ouch!

That was a costly mistake he made!

I blow my system out as well. But then follow up with about 4gal of antifreeze.

[Tom Cherry]

2 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

Ouch!

That was a costly mistake he made!

I blow my system out as well. But then follow up with about 4gal of antifreeze.

My technique exactly….

purge with air.  Sometimes two steps.   One to protect it for a while.

next up is to totally winterize

[tomevansfl]

On 11/5/2022 at 12:59 PM, Tom Cherry said:

"Don't know how it mixes with Burbourn.?  It does take a few days of use to totally get it out....but the alternative is NOT an option."

Tom, I started off my RV adventures in a 2006 Airstream Bunk model. I joined the "www.airforums.com" as I have this forum. One of the members lived in Minnesota, if I remember correctly, and he said to winterize he would buy approx. 5 gallons of the cheapest vodka he could find and use it to winterize. He said he never had a problem with the severe winters they have. In the spring, he would flush the system and make sure no one under 21 drank water from the faucet for a few days.


Now I need some general advice:

I currently live in Central Florida, the land of Mickey Mouse. My request for advice is this, later this week the forecast is for 30 degrees F. In the 12 years I have lived in Orlando the temps have never got that cold. On our last weekend trip I dumped the gray tank, emptied the black tank & left a few gallons of water in the black tank flush to which I can easily add antifreeze through the toilet. However, I topped off my fresh tank so it contains approx. 100 gallons of fresh water. I store my RV at a nearby storage facility so I can run over and drain the fresh tank and water heater on the ground there. I think I can take my small pancake air compressor over and blow out the lines, too.

With such a moderate temperature as 30 should I drain the fresh tank with that much mass in the water tank and add the "pink stuff" to the fresh tank and run it through the lines? Should I do a full winterization like I did when I lived in Atlanta? We have a trip planned for MLK weekend and I really don't want any surprises, but at the same time I will have to track down the antifreeze as I haven't bought any since moving to Orlando.

Thanks in advance, from another Tom.

 

 

[Tom Cherry]

30 minutes ago, tomevansfl said:

Tom, I started off my RV adventures in a 2006 Airstream Bunk model. I joined the "www.airforums.com" as I have this forum. One of the members lived in Minnesota, if I remember correctly, and he said to winterize he would buy approx. 5 gallons of the cheapest vodka he could find and use it to winterize. He said he never had a problem with the severe winters they have. In the spring, he would flush the system and make sure no one under 21 drank water from the faucet for a few days.


Now I need some general advice:

I currently live in Central Florida, the land of Mickey Mouse. My request for advice is this, later this week the forecast is for 30 degrees F. In the 12 years I have lived in Orlando the temps have never got that cold. On our last weekend trip I dumped the gray tank, emptied the black tank & left a few gallons of water in the black tank flush to which I can easily add antifreeze through the toilet. However, I topped off my fresh tank so it contains approx. 100 gallons of fresh water. I store my RV at a nearby storage facility so I can run over and drain the fresh tank and water heater on the ground there. I think I can take my small pancake air compressor over and blow out the lines, too.

With such a moderate temperature as 30 should I drain the fresh tank with that much mass in the water tank and add the "pink stuff" to the fresh tank and run it through the lines? Should I do a full winterization like I did when I lived in Atlanta? We have a trip planned for MLK weekend and I really don't want any surprises, but at the same time I will have to track down the antifreeze as I haven't bought any since moving to Orlando.

Thanks in advance, from another Tom.

 

 

What Monaco told me and also a local tech that I have confidence in is this.  Typically, you are OK down to bout 26 DF.  IF it gets colder than that, then running the furnace helps as the heat radiates.  This might be belt and suspenders…..but FWIW.

Remove the water filter bowl and pull out the filter. You probably have two PEX lines with drain valves.  That is the “low” point drains.  Open them.  Open all the faucets and icemaker drain…I unhook mine from the supply line to the refrigerator. Let it all drain.  Gravity drain the fresh tank.  Flush commode and open the wash wand hose.  Then leave all open.  If you have a source for a piece of panty hose, cover the filter housing, two low point drains and icemaker….rubber nands or zip ties work well.  I always put fresh ant bait out.

if it gets into the upper 20’s, set the heat for 40 DF on the morning of the night that will happen and leave on until the next day.

Past that, you could blow out all the lines, but that would be for the low 20’s.  I did that for years in my Winnebago….I know others that lived further north and did that…

Just my thoughts.  Others may see it differently 

 

[Georgia Mike]

To me it really depends on how long it’s going to be below freezing. If it’s only for a few hours in the morning I would do as Tom said and just drain the water out of the lines by opening up all the faucets at the lowest drain point but I wouldn’t be concerned with the water tank or the water heater since those large volumes of water will take a long time to freeze. Now if you have an Aqua Hot I never take a chance with mine. If I even see anything near freezing I always run antifreeze through it  for sure. 

[tomevansfl]

Thanks guys.  It's not predicted, at this point, to get below 30 F, so I'll make sure the water lines are drained.