Blue water in black tank - does it freeze?

[silverbullet555]

We bought our camper in the spring and have not put water in it at all. The black water tank has some blue water in it from the previous owner.

It's cold now. Does that blue water have any anti-freeze properties in it or should I put some potable RV antifreeze in the tank? I'm not using the toilet. Would it be better to just drain it and leave it dry?

[ksg5000]

If I couldn't dump I would just add some antifreeze - just in case.

[NRALIFR]

billtex wrote:

d3500ram wrote:
Color me ignorant, but... what is "blue" water?

I know what black water is, I know gray water... I know what is meant by "pink stuff." I have used blue windshield wiper fluid in my black tank and cassette reservoir (but I don't think that is what we are talking 'bout here.)

Is blue water just another term for regular potable water in the domestic pluming?

Blue water probably = tank deodorizer in the water. He’ll be fine...

I’m afraid I’m just as ignorant. It’s been so long since I’d used the blue holding tank chemical that I forgot that the most widely used one is blue :S

“With all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one.” — William of Ockham

:):)

[silverbullet555]

Thanks for the tips. It is water with deodorizer I am sure based on the scent in the bathroom. For now, I put some RV anti freeze in it until I get home from an elk trip for a few days. After that, I'll drive it somewhere and drain it properly and winterize with RV antifreeze.

[Geo_Boy]

Dump the tanks, winterize the water system with pink RV antifreeze and don’t forget to winterize/flush the toilet.

[Grit_dog]

d3500ram wrote:
Color me ignorant, but... what is "blue" water?

I know what black water is, I know gray water... I know what is meant by "pink stuff." I have used blue windshield wiper fluid in my black tank and cassette reservoir (but I don't think that is what we are talking 'bout here.)

Is blue water just another term for regular potable water in the domestic pluming?

Blue water. The stuff the chit sucker puts back in the tank in the blue room after he removes the baby Ruth’s and corn!

[billtex]

d3500ram wrote:
Color me ignorant, but... what is "blue" water?

I know what black water is, I know gray water... I know what is meant by "pink stuff." I have used blue windshield wiper fluid in my black tank and cassette reservoir (but I don't think that is what we are talking 'bout here.)

Is blue water just another term for regular potable water in the domestic pluming?

Blue water probably = tank deodorizer in the water. He’ll be fine...

[d3500ram]

Color me ignorant, but... what is "blue" water?

I know what black water is, I know gray water... I know what is meant by "pink stuff." I have used blue windshield wiper fluid in my black tank and cassette reservoir (but I don't think that is what we are talking 'bout here.)

Is blue water just another term for regular potable water in the domestic pluming?

[JoeChiOhki]

Blue water makes me think its got whatever the base water quantity plus the standard Tank stink solution (which is generally blue) in it. If the tank is predominately, empty, it won't cause damage, but it will freeze.

[jaycocreek]

Years ago when I bought a 33ft travel trailer from Nelson's RV,there was work that had to be done with it before I took ownership and we lived 100 miles away in McCall Idaho..So they let us stay in it on the lot while they took acre of mostly outside minor problems...

The guy took a 3# coffee can full of rock salt and poured it down the toilet..The black never froze there in the lot or the long trip back home in freezing temps..

Simple and cheap as well as RV anti-freeze..If in doubt,put something in it and be safe..They will crack and break..

[Bedlam]

mkirsch wrote:
Unless the tank is right full where the water has nowhere to go when it expands it won't cause a problem when it freezes.

The freezing temperature of blue water is lower than regular water but nowhere near as low as the pink stuff.

You may find your dump valves frozen solid and will not move till thawed if water is in your waste tanks. This is not a problem if you plan to wait till Spring to use the camper again or you have access to the valves with a hair drier.

[Lwiddis]

Yes, it could freeze. Use the pink!

[Grit_dog]

mkirsch wrote:
Unless the tank is right full where the water has nowhere to go when it expands it won't cause a problem when it freezes.

The freezing temperature of blue water is lower than regular water but nowhere near as low as the pink stuff.

Depends on who's blue water it is....I've heard no splash at well above zero and close to freezing sometimes! lol

[Grit_dog]

Wow, that stinks (not literally) bought a new camper and didn't get to use it once?

If it's blue juice like porta pottys, it freezes in Idahoo.

I use windshield washer fluid generally for all my tank/p trap winterizing on boat and camper. Usually because it was cheaper.
Just walking through the farm supply yesterday, both were on display for the same price, lol.

Since you don't know how much blue juice is in it, I'd dump it first to be safe, although you escaped the arctic blast this weekend, but not tonight maybe.

Unlike the post above, hopefully they didn't fill your water lines with pink stuff, yuck, but have you confirmed that it's winterized?

[NRALIFR]

I suspect the previous owner winterized the P-traps and black tank with windshield washer fluid (the sub-freezing type). If you can contact the PO and confirm that, I’d just leave it.

Hopefully the fresh water lines have pink RV antifreeze in them.

:):)