joebedford
Sheltering at home
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Joined: 09/03/2003
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For various reasons my RV won't be used again this winter. It was winterized a year ago. Does the alcohol evaporate (to where I don't know)?
Should I replace the RV antifreeze before the second winter stored outside in Canada?
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MFL
Midwest
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Joined: 11/28/2012
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If you used cheap AF, with the ethanol, yes the alcohol does evaporate, I would replace it. The higher quality AF, I would just leave it another year.
Also, if ethanol/alcohol version, I'd add more to the P-traps, due to evap, and possible smell from gray tank.
Jerry
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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blow the lines and put some pink in the traps.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.
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StirCrazy
Kamloops, BC, Canada
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Joined: 07/16/2003
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joebedford wrote:For various reasons my RV won't be used again this winter. It was winterized a year ago. Does the alcohol evaporate (to where I don't know)?
Should I replace the RV antifreeze before the second winter stored outside in Canada?
yes even if you are not using it you should flush it with fresh water in the spring then re-winterize it in the fall.
Steve
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100
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Boon Docker
Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta
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No need to replace. Alcohol does not evaporate within a closed system. Just pour some more in the p-traps and you are good to go until spring.
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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RV antifreeze will evaporate if left open to the atmosphere. The cheaper version (and the only version I can find in stores the last few yrs) is the alcohol and propylene glycol mixture.
The alcohol evaporates off at a much faster rate when left open to the atmosphere (open system).
Propylene glycol also will evaporate when left open to the atmosphere (open system) but at a much slower rate.
In a closed system, evaporation will be minimal to none.
Your pressurized water lines if valves are closed are a closed system.
Your drain traps however are a "open system"" and over time both components will evaporate off.. Will not do any harm unless there is fresh water that was added to the traps.. To ensure traces of fresh water has been removed from the traps just add a fresh splash of RV antifreeze to top off the traps.
Water lines, if they were filled with antifreeze, there still should be antifreeze in the lines..
The downside to leaving antifreeze in the lines is the plastic will absorb trace amounts of the antifreeze making it difficult to clear the antifreeze taste.
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Boon Docker
Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta
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Not sure what kind of water lines you have. Antifreeze was left once for two years in my trailer. Flushed the lines once after and there was no antifreeze taste or smell.
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Fizz
Ottawa, Canada
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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We seem to go through this discussion every year.
Antifreeze is not used to protect the plumbing. It is used to flush out the water, the only liquid that expands when frozen.
Once the lines have been filled with antifreeze and flushed out the water it's perfectly ok to drain it into a bucket and use it to fill all the P traps. Antifreeze and water mixed 50/50 will freeze into a soft slush but will not expand enough to do damage.
I've been winterizing my cottage for 35 years, all copper pipes, no problems using this method and it always gets to -30F for a couple of days in Feb.
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Terryallan
Foothills NC
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Joined: 06/28/2004
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Thing is. the antifreeze replaced the water in the lines. Unless you have put more water in the lines, there is no water in them to freeze. Remember winterizing just clears out the water, and it is the water that freezes. So no water, no freeze. I would not worry about it. You have already removed the water. It doesn't matter if there is antifreeze there or not. As long as there is no water.
Terry & Shay
Coachman Apex 288BH.
2013 F150 XLT Off Road
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joebedford
Sheltering at home
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Joined: 09/03/2003
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OP here:
My lines are PEX.
I'm aware that I should put some more in the P-traps etc.
I just don't know if the alcohol can get through PEX somehow.
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