RE: Re-Using the RV Anti Freeze

[Joe Gleason]

 
Just got back from Florida... .Had a heck of a time buying RV anti Freeze...
 
 Luckily the weather was going to be warm enough to " deal with it"  when I got home....
 
 After fillilng the water tank with  2 gallans of RV anti-Freeze... .and  pumping it through the pipes... Has anyone ever drained the lines and captured the RV anti-Freeze for use @ a latter date?
 
 I notice the porta-Potti water  supply took quite a bit (almost a gallan) to get it pumping (having dumped the water first through drain tube) then putting more and mor until the pump started.....
 
 Question:
   Do most people dump the RV anti Freeze out after putting i t -
   Do you leave it to spring?
 
 

[AustinBoston]

 Joe Gleason

ORIGINAL:  Joe Gleason
 Question:
   Do most people dump the RV anti Freeze out after putting i t -
   Do you leave it to spring?
 

 I ve always dumped it.
 
 Question:
 Does anyone know if this stuff is really safe to dump down the drain?
 
 Austin
 

[wahoonc]

 Joe Gleason
Austin,
 If I recall my chemistry correctly (and if I don t some one will correct me)[&:]
 The RV antifreeze is basically ethyl alcohol, with some additives. It is non-toxic so if you were to ingest a little it won t hurt you. Ethyl alcohol is the same as what is in whiskey, vodka etc. So I guess if you were to pour vodka down a drain[]...
 
 Like I said, some one will correct me[>:] Now I know why I had so much trouble with Chemistry. The old anti freezes were ethyl alcohol as in Ever Clear. Anyone remember PJ[: (]
 
 
 
 Aaron[]

[popupcop]

 Joe Gleason
Even if you use air to blow out your lines first, some water will pool in the areas where the tubing bows downward.  When you put anti-freeze through your pipes, it mixes with the pooled water and picks up little water droplets left in other areas of your plumbing.  Each time you re-use rv antifreeze, the solution picks up more water and gets weaker until it does not protect.  
 
 The stuff is supposed to be non-hazardous to the environment.  Some of it is made from orange peels.

[mike4947]

 Joe Gleason
Propylene glycol  or RV antifreeze, see here: http://www.peakantifreeze.com/tech/tech_g.html for a quick lesson on it.

[Joe Gleason]

 Joe Gleason
Are you supposed to leave it in  the lines - until just before you use  it again, or do you drain it after putting it in?  Does it matter?
 
 I poured mine into the water tank them  pumped it through?
 
 Was thinking i d drain the water tank?  So there is less to be " sucked up"  by the plastic to leave a long term " tase"

[wahoonc]

 Joe Gleason
Joe,
 Oops[&:] Kind of missed your question the first time around! I have a by-pass on my HW heater, then put a fitting on in front of the pump. I pump anti-freeze just through the lines and faucets. Then in the spring I will fill the tank and sanitize it at the same time it will flush the anti-freeze out of the lines. I don t normally put anti freeze in the tank. I will also try to blow out the city water fitting. The area I live in seldom gets tempatures much below  the 28 degree range.
 
 Aaron[]

[Joe Gleason]

 Joe Gleason
The Fitting in front of the water pump makes a WHOLE lot of sense... I think i ll put that in - then I can get buy with one Jug!
 
 I get temps below - 15 F - with STRONG winds blowing on it - it sits out in an open field ...   Not uncommong to see it get 50Knot winds ...
 
 So ANYTHING that is water will freeze...
 
 I really like the fitting idea infront of the pump... Thanks

[wahoonc]

 Joe Gleason
Joe,
 They sell a whole kit that includes the HW heater bypass as well as the valve assembly you need to put in front of the pump. I will warn you that I had to relocate a water line to get mine to fit. There wasn t enough room between the end off the pump and where the line came through the floor to get the valve installed. Other than that don t forget to run antifreeze through the outside shower. I have had to replace mine once already.[:@]
 
 Aaron[]

[ckkevin]

 wahoonc
Here is a link to the RV Anti Freeze Pump Kit I installed.  [link=http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?deptID=3&subOf=13&skunum=6279&src=TSC]Click Here[/link]

[tlhdoc]

 Joe Gleason
Yes, you can reuse the antifreeze, but it will get a little more diluted each time it is reused.  I always have a little water in my holding tank, so I just buy new antifreeze each year.  I buy it in the spring when Wal-Mart has it on sale ($1.50 now).

[Taoscop]

 Joe Gleason
Come on..is it really that expensive to but the stuff each year?  Or are you just worried about being able to find it?   If that is the case buy a couple bottles in the spring or fall and keep some in stock....  I wouldn t recommend using it over again....[][][]