Forum Rules, Notifications and Helpful Hints

Explore the community of craft distillers and discover the largest professional association dedicated to the art and science of craft distillation. ACE DISTILLER has been serving all levels, from novice enthusiasts to seasoned professionals, in the craft distilling industry since 2010.

Home Forums Beginners RV Antifreeze

  • RV Antifreeze

    Posted by jackfire57 on December 3, 2024 at 2:03 pm

    I live in the northeast, winters very cold and the question is, has anyone added rv anti freeze to their cooling water ?Jackfire

    jackfire57 replied 1 week, 5 days ago 13 Members · 18 Replies
  • 18 Replies
  • Rusty Ole Bucket

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 2:15 pm

    Here’s my opinion. Don’t get chemicals around where you’re running, if somehow that got into your run it could be BAD. Why not just drop an aquarium heater in your reservoir?Rusty”Knowledge is a paradox; the more one understands, the more one realizes the vastness of his ignorance” – Viktor (Arcane)The Horny Goat Build Thread

  • jackfire57

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 2:22 pm

    Heater be a good option ThanksJackfire

  • Reefer1

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 6:35 pm

    +1 on the aquarium heater it’ my goto for mash/ferments.However i do plug the heater connected into a secondary controller with a temp probe, just in case the heater thermostat sticks on, i did have that happen once.Reefer1

  • Deplorable

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 10:20 pm

    You considering this as a measure to raise the boiling point of your cooling water, or keep it from freezing?Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.

  • jackfire57

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 10:22 pm

    Keep it from freezingJackfire

  • Yummyrum

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 10:48 pm

    Vehicle antifreeze is Ethylene Glycol. It has a similar toxicity as Methanol. Propylene glycol is the food grade version that is added to Ice-cream . I agree, keep Vehicle antifreeze away from your stilling area . Alas the food grade version is about 10x the price . But whats the price of your loved ones .My recommended goto .wiki/index.ph … ion_Theory

  • jackfire57

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 11:25 pm

    This is Rv anti freeze ~ nontoxicJackfire

  • shadylane

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 11:32 pm

    Maybe use diluted ethanol for antifreeze.30% would be none flammable and lower the freezing point to -18cOn second thought, the alcohol would raise hell with most pumps.

    Attachments
  • Bradster68

    Member
    December 3, 2024 at 11:46 pm

    They also make a heater for cattle troughs. Also to keep The water from freezing. They work really well. I use them for my chickens. Depending on how big your water tank is, a fish aquarium heater might not be enough. You can pick them up at any grain store. Not sure how cold it gets there. But I’m way up here in Canada in igloo country and they work great.I drink so much now,on the back of my license it’s a list of organs I need.

  • SW_Shiner

    Member
    December 4, 2024 at 12:26 am

    There’s been a thread recently on barrel heating. Focused on ferm temps but i can’t see why one of the options wouldn’t work for your use case.viewtopic.php?t=93726

  • Dancing4dan

    Member
    December 4, 2024 at 3:52 am

    The product you are talking about is used to keep recreational vehicle potable water systems from freezing and breaking during winter months. Canadian winter months…. They are different. We just had a few days of -25*c. Not sure this is a thing in warmer parts of the planet. Our RV potable water system is drained and flushed with this product every year in the fall. Then it is drained and flushed with fresh water again in the spring when it is refilled with potable water.When I recirculated my coolant water I sure didn’t want it getting into my product! “What harms us is to persist in self deceit and ignorance”Marcus AureliusI’m not an alcoholic! I’m a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings!

  • Wooday

    Member
    December 4, 2024 at 9:32 am

    If you’re worried about your reservoir freezing between sessions, I second the stock tank heater mentioned above.My actual advice would be to go electric and do it in your basement.

  • jackfire57

    Member
    December 4, 2024 at 2:10 pm

    ThanksJackfire

  • subbrew

    Member
    December 4, 2024 at 4:31 pm

    Depending on how often you run it may not be a big issue. I use a 55 gallon barrel as my cooling water reservoir. If I either do a stripping run or spirit run 3 times in a two week period I rarely get more than a skim of ice. I do keep a board and blanket draped over the barrel when not in use. And the tank is sitting in an unheated metal building. In cases of a week of below zero weather I use the stock tank heater previously mentioned.

  • Salt Must Flow

    Member
    December 4, 2024 at 9:49 pm

    Depending on how often I operated the still and the volume of the reservoir … if a couple months went between runs, I’d just drain the reservoir and not have to worry about it during the coldest time of the year.4″ VM Build

  • Ridgeback816

    Member
    December 5, 2024 at 12:15 am

    How cold are you talking about the easiest way to lower the freezing point of water not to mention the cheapest was is just to add salt but even the sea freezes sometimes so it depends on how cold your area gets

  • shadylane

    Member
    December 5, 2024 at 2:08 am

    Kinda what I was thinking. In my neck of the woods, tap water costs around $.01 a gallon, electricity is around $.12 kwh.

  • jackfire57

    Member
    December 5, 2024 at 10:35 pm

    ThanksJackfire

Log in to reply.

en_USEnglish