RV Antifreeze Test - Super Tech vs Tractor Supply Brand

[Wicked ace]

Put small amount of Super Tech RV antifreeze from Walmart in cup and covered it and put in freezer. It froze solid. I have been using this brand for years. Maybe I bought a bad batch.
If you contacted the company and asked them about it they would tell you have used the product in a way it was not intended to be used. LOL

Slow down cowboy.......they do state that it will freeze if cold enough but does not expand as water does.

[Brewhedd]

Slow down cowboy.......they do state that it will freeze if cold enough but does not expand as water does.

That was a joke, lighten up.

[Buckaroo]

I have decided not to use the cheaper RV Anti-Freeze that contains alcohol (ethanol) because I had seen complaints about degradation of plumbing components and residual off-flavor. The difference is only about a $1-$2 a gallon so I just didn't see any reason not to go with the good stuff. It can, however, be a little challenging to find. If added, ethanol should be called out on the ingredient list. Also, there absolutely will be a warning on the label regarding flammability (that possibility seems almost non-existent but required by law no doubt). The RV anti-freeze that contains only propylene glycol and no ethanol will not have the warning label. Be careful as some contain a mixture of both so propylene glycol could be called out in the ingredients but the warning on the label will be present. I believe the WalMart (Super-Tech) and Tractor Supply brands both use ethanol as does the cheaper Splash version (good to -50F). FYI, the internet description of the -50F label from the Splash website (sold at Menards) says "non-ethanol" but the Safety Data Sheet clearly calls out added ethyl alcohol and details the flammable warning. I checked the label at the store and it had the flammable warning. The -75F and -100F Splash versions do not contain ethanol. I recently purchased several gallons of the Meijer's RV Premium (pink, good to -50F) which does not contain ethanol for about $3.99/gallon. I think they also carry a "regular" version that does contain ethanol.

[Brewhedd]

Thanks for the info. Glad I don't have to deal with the whole anti freeze thing.

[Saldog]

Glad this topic was posted, good to get additional information on this anti freeze.

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[SGT ROC]

Wish I didn't have to deal with the winterization process, but since I do this issue of the seals and so on concern me. I have used the cheap stuff for years - this being my 3rd trailer. I wonder about the effects. In most cases the seals are not sitting in a bath of the AF, but will have a coating that I assume dries over a short period. Does the evaporation of the ethanol cause the problem, or in the bath of the stuff? I know that ethanol is corrosive as heck on metal, but I wonder about rubber, silicone, plastics and so on. I don't want ot spend more on the better AF, but it is potentially more expensive to buy, or even tough to get to, some of the seals.

[Buckaroo]

I suspect that the ethanol impact on seals is more long term and not drastic. I would be using ethanol containing RV anti-freeze if I couldn't find the other or it was a lot more expensive. But Meijer's does have it and I only I use about 1.5 - 2 gals to winterize after I blow at the lines with compressed air so it costs me $3-$4 additional to use the good stuff.

[SGT ROC]

I got to thinking (which can be dangerous stuff) that I had a Brand called SO White from Rural King. I just checked what I have in the Garage and it's the Splash stuff. I looked up the SO White - it's Propylene Glycol - the good stuff - at $2.49 a gallon, so not a bad price. The Splash must have been cheaper. If I had known I would have bought the so called better stuff. This forum is worth it's weight in RV's for the amount of information you get. There's always another way to spend more money on something, this being the cheapest so far....

[Buckaroo]

I just looked at it on line and they didn't have a pic of the full label or an MSD. They do talk about using DOW propylene glycol which is good - I have read that some of this stuff is recycled so having them say they use the branded DOW propylene glycol is good. The -50F Splash product says the same thing but also contains ethanol. The internet documentation does talk about a "proprietary plant-derived additive" and was wondering if that could be ethanol based? Can you confirm it doesn't have the flammable warning on the label?

[SGT ROC]

I found the MSDS - the Manufacturer is Online Packaging Inc out of Plover WI. THe MSDS is 8 pages, so I will not be uploading it. Here is the link http://www.onlinepackaging.org/siteb...ysdsfinal.docx