RV water line antifreeze, aka De-ice

FORANE

FORANE

En-Route
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
3,783
Location
TN
Display Name
Display name:
FORANE
I read on this site about using RV water line antifreeze as a de-ice fluid and tried it for the first time a couple weeks ago. Put some in a hand pump spray bottle and sprayed the areas with frost. Gotta say it worked amazingly well at removing surface frost from the fuselage.

Is it safe on the canopy? Didn't try it there as I was unsure.

It worked so well I was / am tempted to replace the windshield washer fluid in my cars with it during the winter.

This is what I used:
http://www.recochem.com/ca/media/uploads/downloads/AbsoluteZëro_0517_EN_WEB.pdf
http://www.recochem.com/ca/products/outdoor_products/absolute_zerosuptm_sup_rv_waterline_antifreeze
 
Last edited:
Car windshields are glass. Airplane windshields are usually acrylic.
 
flyingron said:
Car windshields are glass. Airplane windshields are usually acrylic.
Click to expand...
uh, ok, I don't understand your point.
The car windshield gets frosted over; I figure it wouldn't be susceptible to damage from this product.
The planes canopy may be however. Would this product be safe on the planes "windshield"?
 
I would not put a glycol based product on your aircraft windshield.
 
FORANE said:
Is it safe on the canopy? Didn't try it there as I was unsure.
Click to expand...
FWIW: It's not so much what the fluid does to paint or plastic, but what it does to aluminum. Aviation based fluids are considered "neutral" chemically speaking. It's the reason Simple Green cleaner came out with an "aviation grade" cleaner. There are a number of articles out on the effects of non-aviation products used on aircraft. Buy some covers instead.
 
What do you think TKS fluid is? It is glycol based.
 
I’m a pinch I’ve mixed propylene glycol (RV a/f) with 90% isopropyl alcohol in a pump sprayer. Some brands brag about the additives added to prevent aluminum corrosion and damage to rubber and plastics. I’ve used the stuff for years in my camper and never had an issue with the plastic pipes and aluminum water heater. No clue though if the wings will fall off my bird after using it. It is non-toxic; sans the alcohol you can actually drink the Antifreeze if you forgot your in-flight choice of beverage.
But if you are caught with your pants down after a night stopover due to frost, snow, and ice on the wings this solution will cost you under $20 (fluid and pump sprayer).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Getonit said:
What do you think TKS fluid is? It is glycol based.
Click to expand...

Makes me wonder why they charge so much then. RV antifreeze is $1.99/gal versus $19.99/gal TKS. But wait: google claims TKS is Ethylene Glycol and not Propylene Glycol. Keep it away from Fido!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I've used pink RV potable water system anti freeze as deicer for years. It works well. If you warm it up it works a lot better. No issues at all on my windows. It leaves a residue but that wipes right off. No residue on the wings after flight. No corrosion issues that I can detect. I've never used it on the windscreen to remove frost. A credit card does that better than anything.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
nor would I want an alcohol based fluid.....
Click to expand...
Please define what you mean by "alcohol" because glycols are alcohols in that they contain the hydroxyl group.

A short wash of acrylic with methanol, 2-propanol, or ethanol won't cause issues, although it is a different situation of you are soaking it for days.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
nor would I want an alcohol based fluid.....
Click to expand...

nevernind the windshield alcohol tanks on the C5XX series

“The inner pane is .414” thick stretched acrylic, a vinyl layer .050” and outer pane is .414” thick stretched acrylic”

approved cleaners 50/50 isopropyl alchohol and water “to clean windshield and windows”
 
Last edited:
Cap'n Jack said:
Please define what you mean by "alcohol" because glycols are alcohols in that they contain the hydroxyl group.

A short wash of acrylic with methanol, 2-propanol, or ethanol won't cause issues, although it is a different situation of you are soaking it for days.
Click to expand...
take a look at the acrylic compatibility charts....you'll see.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
take a look at the acrylic compatibility charts....you'll see.
Click to expand...
Again, what do you define as an alcohol? As a chemist, I consider glycols to be alcohols due the presence of the hydroxyl groups.

Even the "simple" alcohols that I listed won't harm acrylics for the short contact time for this application- a few seconds to several minutes. The solvent compatibility charts you mention also say the same thing. In this case, the acrylic isn't being soaked in the alcohols for days.

Please look at his link, page 6, right side:
https://www.teledyneisco.com/en-us/...nts/Brochures/CombiFlash NextGen Brochure.pdf
That vapor enclosure has acrylic windows and stands up to methanol and ethanol when those solvents get splashed on it. Hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, not so much.
 
Isopropyl is a commonly recommended solvent to clean acrylics but you're supposed to rinse with water after. Prolonged and/or repeated exposure leads to crazing. I avoid typical alcohols as a result. RV anti freeze dripping on my side windows hasn't left any tracks.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Again, what do you define as an alcohol? As a chemist, I consider glycols to be alcohols due the presence of the hydroxyl groups.

Even the "simple" alcohols that I listed won't harm acrylics for the short contact time for this application- a few seconds to several minutes. The solvent compatibility charts you mention also say the same thing. In this case, the acrylic isn't being soaked in the alcohols for days.

Please look at his link, page 6, right side:
https://www.teledyneisco.com/en-us/liquidChromatography/Chromatography Documents/Brochures/CombiFlash NextGen Brochure.pdf
That vapor enclosure has acrylic windows and stands up to methanol and ethanol when those solvents get splashed on it. Hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, not so much.
Click to expand...
I don't know.....I'm no chemist. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top