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winter_slipper
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2021 13:36
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Does anyone know if it’s safe and okay to put rv antifreeze down a frozen urine pipe in a compost toilet? The pipe drains into our grey water. Although not lately. 😕
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winter_slipper
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2021 13:37
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My neighbor told me to do this...but he has told me some questionable things in the past...
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2021 13:52
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Check if the 'rv anti-freeze' (for the rv plumbing NOT the engine) is biodegradable, if not, I wouldnt use it.
Can you get a hair blow drier on the pipe?
Or an elec pipe 'heat tape' for a while to get it to flow?
Does it have a trap where the 'water' sits, thus freezes? That would be the place to concentrate on.
If so and you can point a fan at it to direct warm room air it might soften enough to flow. Or stick a boiling hot bucket of water under it or better yet the trap in the hot water and drape a heavy towel over the top to keep the heat in.
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2021 16:08
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while it probably won't hurt anything since its non-toxic, I don't think it will thaw things out for you.
I think you need to find a way to thaw it out, and mostly likely that is going to be to heat it up somehow.
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Fanman
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jan 2021 21:37
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Antifreeze will keep a pipe from freezing, but won't unfreeze an already frozen one.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 20 Jan 2021 11:09 - Edited by: gcrank1
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Is the flow slow or non existent?
If slow some earth friendly rv plumbing anti freeze may actually open it up then pocket in the 'trap',such as it may be, to prevent future block up.
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Steve_S
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2021 06:10
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I use a dry compost toilet system, to make it stay dry, I used a WePee urine diverter which diverts the urine into the closed grey water system. Due to clearance issues & because I am in the deep north and so freezing is a real possibility I decided to save myself a lot of hassles, just like the subject matter of the thread.
I installed a HepVo Waterless P-Trap for the WePee diverter and another one for my tub/shower as well. Been a couple of years now and no issues whatsoever. No worries either which is always good.
HepVo Valve: https://hepvo.com/hepvo-waterless-valve/
We-Pee Diverter: http://www.we-pee.com/
Hope it helps, Good Luck
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winter_slipper
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2021 16:26
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Interesting! I will check out the hepvo system...We have a Separett compost toilet which is designed to have a a urine line which goes directly to the gray water...but maybe I could replace its valve with the hepvo and avoid freezing. It’s pretty much going to be below freezing until April here at least at night, so it would be so, so nice to be using the indoor toilet.
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winter_slipper
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jan 2021 07:41
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I’m not sure if the antifreeze is biodegradable, though it does say “all natural†but who knows what that means. We could probably buy some though. I think there is some flow, depending on the day, but that there’s like a chunk of crunchy ice in there somewhere backing things up, which is close to the valve that attaches to the toilet. There’s no trap cause we didn’t have the room...but I think we can probably identify the frozen parts and try to heat them...I’m thinking bucket of boiling water so we don’t have to run the generator when it’s happening.
So, if I were to get this pipe de-frozen, would it then be worth pouring the antifreeze down for the rest of the season? Cause obviously just thawing it out is only gonna work until it freezes again, and we don’t have that fancy hepvo pipe yet and it would require a reinstall which probably won’t happen till spring. gcrank1? Anyone? Thanks for your answers, btw, you all are very helpful!!
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jan 2021 08:41
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Warm salt water will probably work if you have a bit of flow.
My bathroom sink will freeze up from brushing teeth at night on the really cold days. I will flush that drain after using it with enough hot water that I know it drains completely before freezing. (assuming you don't have a low spot that holds water).
If you do have a low spot, enough rv antifreeze (keep it inside so its warm) to fill that low spot after use will probably get you through.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 25 Jan 2021 11:39
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I agree, it might be some pocket holding some water but not enough to totally stop the flow? In that case, by pouring a bit a the rv-af in after use may have the af sitting in the pocket rather than 'water'. Worth a go once you get it flowing well again.
Or could it be some part of the 'valving' in that unit that is holding some captive? Again, once cleared, a little rv-af poured in may cure it.
During a stay maybe you could just use warm-hot water as the after pour and only use the rv-af the last few times before leaving?
Let the trials begin!
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