Toilet is a little frozen

BobnLee · 01-26-2014, 01:49 PM

Was out getting some tools at the trailer and noticed the vent in the bathroom was open. I was almost too afraid to go in but when I did, I couldnt believe it the toilet was full to the top with ice. Its pretty its pink ice. What do you think ...should I put some heat in the bathroom and thaw it out or leave it till the spring. Not sure what is the best answer

**hankpage** · 01-26-2014, 02:38 PM

My vents are open a little all year. As for the "Pink Ice" ... RV antifreeze will freeze but should not be solid unless diluted ... More like a pink slushy. Leaving vents open prevents condensation. I would leave it alone, Hank

**JRTJH** · 01-26-2014, 02:39 PM

My first question would be, "How did it get that way?" If the vent was open and snow came into the RV, melted and refroze, wouldn't it also be on the floor in the bathroom? Something must be happening for the toilet to fill with water and nothing else to be wet/frozen in the room.

After determining where the water came from, I'd think get it out of the toilet. If RV antifreeze (in strong enough solution) is in the toilet, it will turn to slush or possibly freeze. If there's enough antifreeze, it won't expand and damage anything, but if there is enough water, it will expand and possibly crack the toilet or water lines. I'd be very careful about how you melt the ice that's in the toilet, too much heat will easily crack the porcelain and make a bigger mess. But, at this point, you can't be sure the toilet isn't already cracked. I would think getting the ice out of the toilet (if it's as full as you say) would be important, but finding out why it filled up (and didn't get on the floor also) would be the first step in preventing it from happening again.

BobnLee · 01-26-2014, 03:22 PM

I winterized the trailer like always and I believe I emptied the black tank before winterizing. The toilet is right to the top frozen solid I drained the black tanks when I last camped in late September and didnt use it again so it cant be freezing in the black tank and backing up. There isnt one bit of snow on the floor of the trailer and I cant believe the snow coming in just landed in the toilet. I hooked up a heater for the bathroom but Im a little afraid to turn it on.If I can figure out how to do it I will take a picture and post it. (if I can figure out how to post it)

BobnLee · 01-26-2014, 03:25 PM

I always leave about three inches of antifreeze in the toilet but she is frozen and full.

**JRTJH** · 01-26-2014, 06:24 PM

Like Hank said, if it's a little pink and slushy, it's fine, just leave it alone. But, if, as you say, it's "full to the brim" and frozen solid, you need to get that removed or if it leaks more between the ice and the porcelain or between the ice and the ball valve, you could develop a cracked bowl or a damaged ball valve. If you turn the heater on, sit it on the vanity and close the bathroom doors, it should defrost the ice in a couple of hours... It won't thaw the entire block, but when it thaws enough between the bowl and the ice block, you may be able to lift it out and dispose of it outside. Then, pour a cup or two of antifreeze in the bowl and see if the ball valve holds a water seal. Check closely for a cracked/damaged bowl, with that much ice in it, who knows.

After getting the ice out and putting more antifreeze in, I'd mark the level and check it weekly to see if more is seeping in or if it was a one time "freaky thing"

Good luck.

BobnLee · 01-26-2014, 06:36 PM

I'm going to put the electric oil rad in the bathroom tomorrow and thaw it out. It seems if something really weird can happen it usually will happen to me. We had a lot of rain since we winterized and I think it would have been the rain filling up the bowl. Cant think of any other way water could have got into the bowl. If all else fails there is always insurance

BobnLee · 01-26-2014, 06:37 PM

Thanks for all your help and support I will keep you posted

BulletOwner1 · 01-26-2014, 07:02 PM

In my way of thinking perhaps you left the water pump on and there is a leak in the toilet valve to allow the pump to pump the pink water in the lines into the toilet.????

**JRTJH** · 01-26-2014, 07:02 PM

Even with the roof vent open, I don't see how rain could have filled the bowl without also drenching the floor in the bathroom. You said you "think" you emptied the black tank, then said, "I'm sure" about emptying the black tank. I'm wondering if the black tank is full, froze and as the ice expanded, it pushed water up into the toilet. I don't think it's possible (although who knows) to rain through the roof vent and directly into the toilet without "splashing" at least enough to wet the floor all around the toilet.

If you've got 12 volts on the trailer, what does the black tank gauge say? If it's reading full, you might have already answered your question.

I'd put all my money on the fact that the roof vent is not why the toilet is full.

Good Luck

hankaye · 01-26-2014, 07:19 PM

BobnLee, Howdy;

I don't think the bowl will burst, it's like one segment of an ice cube tray,
as long as there is somewhere for the expansion to go ... it shouldn't
break.

hankaye

BulletOwner1 · 01-26-2014, 07:48 PM

Sorry, I'm just not seeing the bowl fill from the black tank, UNLESS there is water getting into the black tank from somewhere else, like an open vent cap. That's a substantial amount of water when you consider, at least on the ordinary toilets like mine, there is the large "cavity" under the flapper valve, not to mention the distance from the tank to the toilet, depending on the black tank location of course. Mine trank is directly under the stool.

And then there's the color of the water in the bowl. Has to be a lot of "if's" here. "If" he flushed the tank and filled back up with pink water (that's a lot of Pink stuff). "If" he didn't flush the tank and left it full I'm betting the water wouldn't be pink in the bowl!!!! "If" the toilet flapper valve seal worked how did the water from the tank, providing it was pink, get around the seal?

I'm very interested in how the bowl got filled in the first place. Like the others, I wouldn't think an open vent would fill only the bowl. My money is still on a leaky inlet valve and water pump left on.

Roller4Tan · 01-27-2014, 09:55 AM

My evaluation of this is, there is talk on this forum of water staying in the rim of the toilet and sloshing into the bowl during travel and onto the floor. The freezing weather has expanded and pushed this antifreeze diluted water from the rim into the bowl. A worse case would be that the line to the toilet also froze pushing more water in the line past the water flush valve and into the rim and bowl, meaning the flush valve would have to be replaced in the spring. I would open the dump valve at the toilet and let it drain into the black tank and close it when it is done thawing. Since all the water - antifreeze is now out of the rim and line, it should not fill back up.
Just my 2 cents

**hankpage** · 01-27-2014, 10:27 AM

Please don't get insulted by my question ...... Are you sure that you emptied and bypassed your water heater when you winterized????
If not, the action of the anode and the reaction of the antifreeze on the heater tank will create pressure and the weakest point is the toilets fill valve. In short ... the toilet would fill with diluted antifreeze until pressure is released at a faucet. For the toilet to fill there has to be pressure in the supply line from somewhere. (Water pump or W/H) Unless the antifreeze was diluted it should not freeze solid until -50°F. This is the only scenario I can think of for your problem unless someone sold you pink water.
(I did buy windshield washer antifreeze in Florida one year clearly labeled antifreeze and when I got up North the gallon was frozen solid. I figured it was mislabeled washer fluid and they figured nobody would notice in Florida or not drive back 1200mi to complain.)

BulletOwner1 · 01-27-2014, 04:43 PM

Hank,

Is there not a check valve in the HW tank?

**hankpage** · 01-27-2014, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BulletOwner1

Hank,

Is there not a check valve in the HW tank?

Yes there is one but it is plastic and has been known to fail or clog and I think that would bleed water back before the T&P valve on the WH would release the pressure. Again ... This is just the only scenario I can see that explains the full frozen solid toilet. That gallon of water had to come from somewhere.

BobnLee · 01-27-2014, 07:16 PM

Hank I would never be insulted by any questions pertaining to my problem. When I winterize I do bypass the HW heater and I also take the rod out I put the heater in the bathroom and powered it up and noticed there is ice on the one wall in the bathroom and there was ice in the screen for the vent. I saw antifreeze in the supply line going to the toilet. Could not have left the water pump on because I removed the batteries from the trailer and there was no hydro either. Hopefully the ice will be melted by morning. The investigation continues. We did have a hell of a lot of rain October and November and then freezing rain in December Did not go into the trailer after I winterized it so it is possible that the rain filled up the toilet since the vent is directly above it. Possible but not sure if it is probable