Can an IBC tote full of water freeze?

[CobyRupert]

If you take a course in thermodynamics,,, you will learn there is only heat,, and less heat,,
but, there is no such thing as cold,,,,
,,,

Isn't that like saying there's no such thing as darkness? Or silence? Or peace?
...or the wind doesn't blow a sail boat, it's the vacuum created on the opposite side that sucks the boat forward? -Ok, this one might be different?

but yes, yes, I know what you mean.
tomato/tamata...

Surface area to volume ratio does play a role, but only in the rate of cooling. If temperature is 31 degrees it will freeze solid given enough time, regardless of surface area or volume.
Being inside may be advantageous some days, disadvantageous other days (depending on whether temps are rising or falling, sunlight, etc...)
You could always put the IBC's on a pile of composting horsesh*t.

 

[LouNY]

As a couple of previous posters have mentioned any valves or nipples or piping will freeze and break.
It would take a long cold spell to freeze the entire tote but even just an inch or two will likely split the sides at the water / ice line.

 

[MIkeWard]

CMV, if the water is for watering plants

Could you dig a small pond and line it with rubber pond liner or rubber roofing. Drain from totes and containers into pond for winter. It could be covered and winterized similar to an above ground pool.
Or
Buy an end of season kiddie pool that's 3' deep and fill it and winterize similar to an above ground pool.

You might even be able to use em all year

 

[flyerdan]

How about some RV antifreeze? That's supposed to be safe for potable water, so I'd imagine that plants would be fine with it as well. If it's like auto antifreeze, it would just need enough to keep it from freezing solid, getting slushy is okay.
Years and years ago, my dad did an experiment where he took a gallon glass jar full of water and put just enough antifreeze in to barely tint it, and left it outside in northern Idaho winter. It appeared to freeze solid, but didn't break the glass.
A test could be conducted with a relish jar and scale the ratios down from gallons to ml., put it in the freezer (in a ziplock bag, jic) and see if it works.

 

[newbury]

Obviously I know they can freeze....can one freeze without destroying/damaging the tote itself is what I'm getting at. Mine are full thanks to all this rain. several 330 & 275 gal sizes. If left uncapped? If left with 8" or so headspace? If left half full (half empty pessimists)?

I want to leave as much water in my totes as possible, but other than tossing a blanket over them and parking where they will see the most sunlight not doing anything to prevent them from freezing if it gets cold enough, long enough. If draining is right answer to preserve them over winter that's fine but would rather keep the water if possible. In the past I wasn't collecting rainwater so come winter I never had more than maybe a foot of water in them which caused no harm.

Since you only put NC in for your location it's hard for me to know if you duplicate my climate.
BUT
First of all - how much does a tote cost you? Around me they go for $50 for food grade.
In northeast Mississippi I've had a tote sitting outside in it's cage on cement blocks near full of water since I got 4 in 2012 from Taylortractornut ( TBN member).


I placed it so rainfall from 2 roofs keeps it full and I occasionally draw water from it. It is in the shade all the time due to the building. When our water line broke a few years ago it was my main source of water to flush toilets etc.

In at least one year we had a spell of low enough temps that it froze pretty solid, anyplace I hit it on the side was solid ice. Every year we get a cold spell and at LEAST the top foot freezes. Hasn't split yet.

I mainly leave it outside because it's zero maintenance. It is in the shade.

If you take a course in thermodynamics,,, you will learn there is only heat,, and less heat,,
but, there is no such thing as cold,,,,

To the OP,, the IBC has little chance of freezing in NC because of the small surface area compared to the large volume,,,
Only a ball shaped object would have less surface area,,
put the IBC in an enclosure, like a shed,, freezing would be almost impossible in NC,,,

I am just a little north, bottles of soft drink have very little chance of freezing when stored in the shed,,,

I've had CANS of soda in my truck burst due to freezing.

As a couple of previous posters have mentioned any valves or nipples or piping will freeze and break.
It would take a long cold spell to freeze the entire tote but even just an inch or two will likely split the sides at the water / ice line.

Hasn't split mine yet, but mine may be thicker plastic.

To the OP - go for it, but be prepared to replace them AND keep them shaded.

 

[goeduck]

In NC you may be able to bury them in sawdust and a tarp and be fine. Temperatures do not get below freezing for long, do they?

 

[JamesHW]

I wonder if you setup the tote in a small shed surrounded with insulation and fabricated a solar water heater, i.e. a black board on which you ran a circuit of pex that fed from the cooler water from bottom of the tote and fed back warm water to the top. I guess the difficulty with the idea would be preventing the pipes in the heater freezing at night, but a small solar powered pump that allowed the solar heater circuit to drain back into the tote when sun went down.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ That would be a lot of work and expense to protect a $50-60 item you got second hand that may not ever be at significant risk.

The in ground pool or tank idea might help prevent deep freezing but then you need a pump or bucket system to use the water. The beauty of these (and similar) tanks is that you let nature and gravity do most of the work with no energy involved. I added some 1 - 1/2" sump pump drain hose so I can reach most of my trees without anything else. I haven't decided yet if I want to hunt down a second or third tank.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Any chance you can store the tote on its side for the winter, so the valve doesn,t freeze and bust ?

 

[CobyRupert]

In NC you may be able to bury them in sawdust and a tarp and be fine. Temperatures do not get below freezing for long, do they?

:thumbsup:
A black tarp.