Can an IBC tote full of water freeze?

LouNY · Oct 17, 2018

Actually your previous comment about using compost is quite valid, combined with a black tarp, in moderate climates would have a very good chances of preventing freezing.
Composting materials will generate considerable warmth.

747driver · Oct 17, 2018

flyerdan said:
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.

Was thinking the same thing. I use 2 gallons for the 38' motorhome we have. I do have a 275 gallon tote that is out in the forest for watering purposes...to remote for a water hose ! I am going to put a quart of the rv anti freeze in it soon. Will open the spigot enough to fill it up with the anti freeze.

MossRoad · Oct 17, 2018

Again, put a milk jug 80% full of water in the freezer. See what happens. Once it's frozen, add some more water and freeze it again. Or let it melt a few hours and freeze it again. Do some experimentation with thin plastic and see how it holds up.

As long as the ice has room to expand up, the cage of the IBC should contain it. As others have mentioned, though, I'd be concerned about any valve or pipe that can hold contained water.

Our above ground pool freezes solid every year, with multiple freezes and thaws, drops and rises in level, etc... and there's never been an issue. I've had the pillow under the cover, but several times over the past 23 years, that pillow has burst and I still had no troubles. One year I didn't use the pillow at all and no troubles with the freeze/thaw, but hard to clean out cover in spring.

Do some experiments.

Diggin It · Oct 17, 2018

MossRoad said:
Again, put a milk jug 80% full of water in the freezer. See what happens. Once it's frozen, add some more water and freeze it again. Or let it melt a few hours and freeze it again. Do some experimentation with thin plastic and see how it holds up.

When I find milk on a sale, I'll sometimes buy several gallons and freeze a few. I've had as many as 8 in the freezer at once. Most of the time, they do fine. Every so often, one splits. Could be just a bad jug I guess.

MossRoad · Oct 17, 2018

When I freeze milk in a jug, I pour out enough to get the level down below the taper of the jug. Haven't had any split. But those freeze once and stay frozen. No freeze/thaw cycle like an IBC tote would experience with nightly temp drops and daily temp rises.

quicksandfarmer · Oct 18, 2018

If I understand, the IBC is set up as a rain barrel, catching water from the downspouts. I would drill a hole about 4" from the top, so that the IBC never gets completely full. That should give room for expansion. Ice forms from the top down so if the valve is on the bottom it shouldn't be in danger unless the whole thing freezes solid.

Diggin It · Oct 18, 2018

quicksandfarmer said:
Ice forms from the top down ...

Ice forms from the cold side in to the warmer center. With all six sides of a cube exposed to cold, they will all begin to freeze at nearly the same time. You can see that from anything you put in a freezer. Pull it out after an hour or two and check to see if the center is solid yet or not.

kc5dlo · Oct 18, 2018

I would just dump the water now and start over in the spring. If you need some water you still can haul it in, and likely not need a whole load of water. The amount of water needed in December and January is much less than in June and July. maybe keep some water in one tote and drain the rest?

CobyRupert · Oct 18, 2018

quicksandfarmer said:
Ice forms from the top down....

Diggin It said:
Ice forms from the cold side in to the warmer center. With all six sides of a cube exposed to cold, they will all begin to freeze at nearly the same time. You can see that from anything you put in a freezer. Pull it out after an hour or two and check to see if the center is solid yet or not.

Yes and no to both.
Coldness will come in (heat will leave) from all six sides and ice will form in from sides, BUT there's convection. Remember that water is most dense when it is about 39 deg F.
So...warmer water will sink compared to water that is cooler that rises to the top, that will freeze first, so at the center of the ice coming in from the sides, the last warm water will be at the bottom.