Loaded Question: "How easy is it...?"

If you are not keen on replacing it, let DW know that lots of folks don't drink from their RV plumbing system. Even with bleach treatment and a filter, we are not sure of the quality of the water system so we have a 3 gallon water bottle with one of these on top that sits under the kitchen sink for drinking/cooking water.

We bought the bottle at a water store so initially it was filled, we refill from our tap water although we have refilled at campsites--we think the bottle is less likely to harbor yuck and we also clean it with bleach occasionally.

I agree that after a treatment with CLR, you'd want to flush multiple times and then treat with chlorine bleach. I would be surprised if the CLR would damage the pump. Just don't run the CLR through the entire RV. Cap it off if concerned. Actually, remove the tank and treat it outside the rig. Then you can flip it around to get the CLR on the entire interior, then drain and flush better too.

pconroy328 wrote:
I patched the small holes. Epoxy. They don't leak. But it's clear (pun intended) that there's rust accumulation inside the water tank. It's gross.

I've got bleach in there now, to tide us over Spring break and we'll bring bottled water.

Thanks!!

Bleach won't do anything but make your DW feel better. If you want to remove the rust you will need something like Iron Out or CLR, however none of those products are recommended for the inside of potable water supply, so you'd need to be very vigilant about rinsing afterwards.

ron.dittmer wrote:
I think you are most likely mistaken how the entire inside of the tank got so rusted. I can't imagine 5 screws would stain the inside of the tank. I think it is "well" water with a lot of iron in it.

I would put in a bottle of CLR and fill the tank with water to the point of over-flowing. Let sit for many hours and see if the rust stain goes away. Let sit for 24 hours if you have to. Then drain, refill, and drain again.

Many tanks have the drain port on the side very close to the bottom which means when empty, there is still some water in the tank. If this is your case, tip the tank or jack up the rig at an angle to get out as much CLR solution as possible before refilling with water.

Chlorine bleach is great for disinfecting the tank, ridding it of bacteria. But rust is best removed with CLR, Lime Away, or ZEP.

Unless you have good iron free water at home and flush the tank when returning from every trip, the tank will stain again for most camp ground water is well water, and is often naturally iron fortified.

I think you're correct - odds are the water was simply pretty hard. Yep, I know the bleach is only for sanitizing but I figured it might buy me some time with DW.

I did some looking into CLR last night to see if they recommend it. Of course, there's not much on their site about Fresh Water Tanks in an RV.

You can dip your coffee pot in it. But they say "No" to icemakers (perhaps more out of concern for the inner workings.)

I may try CLR after Spring Break if I can convince myself it'll flush out.

Or maybe put my decades old Chem classes to work and figure out how to test for residuals. :)

I think you are most likely mistaken how the entire inside of the tank got so rusted. I can't imagine 5 screws would stain the inside of the tank. I think it is "well" water with a lot of iron in it.

I would put in a bottle of CLR and fill the tank with water to the point of over-flowing. Let sit for many hours and see if the rust stain goes away. Let sit for 24 hours if you have to. Then drain, refill, and drain again.

Many tanks have the drain port on the side very close to the bottom which means when empty, there is still some water in the tank. If this is your case, tip the tank or jack up the rig at an angle to get out as much CLR solution as possible before refilling with water.

Chlorine bleach is great for disinfecting the tank, ridding it of bacteria. But rust is best removed with CLR, Lime Away, or ZEP.

Unless you have good iron free water at home and flush the tank when returning from every trip, the tank will stain again for most camp ground water is well water, and is often naturally iron fortified.

Go ahead and change it. Wait a couple of years and do it again. More than likely stain again.

If you can do it without major surgery, go for it.

If you have to rip out the entire wall...tell your wife you are taking it to get repaired, park it a buddies for a few days, patch the hole, bring it back home and never her show her the internal workings of complex machines ever again.

Johno02 wrote:
My question is why?? The rust stain won't hurt anything

Two words: D.W.

I grew up in Farm Country and on well water. If the water was light-brown, that was a good day. :)

But I'll do it, I do the replacement if nothing else as penance on a lesson learned:

I was dumb enough to call her to the back and show her the holes. I should'a known she'd see the tank.




Thanks all for the advice!

Make sure that you also replace the water filter, and the filter screen on the water pump... probably some "crud" from the tank in those also.

A 50-gal fresh tank in a Class C's a good big tank. Measure and calculate. Gallon is 231 cubic inches. Your dimensions come out to 50.667 gallons on my smartphone.
On boats, sometimes the old tank has to be cut out and is not always replaced with the same size. That's to avoid hacking the boat apart. If you're a major boondocker, you want all the water you can tank up. Otherwise, maybe not.
I, personally, would tackle an above-floor tank replacement way sooner than an under-floor like our Jayco has. Probably went in before they set the house on the chassis. Right over the axle. Awful.