One Question About Fresh Water Flush

Old-Biscuit wrote:

drsteve wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
IF you normal water source has a high iron/sulfur content then the water can get smelly

In that case you might want to drain fresh water tank, water heater and hot/cold lines (low point drains) between trips..
Easy to do.....and less involved then having to sanitize or do several rinse/flushes to get rid of smell so you can use trailer.

Just drain it....


Thought NE had some of the BEST water in nation :H

The sulfur smell is caused by iron-eating bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide gas. The way to get rid of the odor is to kill the bacteria with chlorine.

Or just flush/rinse water heater

Flushing won't remove all of the bacteria. If you don't kill them, the smell can return, even with fresh, untainted water.

I sanitize each spring, and if it is going to be more than a few weeks between trips, drain the fresh tank after a trip. then fill it before the trip.

And we heaven forbid ACTUALLY DRINK the water from the fresh tank, use it for cooking, coffee, tea, everything we use house tap water for.

Now, we do avoid filling with potable water that while safe, isn't something we'd want to drink. places with lots of chlorine, high iron content, etc.

But most of the the water around here is pretty good tasting. so may as well use it.

I like to stay on the safe side sanitize 2-3 times a year, I drain tank between trips

We have never sanitized the water system on purpose but some times an RV park or campground will have so much chlorine in the water that might do it. We fill up from our well when we leave home and we drink the water from our unsanitized water tank.

drsteve wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
IF you normal water source has a high iron/sulfur content then the water can get smelly

In that case you might want to drain fresh water tank, water heater and hot/cold lines (low point drains) between trips..
Easy to do.....and less involved then having to sanitize or do several rinse/flushes to get rid of smell so you can use trailer.

Just drain it....


Thought NE had some of the BEST water in nation :H

The sulfur smell is caused by iron-eating bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide gas. The way to get rid of the odor is to kill the bacteria with chlorine.

Or just flush/rinse water heater

Hondavalk wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
Being a conservative I sanitize 3 to 4 times a year. We do drink the water.

Being a liberal I also sanitize 3 to 4 times a year. :B;)

Being neither I ONLY sanitize when I first purchase....then never again and we only use the fresh water tank for EVERYTHING

Old-Biscuit wrote:
IF you normal water source has a high iron/sulfur content then the water can get smelly

In that case you might want to drain fresh water tank, water heater and hot/cold lines (low point drains) between trips..
Easy to do.....and less involved then having to sanitize or do several rinse/flushes to get rid of smell so you can use trailer.

Just drain it....


Thought NE had some of the BEST water in nation :H

The sulfur smell is caused by iron-eating bacteria that produce hydrogen sulfide gas. The way to get rid of the odor is to kill the bacteria with chlorine.

We are on municiple water so there is some small amount of chlorine in it. That being said, we go 1 to three weeks between trips and have never had a problem. Any more than that and I will flush the tank once with fresh water.
Oh and we do consume the water from our tank.

Also, I sanitize the tank every spring at the beginning of the camping season o rif I buy a new or used RV.

Lwiddis wrote:
Being a conservative I sanitize 3 to 4 times a year. We do drink the water.

Being a liberal I also sanitize 3 to 4 times a year. :B;)

My fresh water tank can be seen from under the trailer & it is a translucent white. in hot weather I have seen it turn green inside when not used for 3 weeks. In 3 weeks time it will not look like your lawn, but is taking on a green tint. Of course when you run your fawcet you will not see this. This isn't what I want to be drinking or showering in. Because of this I do add bleach if I know the next outing is over 2 weeks away. Many will disagree or argue with me but for them I say, whatever floats your boat!