Bad taste/smell to fresh water
Recently started noticing a nasty taste/smell to our fresh water system. Initially I attributed it to the DW using a 'new' garden hose to reach the one spigot on the house that comes off the domestic...
Forum Discussion
i'd sanitize your tank. if you decide to do that be sure to remove any water filters from the system first. then drain your fresh water tank including the water heater. be sure to release the pressure on the hot water tank before removing the pump. when the fresh tank and hot water tanks are empty close the fresh tank valve, re-insert the plug in the hot water tank and close the tank's pressure relief valve.
to sanitize the tank:
add 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach for each 15-gal of fresh water your water tank holds into a clean bucket or jug and pour into the fresh water holding tank. a little too much chlorine is better than not enough, just don't overdo it. do not add straight chlorine bleach directly to the tank. if you don't have a gravity fill port you can pour all or some of the bleach solution from the bucket or jug into your white RV water hose and then connect it to your fresh water input in your wet bay. if you do it this way you may have to do several rounds depending on how much solution you have made. add a bit of fresh water to the fresh tank between rounds.
then *nearly* fill your fresh tank with this mixture (somewhere between 3/4 and full). when done drive the RV around the block a few times to slosh the solution in the tank. if you fill the tank completely full the solution will not slosh the walls and top of the tank. be sure to make frequent turns to assist moving the water in the tank. I used to accelerate to a few MPH and then stop quickly.
then starting at the faucet farthest from the water pump open each faucet and let the water run until you smell the bleach. close that faucet and then open the next. repeat until all faucets have been opened and closed. fill the fresh tank with additional water until full and then let it sit overnight.
the next day drain the bleach solution. you then have two options.
- fill your fresh tank with fresh water and then run water from each faucet in the manner described above until you no longer smell the bleach.
or
- make a new solution of baking soda and fresh water in a clean bucket or jug. i'd recommend 1/2-cup to each gallon of water and I'd mix up 1-gallon of this mixture for each 20-gallons of tank capacity. introduce that mixture into the fresh water tank in the same manner as described above and then drive a few miles as described above. then run water from each faucet in the manner described above until you no longer smell the bleach. the baking soda should give off a sweet smell and taste.
leave this solution in your tank for a day or two and then dump and refill with fresh water.
that ought to do it for you but if not then as the shampoo bottle says...rinse and repeat! if you're good to go then *replace* your water filters.
good luck!
to sanitize the tank:
add 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach for each 15-gal of fresh water your water tank holds into a clean bucket or jug and pour into the fresh water holding tank. a little too much chlorine is better than not enough, just don't overdo it. do not add straight chlorine bleach directly to the tank. if you don't have a gravity fill port you can pour all or some of the bleach solution from the bucket or jug into your white RV water hose and then connect it to your fresh water input in your wet bay. if you do it this way you may have to do several rounds depending on how much solution you have made. add a bit of fresh water to the fresh tank between rounds.
then *nearly* fill your fresh tank with this mixture (somewhere between 3/4 and full). when done drive the RV around the block a few times to slosh the solution in the tank. if you fill the tank completely full the solution will not slosh the walls and top of the tank. be sure to make frequent turns to assist moving the water in the tank. I used to accelerate to a few MPH and then stop quickly.
then starting at the faucet farthest from the water pump open each faucet and let the water run until you smell the bleach. close that faucet and then open the next. repeat until all faucets have been opened and closed. fill the fresh tank with additional water until full and then let it sit overnight.
the next day drain the bleach solution. you then have two options.
- fill your fresh tank with fresh water and then run water from each faucet in the manner described above until you no longer smell the bleach.
or
- make a new solution of baking soda and fresh water in a clean bucket or jug. i'd recommend 1/2-cup to each gallon of water and I'd mix up 1-gallon of this mixture for each 20-gallons of tank capacity. introduce that mixture into the fresh water tank in the same manner as described above and then drive a few miles as described above. then run water from each faucet in the manner described above until you no longer smell the bleach. the baking soda should give off a sweet smell and taste.
leave this solution in your tank for a day or two and then dump and refill with fresh water.
that ought to do it for you but if not then as the shampoo bottle says...rinse and repeat! if you're good to go then *replace* your water filters.
good luck!
