Dewinterizing

It shouldn't cause any problems. The bleach solution loses its effectiveness after 24 hours or so. Any bacteria should be long since killed by then though.

The problem is that you then will want to drain the tank and refill it with clean water and pump that through the system until there is no more chlorine smell. IMHO leaving bleach water sit in the system for 30 minutes or so is sufficient for all but the nastiest of bugs.

I used to much bleach and let it sit to long ( you know if a little is good a bunch is better syndrome). Took forever for the bleach smell to get out of the system.

Diluted bleach in your plumbing system needs time to develop the amine of sodium hypochlorite to kill bacteria. IOW, it is not the bleach that directly kills all bacteria but a chemical that is made by the bleach. Leaving it in your system for more than 12 hrs. will allow it to work effectively. If you still have bleach odor after rinsing, put a solution of baking soda through the system.

westend wrote:
.... If you still have bleach odor after rinsing, put a solution of baking soda through the system.

Good tip I didn't know that. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks! :B

brentbullets wrote:
Dewinterized this afternoon and sanitized water system. I know that the bleach and water should sit in tank and plumbing for a few hours but my question is can it be in there too long? My camper is over an hour from my home and we are coming up on Saturday to clean and restock camper. Is it OK to leave the bleach in the system until then?

Thanks in advance.

brentbullets
If you used the recommended "bleach to water solution" it doesn't hurt to leave it in.

BTW, my fresh water system has been "sanitized" only twice.
Once in '96 when the coach was new and once at 16 years of age, (at 125k miles), when a "sulfur stink" developed in the water heater.

Mel
'96 Safari

I always leave it in for 24 hours, but I can't imagine longer would hurt anything.

If you don't like the smell of bleach. Bleach is NOT the only way to sanitize a water holding tank.

1. Thetford makes a fresh water tank sanitizer.

2. Go to any 'restaurant supply house' they have the 'best' sanitizing products that work way beyond what bleach does. Health dept's kinda require they use them!

I do not drink or use water from the holding tank or to prepare foods with. It's a porous not sealed holding tank that takes on the ambient temperature of whatever the out side weather is. Warm=bacteria.

I do clean my fresh tank thoroughly and regularly to keep bacteria and sediment out and at a minimum. Since I do use it to shower!

Thanks for all the responses.

There is a sanitizer used for homebrew equipment that works well with killing bugs.

I use bleach because it is easy to get and not too expensive... and it does the job extremely well.