How long can you keep water in tank?
How long can you keep fresh water in your tank? I would think at some point-in-time, with all the stagnant water, bacteria and other harmful things could grow.
Forum Discussion
I drain the freshwater tank if it is going to sit for more than 30 days. The hot water tank cannot be completely drained and a couple quarts remains which is why people get the sulphur smell from the hot water.
It only takes one teaspoon of bleach in 10 gallons of water to keep the fresh water fresh for a year or longer. I add the bleach before putting fresh water in the tank and then this treated water goes into the hot water tank as well.
Double the amount of bleach if you get the smell in the hot water to "shock" the system and kill of the existing bacterial.
The FEMA website has information online for people wanting to store water in containers in places like South Carolina, Lousiana, Florida, etc. in preparation for hurricanes and these apply to water in an RV's tanks.
For regularly used tanks one only needs to add one ounce or 6 teaspoons of bleach for every 200 gallons of water. I carry a 8 oz. bottle with bleach on our travels and add it along with new water when filling the tank. It is enough to treat 80 gallons of water which works for us.
It only takes one teaspoon of bleach in 10 gallons of water to keep the fresh water fresh for a year or longer. I add the bleach before putting fresh water in the tank and then this treated water goes into the hot water tank as well.
Double the amount of bleach if you get the smell in the hot water to "shock" the system and kill of the existing bacterial.
The FEMA website has information online for people wanting to store water in containers in places like South Carolina, Lousiana, Florida, etc. in preparation for hurricanes and these apply to water in an RV's tanks.
For regularly used tanks one only needs to add one ounce or 6 teaspoons of bleach for every 200 gallons of water. I carry a 8 oz. bottle with bleach on our travels and add it along with new water when filling the tank. It is enough to treat 80 gallons of water which works for us.
