Water Tank Contamination ( Long )
We just picked up a used Redwood and I have no idea about the history or maintenance. When I picked it up, one of the first things I did was drain antifreeze and attempt to sanitize the system. Howeve...
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I don't know about the chemical approach, but after seeing my tank in person, I can understand how so many can have contamination issues.
If your tank is a side discharge, ie, the suction line comes out of the lower side instead of the bottom of the tank, then even after you drain it, there is still about 1" of water left that simply will never drain or be picked up by the pump. If you continue to flush and dilute the remaining water, you may eventually get it all. But, I have some suspicion it will take a looooong time to complete. If you know which side the discharge is on, you can park the trailer on a slant to facilitate more effective draining. Failing that, you might be better off to suction the tank out remotely or remove it completely and flush it with fittings removed. Then you know what you have and can trust that it's not contaminated. I wish they'd put the discharges on the bottom of the tank and mount it in the trailer pitched to the discharge. Then when it's empty....it's truly empty!
If your tank is a side discharge, ie, the suction line comes out of the lower side instead of the bottom of the tank, then even after you drain it, there is still about 1" of water left that simply will never drain or be picked up by the pump. If you continue to flush and dilute the remaining water, you may eventually get it all. But, I have some suspicion it will take a looooong time to complete. If you know which side the discharge is on, you can park the trailer on a slant to facilitate more effective draining. Failing that, you might be better off to suction the tank out remotely or remove it completely and flush it with fittings removed. Then you know what you have and can trust that it's not contaminated. I wish they'd put the discharges on the bottom of the tank and mount it in the trailer pitched to the discharge. Then when it's empty....it's truly empty!
