We have a new 2016 Thor ACE 30.1 and I'd like to sanitize the fresh water system. All the sources say something like "mix one cup bleach with a gallon of water and pour into fresh water tank." That sounds straightforward enough, but I was (at least) two issues. 1. The filler for the fresh water tank is high up, presumably so water doesn't flow back out! I can get a funnel, but I'm not sure I can safely pour a gallon of bleach water above my head. I'm thinking it would be good to be able to attach the flexible filler I put on my potable water hose to a gallon container to pour it in. Does such a container exist? 2. That leaves the part of the system from the (separate, in fact on the other side of the rig) city water inlet to where the streams join untreated. If I had a container with a hose bib that I could put the flexible filler on, I could also put a short length of hose on it a run some sanitizing solution in through there. Or is there a simple answer I'm missing? The simple answer we applied when in the past with an old old Santara Class C was to regard what came out of the tap as wash water only and carry many bottles of drinking water. I'd rather not continue that.

Congratulations on your new coach. When I bleach our campers water system in the spring I take a bottle that buy water in, pour the bleach in it with a funnel, then I can easily reach up and pour that in. I don't use more than a cup for our 33 gallon tank.

Aside from issues reaching it, that is WAY WAY too much bleach. You will NEVER get the bleach out of that system if you use the ratio you gave.The correct ratio is 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gallons of water your system holds.

1/4 cup for every 15 gallons is plenty. As long as you can smell it coming out of the tap it's enough.An ounce or two of Hydrogen Peroxide will neutralize the bleach in the tank and lines and is safe.

I just make sure my hose is empty, and pour the bleach in the hose and then attach it to the rv.

coolmom42 wrote:Aside from issues reaching it, that is WAY WAY too much bleach. You will NEVER get the bleach out of that system if you use the ratio you gave.The correct ratio is 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gallons of water your system holds.Yeah. A 1/4 cup of bleach per 15 gallons, diluted in a gallon of water. That's what I was talking about. Not a cup per gallon.

Sanitizing fresh water system | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Oct 31, 2016
If you are hooked up to city water (not a private well), and it is treated at a water treatment facility before reaching you, then it already has chlorine in it. Just fill your fresh water tank and run some through the line. It will self-sanatize.

Now... if your water system is a private well that does not contain chlorine? Well, then you need to add the chlorine yourself. Use a funnel and pour in one cup of bleach at a time into your fresh water tank. Then add water via a garden hose. Otherwise, city water is already treated. It will sanatize your camper. Nothing more to do.
k6ncx
Explorer
Oct 31, 2016
coolmom42 wrote:
Aside from issues reaching it, that is WAY WAY too much bleach. You will NEVER get the bleach out of that system if you use the ratio you gave.

The correct ratio is 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gallons of water your system holds.

Yeah. A 1/4 cup of bleach per 15 gallons, diluted in a gallon of water. That's what I was talking about. Not a cup per gallon.
lj2654
Explorer
Oct 31, 2016
I just make sure my hose is empty, and pour the bleach in the hose and then attach it to the rv.
ScottG
Nomad
Oct 31, 2016
1/4 cup for every 15 gallons is plenty. As long as you can smell it coming out of the tap it's enough.
An ounce or two of Hydrogen Peroxide will neutralize the bleach in the tank and lines and is safe.
coolmom42
Explorer II
Oct 31, 2016
Aside from issues reaching it, that is WAY WAY too much bleach. You will NEVER get the bleach out of that system if you use the ratio you gave.

The correct ratio is 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gallons of water your system holds.
Mote
Explorer
Oct 31, 2016
Congratulations on your new coach.
When I bleach our campers water system in the spring I take a bottle that buy water in, pour the bleach in it with a funnel, then I can easily reach up and pour that in. I don't use more than a cup for our 33 gallon tank.

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Sanitizing fresh water system

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