Two Questions (Sanitize and Empty Tank)
Two general questions, which I am sure have been discussed if I took the time to search for the answers... 1) What is the easiest way to sanitize the freshwater tank? Bleach and water mixture is r...
Forum Discussion
The black tank part has been answered, but I'd add this about sanitizing the water:
While generally you are dealing with a mostly closed system, after a pretty short period (a day or less), any treated water can have whatever sanitizer in it degraded/used up (usually a very small amount of chlorine in a municipal system). Even a bottle of pure bleach loses it's ability to sanitize moderately quickly after opening. So, start off the season by sanitizing the entire system, just to get it as sanitary as you can.
Water in the system can get a bit funky after some time left standing. How long depends on the source, and the temperatures. If you are only using "city water" from campgrounds, just run the taps for a bit when you first hook up. If depending on your water tanks, drain them if they will be unused for a period of time (I do it after every trip). Note that the hot water heater stores a few gallons, and it can take a lot of flushing to cycle new water for old. I also drain mine, if I won't be using the camper within a week or so. This can be one major cause of the dreaded "sulphur smell" that occurs in hot water lines. Those bugs just love the toasty warm heater water.
The good news, if you are using "city water" either directly or from your tanks, there's nothing bacteria-wise that will make you sick. Worst is that it may smell or taste icky if it does grow something due to disuse. Well water/lake water from a "low overhead" country campground can more suspect, but even there, the "bad" things, like e. coli, don't grow well in the kinds of water systems used in RV's. So if you didn't get sick while camping, you won't afterwards.
While generally you are dealing with a mostly closed system, after a pretty short period (a day or less), any treated water can have whatever sanitizer in it degraded/used up (usually a very small amount of chlorine in a municipal system). Even a bottle of pure bleach loses it's ability to sanitize moderately quickly after opening. So, start off the season by sanitizing the entire system, just to get it as sanitary as you can.
Water in the system can get a bit funky after some time left standing. How long depends on the source, and the temperatures. If you are only using "city water" from campgrounds, just run the taps for a bit when you first hook up. If depending on your water tanks, drain them if they will be unused for a period of time (I do it after every trip). Note that the hot water heater stores a few gallons, and it can take a lot of flushing to cycle new water for old. I also drain mine, if I won't be using the camper within a week or so. This can be one major cause of the dreaded "sulphur smell" that occurs in hot water lines. Those bugs just love the toasty warm heater water.
The good news, if you are using "city water" either directly or from your tanks, there's nothing bacteria-wise that will make you sick. Worst is that it may smell or taste icky if it does grow something due to disuse. Well water/lake water from a "low overhead" country campground can more suspect, but even there, the "bad" things, like e. coli, don't grow well in the kinds of water systems used in RV's. So if you didn't get sick while camping, you won't afterwards.
