Newby 5th wheel owner having antifreeze issues

[magictom]

We bought a 40' 5th wheel this past spring. We've hooked up water, electric, etc., and have been using it in the backyard, but we are not able to get rid of the antifreeze taste & smell in the water. We have run, and run, and run the water from both sinks & the shower thinking it would flush out. Now it seems that the cold water has gotten better, but the hot water, not so much.
The water hose going into the trailer is on most of the time.
I ran the hot water until there wasn't any hot water left.
I added some water (not filled) to my water holding tank and ran the faucets (with the exterior water off) using the water pump.
Is this an issue with the water heater? Is there something I can empty?
Please help as we're going to have to shower...eventually.

[Onespeed405]

I have used these procedures successfully for 15 years. Sorry for the length.
Some locations and details will be different. Hope this helps. I hope I didn't leave anything out.

Trailer Winterizing Procedure
1. Empty fresh water tank. Valve is near back driver’s side tire underneath the trailer. Leave valve open all winter.
2. Remove access panel inside cargo area giving access to back of hot water heater.
3. Turn winter bypass valve on hot water heater to bypass setting. Yellow lever switch at back of water heater.
4. Empty hot water heater. Remove white screw in plug on outside bottom on heater and open pressure relief valve at top of water heater.
5. Turn water pump intake valve to external setting.
6. Pour 4 gallons of pink antifreeze into a clean bucket.
7. Place water intake hose in bucket.
8. At EACH tap, run water until pink antifreeze comes through.
HOT & COLD
1. Kitchen taps
2. Bathroom sink taps
3. Bathroom Toilet
4. Shower taps
5. Laundry room taps (bottom right hand cabinet at foot of bed, right of closet mirror doors)
6. Pour some antifreeze into each trap.
7. Outside taps (in cargo area adjacent to hot water heater)


Spring Sanitizing & Startup

For Citation 31CKDS (1 ½ cups bleach for 232 Litre tank)

Then (3 cups backing soda for 232 Litre tank)


¼ cup of plain bleach (not scented bleach) per 15 gallons water


- Flush all lines with fresh water first
- Mix required bleach in with about a gallon of water
- Then pour into holding tank
- Then fill up holding tank
- Ideally, take trailer for a drive to slosh tank around
- Open winter bypass to hot water tank so solution fills hot water tank as well
- Turn on water pump
- Open all taps to run solution into pipes, don’t forget hot water tank, outside shower and toilet lines, run about 1 litre of water out of each tap
- Let sit for several hours
- Drain system and hot water tank.
- Fill system with fresh water
- Flush system again
- Mix ½ cup backing soda with a gallon of water (per 15 gallons of holding tank capacity) (mix and dissolve well)
- Pour into holding tank
- Fill holding tank
- Run about one litre of water out of each tap again don’t forget hot water tank, outside shower and toilet lines
- Let sit for a few days
- Empty system
- Fill and flush several times

[sayoung]

rhagfo wrote:
Not good and my DH could taste in the old fiver for weeks. I now only use it in the P traps, I blow out the fresh water lines and don't put any thing back in them.

That's what we do and drain low point valves after blowing out.adapter at wallyworld camping department only couple of bucks

[john_bet]

I have also heard that adding baking soda to fresh tank and running it thru the lines will help. I do not know the proportion of baking soda to water,sorry.

[eubank]

Funky water taste can also result from use of a standard garden hose rather than one of the white potable-water hose, especially if the garden hose is older.
Lynn

[djousma]

years ago, my rv store sold wintergreen RV antifreeze. It had a wintergreen fragrance to it. I always winterize via pump inlet, and WH in bypass mode. that next spring, I couldnt get that taste/smell out of the pipes. I bleached and let it sit, I used vinegar, and let it sit, and ran the water forever. Took that entire season to get that out of my pipes. I will never buy a "flavored" RV antifreeze again....

[htowners]

greende wrote:
As I've posted here before, I really cannot stand the taste or smell of the RV antifreeze. I now blow out all my lines and vacuum the traps with a wet vac. Sounds like the person that winterized it either put a bunch in the tank or the WH.

You want something in the traps, to prevent any grey tank odor from infiltrating. Pink stuff, or cheap vodka works well.
Also as someone mentioned, put the H/W heater on bypass, remove the drain, or anode and you can even get an old piece of water hose, cut the end off and flush the tank.
Also good opportunity to sanitize the f/w loop by adding 1/2 cup of bleach to your f/w tank and fill. Turn on your pump to circulate the mix and let it sit for a day or so. Then empty the f/w tank, rinse, several times, and flush. Wash rinse and repeat 😉

[ford_truck_guy]

It does sound like you now have a winterized fresh water tank and hot water heater.... Time and plenty of water.... Lots of water... Pull the drain out of the H/W heater and flush a ton....

[Cummins12V98]

Just another good reason to blow out all lines and traps then add antifreeze to only the p traps so odors don't come up into the RV.

[robsouth]

magictom wrote:
Please help as we're going to have to shower...eventually.

You can shower at any time. The RV antifreeze is non toxic and will not hurt anything to shower with it in the lines. I've heard you can even drink it, but I ain't going to.

[greende]

As I've posted here before, I really cannot stand the taste or smell of the RV antifreeze. I now blow out all my lines and vacuum the traps with a wet vac. Sounds like the person that winterized it either put a bunch in the tank or the WH.

[Cummins12V98]

korbe wrote:
What does the antifreeze smell and taste like?

Chicken

[poncho62]

Bottled water when in the trailer...thats what we do......

[Oklahoma_Dan]

It sure sounds like the person who did the last winterization messed you up. If I may make a suggestion: We don't drink water out of our RV holding tank. Yeccch! Fresh water from the campground may not be all that taste worthy anyway. We only wash and shower with it. Drinking water we use comes from the 1 liter filtered or spring water you can pick up in most supermarkets on the road or Walmart for one dollar. Depending on where you travel some of the local water coming out of a pipe is just not that great to bath in. For sure though that pink antifreeze is not meant to go into the holding tank or water heater. I feel your pain.

[therink]

Did you open the low point drains under the camper and flush the lines out?