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Mortdd's avatar
Mortdd
Explorer
Jul 14, 2015

Fresh water tank issues

I have a 2013 Coachmen Encounter, that has been plagues with may problems from day 1.

The latest is I finally have a need to sterilize the fresh water tank. BUT there is no way to put in a solution of Clorox and water. It appears to me that the manufacturer used the same type of connector for the fresh water tank as for the city water connection. Thus requiring pressure to put water in the tank. And also there is no vent to let out air when filling like there has been on my other RV's.

Any thoughts???

Thanks,

Mortdd
  • Do you have a Whole House water filter in your system? If so remove the filter and put the appropriate amount of Clorox in the housing re-install hook up cater hose, and set water valve to fill on board tank. Water will flow thru filter pick-up Clorox and send it into the tank. This is a whole lot easier then trying to pour Clorox into a hose. Besides you need to remove the filter anyway.
  • Mortdd wrote:
    I have a 2013 Coachmen Encounter, that has been plagues with may problems from day 1.

    The latest is I finally have a need to sterilize the fresh water tank. BUT there is no way to put in a solution of Clorox and water. It appears to me that the manufacturer used the same type of connector for the fresh water tank as for the city water connection. Thus requiring pressure to put water in the tank. And also there is no vent to let out air when filling like there has been on my other RV's.

    Any thoughts???

    Thanks,

    Mortdd

    You vents are the overflows and most have two.
    As for taking on chemicals and container water there are ways to produce suction, but the easy was, as said, is to just fill your empty water hose with bleach and hook it to the spigot. Even stringing it vertical up to the roof if necessary and attaching another hose to it.
  • another way is buy you a whole house filter assy and plumb it into the hose or your unit.
  • A few options exist.

    Pouring the bleach in the hose is the simplest and also helps sterilize the hose, always a decent idea. Wear old clothes; don't ask me how I know to suggest this. Full strength bleach is possibly hard on the hose and seals etc., but it doesn't stay in contact with them for long enough to be a worry (it gets quickly flushed out when you subsequently fill the tank).

    If you have a winterize suction line connection, you can set the valves for winterizing and open the fill valve and the pump will suck the bleach solution from a bucket or whatever via the winterize hose and put it into the tank. This can also be used to fill the tank from a portable container should the need come up.

    You can also use an external pump or siphon from sufficient elevation to provide enough pressure to get past the check valve in the water inlet.
  • I remove the filter cartridge from the housing and pour it in there. do you have a filter?
    bumpy
  • YES......
    As suggested just pour the bleach inside the hose then connect and fill tank

    And YES.......
    Tank has a vent otherwise water would not go in/come out. Just isn't noticeable cause vent doesn't terminate at gravity fill hatch.