Sanitize fresh water tank

[Enrique54]

Will like to sanitize my fresh water tank on my 2012 Coachmen Concord as per instructions in the manual. Manual states to prepare a solution of 1/4 cup of bleach to a gallon of water and pour 1 gallon of water into tank for every 15 gallons. This is fine and dandy, however my Rv fresh water tank spout cannot be gravity fed because it is the same as the city water connection one and has some sorta check valve that won't let me just pour it in like some others I've seen. Is there a kit I can buy to force the solution into the water tank? Thanks for tips.

[PopBeavers]

tenbear wrote:
Even though I can pour the bleach and water mixture into the tank I sanitize my water hoses, all 3 of them, so I don't introduce any bugs when using campground water running thru my hoses.

I do the same each Spring. I have 5 hoses for a total of 175 feet.

Yes, sometimes I do use all of them.

[maillemaker]

We've got an ancient RV (25 years old) and I sanitized the system when we bought it about 7 years ago. The vent hose was a clear plastic line from the tank to the air escape on the fill-up hatch. That clear plastic line was green as it was fully of mold/algae. I took a small bristle brush and ran it through the hose (after removing it) and that did the trick to clean it out.

But even after sanitizing, we only drink bottled water in the RV. We only use the on-board water for showers, toilet, and dish washing.

Well, I've probably rinsed my tooth brush with it a time or two. 🙂

Steve

[PSW]

tenbear: ditto. I do the same thing.

Ron is right that bleach is a little hard on rubber, but I really don't think it probably has a probability of damage to the seals because they are mostly not really rubber but other materials. In all the years I have done this it never has been a problem.

After I dump and drain all the bleach water, I hook up the hose, fill up the tanks and completely flush out 95% of that "bleachy" smell. If it ain't out and my wife sniffs it in the shower......well, let's just say it isn't a pleasant day. I make sure also that the hot water tank is completely sanitized in the process and completely cleansed of bleach. I overkill, to be sure, but I feel better about it.

When you pull into WhoKnowsWhere and hook up to the water, what assurance to you really have of the safety of the water? Commercial campgrounds seem to me to be especially problematic. I have no idea if there has been backflow from someone's hose into their system.

That is why we spend about a buck a day on bottled water. The cost is equivalent to a quart and a half of gasoline.

Paul

[ron_dittmer]

tenbear wrote:
...I sanitize my water hoses, all 3 of them...

Very good point about sanitizing your fresh water hoses too. Who knows what grows in them.

Thanks!

[tenbear]

Even though I can pour the bleach and water mixture into the tank I sanitize my water hoses, all 3 of them, so I don't introduce any bugs when using campground water running thru my hoses.

[ron_dittmer]

PSW,

I add about a 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of bleach into our 41 gallon fresh water tank and then fill with fresh water. It is a very strong mixture. I then run it through the system including all faucets, the hot water tank, & accumulator, then top off the fresh tank again and let sit in the entire system for an hour or two, not longer because I heard the bleach is hard on the waste tank valves and some faucet seals, basically anything rubber. After a complete drain and refill twice & such, we are good for the season. The water smells like a swimming pool for not more than a week. We'll use it for cooking and drinking after the smell is greatly reduced by boiling for a while, but generally avoid drinking cold only for the peace of mind.

I sterilize the fresh water plumbing at the beginning of the season and only the waste tanks at the end of the season to avoid sewer gas in our garage. I don't know if what I do is good or bad but it's worked well for us for 8 years so far.

[PSW]

Everyone has their own way of doing this. Me? I use about twice as much bleach as is normally talked about and I leave it in the lines, tank, everything for 24 hours when time allows. Then, I flush it really well. I just figure I want to kill everything possibly in there. I have done this for thirty years and never had a problem.

However, we are also one of those that just buy cheap bottled water by the gallon for coffee, tea, cooking and drinking. We most often boondock and often fill our tanks with hand pumped water in some remote national forest site. For 80-90 cents a gallon at the grocery, why take a chance?

[DrewE]

Enrique54 wrote:
Thanks. Will try pouring the bleach into the hose - that seems to be straight forward.

I suggest that you wear old clothes when you do this.

Don't ask me how I know that. :B

[Enrique54]

Thanks. Will try pouring the bleach into the hose - that seems to be straight forward.

[Bobbo]

Jim Shoe wrote:
OR,
I fill the fresh water tank about half full with a white hose. But I only use the water from it for the outside of me. I buy gallon jugs of distilled water for coffee, cooking and soaking my teeth :). Its cheap and not nearly as much trouble.

But you STILL should sanitize the fresh water system. Even if you don't drink the water, you don't want algae/mold growing in there.

Do you?

[Jim_Shoe]

OR,
I fill the fresh water tank about half full with a white hose. But I only use the water from it for the outside of me. I buy gallon jugs of distilled water for coffee, cooking and soaking my teeth :). Its cheap and not nearly as much trouble.

[Dick_B]

Pour the bleach into the hose and connect it up as usual. Fill the FW Tank, run it thru the lines and let it set for at least three hours. That is what I do.

[GENECOP]

Just fill your hose with bleach, pour it in, vinegar both, and hook it up...