How to sanitize new RV water system

[CabinetmakerII]

While dumping tanks the other day I was looking at the "Water Control Panel" and got to wondering how to sanitize the fresh water holding tank. All of our previous RV's had a gravity feed fill port for putting water into the fresh water tank. When sanitizing the system I would simply pour a measured amount of bleach into said port and fill the tank. Run the water pump to get the bleached water into the system and let it sit overnight. Then drain and flush the system the next day. Now to the issue at hand. On this new coach, the "Tank Fill" is controlled by a valve. Simply turn the the City water valve to the Tank Fill position and the tank fills... How then do I introduce bleach into the system? Is there a siphon type connection available to put onto the bleach and the water flow takes it to the tank? Any advice would be appreciated!

Allan

[mfinnerty]

I'm with Bumpy, tried the hose method and it was cumbersome to get the bleach in the hose and keep it there while connecting it to the RV. The filter method is so much easier.

[RobWNY]

CabinetmakerII wrote:
OMG! How simple is that! Thank you for such a simple solution! Who feels stupid now?

Don't feel stupid. That's my job! I do my job diligently every month 🙂

[TechWriter]

Sjm9911 wrote:
Addtionally they sell a hand pump you can attach to the city water port. I use the pump winterizing suction as i have no gravity fill on my TT. But i did buy the hand pump. Took me a while to figure out out to use the pump for the antifreeze, bleach.

I bought an extra 12V water pump and use that to pump beach/water solution in a 5 gallon bucket right through water hose. Easy peasy.

[Sjm9911]

Addtionally they sell a hand pump you can attach to the city water port. I use the pump winterizing suction as i have no gravity fill on my TT. But i did buy the hand pump. Took me a while to figure out out to use the pump for the antifreeze, bleach.

[DrewE]

The easiest way is probably to introduce the bleach into the hose, as others have said. That's what I do (and I have a similar setup).

If you have a winterizing suction setup, you could also use that to suck a bleach solution from a container and into the tank. You can similarly use it to suck in potable water, for that matter. Just set the valves to "winterize" and "fill" at the same time.

I think one of the main reasons why some RVs don't have a gravity fill port is that the fresh water tank is located higher off the ground than is convenient for a fill or hose connection. That's the case for my motorhome; the tank is contained in the bed base, and its top is maybe five feet above the ground. If there was a gravity fill port, it would have to be above many people's heads.

[Bumpyroad]

when I was using filters that took cartridges, I just took a cartridge out, poured a bunch of bleach in and ran the water in thru the system.
bumpy

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Use genuine not artificial vanilla one cup per 50 gallons overnight to deodorize. It's magic 🙂

[CabinetmakerII]

TenOC wrote:
My 5th wheel has a freshwater tank overflow/vent near the back of the 5th wheel is covered with a small white square piece of plastic about the size of one's hand. To remove pull up sharply and you have a gravity fill place.

Check out the photo on this posting

There is no such fitting on my RV... the tanks vent is a small hose (3/8"?) that has a tight mesh screen over it to keep the bugs out.

[TenOC]

My 5th wheel has a freshwater tank overflow/vent near the back of the 5th wheel is covered with a small white square piece of plastic about the size of one's hand. To remove pull up sharply and you have a gravity fill place.

Check out the photo on this posting

[CabinetmakerII]

OMG! How simple is that! Thank you for such a simple solution! Who feels stupid now?

[Rangerider]

Same here. Put the bleach in the hose.

[RobWNY]

How I do it is, I unhook my hose from the spigot, pour about a cup of bleach into the hose using a small funnel and then reattach the hose and turn the water on. I fill my fresh water tank and then proceed just as you do. Draw water through the system with the pump, let it sit about 24 hours and then drain everything out.