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GaDawgFan · 07-25-2012, 11:11 AM

I am getting ready to leave for a weeks stay at the beach. I went to check out the motor home to make sure everything is working and found that I could not get any water moving through the water pump. The pump would run but it was if it would not prime. I took apart the intake housing and found the catch screen was so covered with a brown sludge like material that water would not flow into the pump. I took the screen into the house and cleaned it, reinstalled it and turned on the water pump. It immediately primed and work perfectly, but I could see that through the clear housing that there was more of the sludge like stuff collecting on the screen. Cleaned it again, turned it on and there is more building up (not as bad, but it is still there). I am in the process of adding clorox to my holding tank as recommended in the Winnebago owners manual and will let it sit for the after noon and then flush everything to night. Any others out there encountered anything like this? Any other suggestions?

rgvtexan · 07-25-2012, 11:17 AM

Not in the MH, but every spring I have to clean all the screens on my sprinkler system. During the time they are winterized they grow alge. I have had to throw away some soaker hoses, as they would not flush clean.

Midniteoyl · 07-25-2012, 12:41 PM

I have a rental with a shallow well that have this algae also. Pipes, tanks, etc. You might have filled from the same type of well system already contaminated and now its in your tank..

Bleaching works, but you need to reach ALL of the tank (top inside) and all the pipe and fixtures. Fill till it overflows, hen drive/shake the RV to agitate, then run some through the pipes till you smell he bleach and let sit. Overnight is best. Flush well.. it will come out black.

GaDawgFan · 07-25-2012, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl

I have a rental with a shallow well that have this algae also. Pipes, tanks, etc. You might have filled from the same type of well system already contaminated and now its in your tank..

Bleaching works, but you need to reach ALL of the tank (top inside) and all the pipe and fixtures. Fill till it overflows, hen drive/shake the RV to agitate, then run some through the pipes till you smell he bleach and let sit. Overnight is best. Flush well.. it will come out black.

I think you have nailed it. The last time I filled the tanks it was at the storage facility where I store the Motorhome. We noticed the water had a sulfer smell but did not think too much about it. The Motorhome has not been used in several months and what ever was in that tank of water has now had time to grow.

Got home this afternoon and rinsed out the Clorox solution. I have had to clean the pump filter screen 4 more times while flushing the lines, but the consistantcy of the stuff has turned from black to a light brown and is not as thick. I think I will add the Clorox again and let it sit overnight and then reflush tomorrow.

ChiefJohn · 07-26-2012, 05:53 AM

Had the same problem with a travel trailer we used to use infrequently and in addition to the chlorine flush, I added one of those black tank sprayers to the fresh water tank and flushed it after the chlorine treatment -- drains out your fresh water drain.