Getting Bleach into My Holding Tank?

[LeeB]

I do not have gravity fill for my fresh water tank and I now live in Tennessee. (Used to live in California) I have a feeling with the increased humidity and the fact we don't use our MH as much I need to clean my tank on a regular bases. But I need some ideas on how to get the bleach INTO the tank so I can drive it around and clean the tank.

I am also going to have to WINTERIZE (which will be a first for me. So on bended knee I ask for the insite and direction from the Experts here on iRV2..

Thanking you all in advance Lee

[LeeB]

I do not have gravity fill for my fresh water tank and I now live in Tennessee. (Used to live in California) I have a feeling with the increased humidity and the fact we don't use our MH as much I need to clean my tank on a regular bases. But I need some ideas on how to get the bleach INTO the tank so I can drive it around and clean the tank.

I am also going to have to WINTERIZE (which will be a first for me. So on bended knee I ask for the insite and direction from the Experts here on iRV2..

Thanking you all in advance Lee

[Dav5942]

No way am I going to put bleach into my tank! Have seen #2 turning white from people using bleach. But if you must you can do it by reversing your flow from the drain for winterizing.

[DAN L]

on a previous thread, someone used a device used to mix fertilizer, or something like that, from a garden supply store in the water fill hose to chlorinate the fresh water tank.
check find and search.

[BigRigRVing]

I hook a 25 ft white water hose to the hose that is on the reel on my coach, i pour bleach into that hose, then hook to the hose bib and fill my tank, let it sit over night, drain it and fill again and drain, and I am good to go. We are full timers and this works for us. This is the Direct TV or Dish Network, you are going to get all types of answers. Do not forget to take filters out prior!

[Lug_Nut]

LeeB, There are a couple of ways to get it into your tank, remove the filter element from the housing (if you have one)and put some beach solution into it, use the winterizing set-up or pour some solution into a hose before connecting to your coach inlet.
Either way, DO NOT use straight bleach, cut it into a solution. Straight bleach can damage internal seals etc.

Peter

[LeeB]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Lug_Nut:
LeeB, There are a couple of ways to get it into your tank, remove the filter element from the housing (if you have one)and put some beach solution into it, use the winterizing set-up or pour some solution into a hose before connecting to your coach inlet.
Either way, DO NOT use straight bleach, cut it into a solution. Straight bleach can damage internal seals etc.


Peter </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good point about straight bleach. I understand the pouring bleach into a hose (using a funnel I assume). I don't have a cannister type filter (so that won't work). But the using the winterizing set-up? Now that confuses me! From what I see the winterizing is a connection at the pump (with a clear hose (that I have never used BTW) if I use that won't that just put bleach in the lines and NOT the tank? I thought that was for pumping in "The Pink" stuff to winterize with.

I seem to remember years ago mt Dad having this device the he hooked up to a hose to spray the yard with. It had a pot on the bottom and he would fill it with solution and it would suck it out and spray the lawns with it. But I don't remember if you could hook a hose to it on the OUT GOING side. I think it was a Ortho product! Also don't they make a drill motor attachment Pump that has a hose barb on the out going side?

Thank you all so much for you ideas.....

[Dav5942]

The clear hose used for winterizing will suck water out of a container(when controls are reversed) directly to the tank(have done it many times when dry camping). We all got sick years ago when a "friend" was putting a teaspoon of bleach into their boat tank everyday and we were borrowing ice from them-wondered why the ice looked blue.

[RVDude]

Not that I would use bleach, but I had a couple links in my archives for the "injector" products mentioned above. But, you can find them at any garden supply.

Be exceedingly careful about concentration and total amount of chlorine added. The concentration to use is another RV religious issue so I won't mention any numbers. However, chlorine is extremely corrosive and will destroy plumbing parts. Make positively certain you remove all filters before and flush everything afterwards, hot/cold/every tap/ice maker/stool/everything completely. I might also assert that letting it sit for days or even overnight is not a really good idea either. But, to each his own.

www.growerssolution.com
or
www.dramm.com

PS: the sanitizer products in the store are less destructive to plumbing and equally effective in sanitizing. They also inertly break down after use.

[LeeB]

OK if Bleach is not to be used then what should I use? I like the Siphon Mixer that seems to be able to draw a solution into the tank. But what solution do I use?...

[Jim_L]

My 2008 Newmar owners manual describes sanitizing the fresh water tank and system by preparing a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach for every 15 gallons of tank capacity. (A 60 gallon tank would require 4 gallons of solution followed by completely filling the tank with water). Bleach is acceptable and recommended, but should be at a concentration not higher than 50 parts per million.

As Dav5942 mentioned, reverse the controls and suction the solution into your fresh water tank, fill it with water and then open all faucets and pump the solution through the system. Let it stand for at least 4 hours. No need to drive it around if completely filled.

Then drain the system and flush several times with fresh water until the chlorine taste or smell is gone.

It is best to bypass the filter if you had one and also the water heater in a similar manner as you would for winterizing.

It is recommended that the disinfecting be done on a new system, one that has not been used for a length of time or one that may have become contaminated. It is also recommended before long periods of storage such as for the winter months.

The only time I have had any problems was when I failed to bypass the water heater and found that it took forever to get the soltuion cleared from the tank. Good luck

[RVDude]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim_L:
Bleach is acceptable and recommended, **BUT** should be at a concentration not higher than 50 parts per million. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

And yes folks, THAT is the exact answer. Problem is, not to make generalities or offend folks, there are folks who tend not to be as careful in measuring and just slap a bunch of un-diluted bleach in the system which is why I tend to suggest chlorine alternative sanitizing products at the camp store. IF you follow that chlorine concentration all is very good. BTW: FRESH bleach is also a beneficial aspect.

If you want to make sure, go to pet/fish store and buy a chlorine test strip kit where you can measure your concentration levels in ppm directly.

Don't forget the ice maker AND ice water flushing and the under sink filter (and internal refer filter) if you have any of those.