Smell from fresh water tanks

[GraciesMom]

OK - every rig I've seen has an exterior water fill port on the same side as the water tank. That's where I always dropped a couple of the blue cleaning tablets that you buy at Camping World . . . just follow the directions. Putting one of those in your hose and letting it go in shouldn't hurt the pump or anything else if you don't have an exterior fill port. It's a mild solution - not sure what it is - but it'll go in solid and melt in the water. . . . follow the rinsing directions from there and it should eliminate any odors.

[Paul R. Haller]

I used to work with a guy that never used chlorine to wash tanks, lines, etc. He preferred Vodka. He would poor in a bottle of Vodka into a partially full tank of water then use as usual. No problem with his tanks, water pumps, or anything.
-Paul R. Haller-

[EngineerMike]

If you have canister water filters you should be changing the filter media if you have smelly water. These can get anaerobic bacteria forming that can spread thru the system (rotten egg smell). Empty tank & filter canister, & before installing new media, pour your detox solution into the canister & screw it back on, then fill the tank (thru the filter if you have diverter valving which some do). Treat as described above, then pop in new filter media.

[wa8yxm]

There are basically 3 ways to get it into the tank

1: If you have a gravity feed (Most, but not all, do) use it

2: I hooked up the hoses, and ran about 40 gallons into my 80 gallon tank, then unhooked the ends of the hose and blew them out with an air compressor (like winterizing but on the hose) hooked back up to the motor home, poured in the proper amount of bleach (5/4 cup, yes I know that's bad form of stating it) and hooked back up to the spigot and ran the next 40 gallons in, Thus not only cleaning the tank, but blasting anything that took refuge in the hose

DO NOT HAVE FLITERS IN LINE WHEN YOU DO THIS

Remove the cartridge if it's an installed filter.. Replace when finished

Almost forgot method 3a/b

3a: If you use a hand pump to winterize, you can mix up a bucket of about five gallons of water, and the proper amount of bleach, about half way through filling the tank, unhook the hose (Turn water off first) hook up the winterizing pump and pump away,, When done rinse the pump out well (Rinse the bucket at least 3 times and then pump at least 3 gallons out on the ground with the pump)

3b: If you have a "Winterization kit" where the house water pump can be used to suck pink-stuff into the lines and tank... See 3A but use it instead, don't forget to rinse well.

[SkyDriving]

Add cheap vodka to the hose before connecting it. No need to flush. Likely you don't drink it anyway. This works for winterizing the water system as well.

[Milford 47]

Pre filters and cannister filters need to be exchanged approximately every 90 days and more often if you have been connected to suspect water

Never reuse them and never go over 6 months or so. Of course the water quality in use is the variable

I use 3% peroxide at 1 ounce per 20 gallons and just pour it into the tank when the tank if full

As far as the filter I remove it to replace and clean the housing with my bleach sprayer I use for the hose bibs and then pour an ounce of peroxide in the bottom then install the new filter

A charcoal or activated carbon filter can become a breeding ground under certain situations and changing from chlorinated water to non chlorinated can be a problem

Luckily most water is good but anyone around for a few years knows there is some not so great

[DFord]

One thing to remember about bleach (chlorine) is that it's a gas. It mixes readily with water but likes to gas out. Buy a fresh bottle of bleach to sanitize your tanks. If you remove the cap from a bottle of bleach and look down in it, if it looks clear instead of having a yellow tint to it, the chlorine is gone and all that's left is the water. It can gas out even from an unsealed container.
The proper amount to use in the fresh water tank if you're not going to flush is 1 TBS per 30 gallons. It's very powerful stuff and should be respected.

[hattitude]

Originally Posted by John Mo

Vinegar is good for neutralizing chlorine smell too.

Originally Posted by melvonnar

I knew baking soda was good but I didn't know vinegar was good; I just learned something.

Um, I wouldn't mix bleach and Vinegar... just saying..

[TSM]

It’s time to de winterize, once the system is drained I will put 30 gallons fresh water in the coach, making sure I fill the WH.

I will open each faucet to pump the antifreeze to through the system and drain the WH.

Filling a vey clean 5 gallon bucket I will add 1/4 cup of chlorine beach to the bucket of water pumping the contents into the fresh water system.

Will connect a water hose and add another 10 gallons of water. Turn on the pump until I smell chlorine at each, faucet, shower and toilet. Will let the chlorine stay in the system for 6 hours.

Drain everything including the WH, adding another 30 gallons and pump through the system, then drain everything again. Refill to full if heading out. But only 10 gallons if going back into storage.

Overkill maybe but have never had a odor problem.

[winniman]

Seeing how this is an eleven year old thread, Im going to guess they figured it out. lol

[SkyDriving]

It's a timeless topic and I wanted to encourage people to use the cheap vodka option for winter shutdown. Those people are more chatty campers in the spring.