Fresh water in tank how long to keep it in there

[Rcnewell11]

Just checking to see what everybody thinks on how long to keep fresh water in tank or in lines between camping trips weeks or months interval .i didn't know if there is something to put in water or some maintence over time needs to be done for mold or algae starts having problem especially in warm weather

[KSCRUDE]

Put a half a cup of Clorox in the tank about every couple tanks and never drain. That what we do and we drink it also. It won't get that rotten egg smell that way. Most cities, if not all clorenate their water. And most people don't drain their pipes and hot water tank very often. They are always full of water. I am talking about your sick and brick now. I haven't drained the MHs pipes or hot water tank since we got it last August. I have drained the fresh tank about twice just for fun, and it was about empty anyway. Then filled it back up with a shot of Clorox and we were ready for the next trip.

[Doggy Daddy]

I keep water in my tank all the time in case of personal emergency or unplanned evacuation.
I drain and refill my water tank monthly. Longer than that, the water tends to get skanky like an old fish aquarium. I use a fiber filter for sand and minerals while filling the tanks, leaving chlorine alone. A carbon filter under the sink hooked up to the cold water line filters for odors.

[KSCRUDE]

I always fill through a carbon filter also. And I use nothing but soft water from our shop. Our rig has never been hooked to anything but our soft water. We can last about 5 days then we are low on water. Someday we may have to use other water if we go on a longer trip. Or get a longer hose!

[94-Newmar]

My rule of thumb is 7-10 days of storage or no usage. I don't drink the water from the tank.

[avid_dk]

Originally Posted by KSCRUDE

Put a half a cup of Clorox in the tank about every couple tanks and never drain.

What ratio or percent of Clorox are you using? Thanks!

[KSCRUDE]

I used to put a half cup in the 50 gallon Jayco fiver tank, and it was plenty strong. You could smell it in the kitchen when you ran the water. Now we have 81 gallon capacity in the Newmar MH including the 6 gallon HW tank. I still use just one half cup which it only four ounces. A little Clorox goes along way, but it keeps the whole water system sanitized. I usually just add Clorox every two or three tanks now. With four ounces it is hard to smell or taste, but the DW can still smell it a little. That's how they sanitize water wells. Dump Clorox down the well, or they have chlorine pellets that's you drop in the well. Most municipal water treatment plants inject chlorine and fluoride in so many PPM. And you never know its in there. A lot of cities get their water from lakes, and water wells. Our local water plant even softens the water down to about 10 grains hardness, which adds salt to the water content.

[jzick]

We are totally different than most. We always have a full fresh water tank. We leave Fl in the spring with a full tank. Most years I will sanitize the water system before we leave. We travel for six to seven months using the water as needed and refilling as needed - we do try to always use chlorinated water. During the winter we will use the water in the tank for weekend trips, day trips, and if we are working on the rv while it is in storage. Other than if I sanitize before our summer trip, the tank is never emptied.

We never worry about the water. We drink it, bathe in it, wash dishes with it and the dog drinks it. We have never had a problem and do not expect one.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by jzick

We are totally different than most. We always have a full fresh water tank. We leave Fl in the spring with a full tank. Most years I will sanitize the water system before we leave. We travel for six to seven months using the water as needed and refilling as needed - we do try to always use chlorinated water. During the winter we will use the water in the tank for weekend trips, day trips, and if we are working on the rv while it is in storage. Other than if I sanitize before our summer trip, the tank is never emptied.

We never worry about the water. We drink it, bathe in it, wash dishes with it and the dog drinks it. We have never had a problem and do not expect one.

X2!
For others; Chlorine is a very harmful chemical if improperly used, and if/when it breaks down the byproducts are even more harmful. For details, look up the EPA water quality standards- which every public water system in the U.S.A. must meet or exceed.

[jamesrxx951]

I guess it may depend on how much the RV is used but i just drain at the end of each trip. I will refill with fresh water before each trip. I will also run the new water through the new pipes just to clear any possible air or stagnent water. The tank on our motorhome is 100 gal plus i have 2, 6 gal hotwater heaters.

[GBS]

For sanitizing, the ratio is 1/4 cup of bleach to 15 gallons of water. This gives you 50 parts per million and should be left in the water system for at least 4 hours to do its job, then flushed. That level is NOT safe to drink.

As a reference, most swimming pools should be kept at less than 5 ppm, which is the max safe level. That is about 1-2 teaspoons for 15 gallons! In swimming pools you cannot smell chlorine if it is in the safe range. BUT, if it has combined with bacteria, dirt, etc. it produces chloramines which have a very strong chlorine smell. So if the pool smells like chlorine, it is probably dirty! Same with your water system - if you can smell it, it is not something you want to drink - it's either the chloramines or the way too strong chlorine.

In any event, having seen what my swimming pool does in hot weather in one day without chlorine, I wouldn't trust my on board water more than a week (max) in my RV. As a previous poster noted - use it up as fast as you can, and replace it. Don't store for extended periods. Sanitize your system before the start of any journey.

[oldbeek]

As CA licensed water dist. operator, here are the facts. Drinking water systems are chlorinated to 2 parts per million. Surface water from lakes rivers and canals after treated to drinking water standards will form THM,s in storage 4 to 7 days after contact with chlorine. THM,s (may) cause cancer and are formed from organic solids (fish poop) in surface water. Chlorinated well water can store for 30 days without forming THM,s.
That said, I drain my lines and water heater after every trip. BUT, I live in earthquake country and I store 100 gallons of 2ppm chlorinated well water in my fresh tank all the time and change it every 60 days or prior to a trip.

[Alto papa]

We do not keep any water in our fresh water tank or water heater between trips. During our trips we only drink bottled water or water that has been filtered through a Brita. When we wash dishes we always use nearly scalding hot water with some added Chlorox. The last thing we want to get is one of those gastrointestinal sicknesses.

[Pds47]

Drain and fill 1/3 fresh thru soft water unit in rig every trip. All ways like to have some water with us. Full house filter and sink filter drink from the tap.