Community Forums

Daylake · 07-27-2010, 06:58 AM

Hi all,
when we took our first trip, we noticed that the fresh water has a taste like plastic probably from either the tank or the pipes as they are new. Has anyone else noticed this?? If so, were you able to do anything about it? We usually drink bottled water when on the road, but making coffee etc, we tried to use the water from the fresh water tank, very yucky tasting. We did drain our tanks after getting the motorhome and replaced the water right before our trip.

Thanks to all that can respond

DriVer · 07-27-2010, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobnshirlene

.. We usually drink bottled water when on the road, but making coffee etc, we tried to use the water from the fresh water tank, very yucky tasting. We did drain our tanks after getting the motorhome and replaced the water right before our trip.

I had not ever considered considering the fresh water in tanks as being potable for table use. I might venture brushing my teeth but even then, I am reluctant.... Stay the course with bottled water. I do try to disinfect my tank periodically using a commercial product and I'm late doing that.

RickO · 07-27-2010, 08:05 AM

Wow... no kidding Driver? We've always used bottle water for drinking but coffee water is drawn from the filtered faucet in the kitchen sink. Is your concern from how difficult it is to keep the tank and pipes sterile?

DriVer · 07-27-2010, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

.. Is your concern from how difficult it is to keep the tank and pipes sterile?

RickO, Depending on how frequently you can turn over the water in your tank, I would be concerned about infrequent use. Some folks just don't have any choice for example, the snowbirds in the SW desert in winter!

If you are a fulltimer and turn over the water frequently and disinfect the tank periodically you might be OK. A while back our founder Bill Rowell cut a hole in the top of his fresh water tank and found several dark blotches on the bottom of the tank. Since then I had not considered using the tank water for potable use. The reason for the hole in the tank is that Bill was evaluating a product that he wanted to carry for RVUpgrades.com that would facilitate a hard cleaning of the tank rather than depending an a chemical.

I have a large sink filter setup on my Adventurer and the original filter is still in the box under the sink where it was when I took delivery of the rig.

Daylake · 07-30-2010, 06:20 AM

Thanks DriVer, that is good info. The taste alone will make us shy away from using the water for drinking and cooking. I see that you mentioned sanitizing the tank I checked our motorhome manual and it does give a lengthy process for sanitizing.

DriVer · 07-30-2010, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobnshirlene

Thanks DriVer, that is good info. The taste alone will make us shy away from using the water for drinking and cooking. I see that you mentioned sanitizing the tank I checked our motorhome manual and it does give a lengthy process for sanitizing.

bobnshirlene, This will not absolve you from using a robust in-line external filter. When you shower for instance you need to make sure that the water is as clean as possible.

You will indeed over time have a need to ship water into your tank and the stored water also needs to go through the external filter as well. Although I have a external gravity fill, I don't use it. I have a valve that I can twist and set for tank fill from a shore connection.

Once upon a time .... I was drawing water from a "Resort" campground when all of a sudden I had zero pressure while connected to the shore hookup. What I found is that they had some kind of water main problem outside of the park and my in-line filter trapped a ton of powdery rust.

That's why you need to use an external filter.

When I go to RV Shows and the facility has potable water but no hookups, I will bring a number of 7 gallon containers, fill those and use my winterizing valve to draw the water from the containers and ultimately fill the fresh water tank. This would be the only instance where I don't use the inline filter. I do 21 gallons at a time and make 4 trips. I have a 100 gallon tank.

Daylake · 07-30-2010, 01:01 PM

Thanks for your help, our motorhome does have an inline external filter. We also plan to dump any water that has been sitting in the fresh water tank and refill with fresh before each trip. Our tank is not nearly as big as yours.