Dewinterizing .....flushing the pink stuff out

[tvp]

To de-winterized and flush all supply lines of the pink antifreeze, do you need to add some bleach to sanitize the water lines and if so how much to add ......?

Thanks
TVP

[nothermark]

Yes, use some bleach:

https://www.cscinc.org/wp-content/re...ip%20Sheet.pdf

Using bleach will clean out the residual antifreeze as well as any contamination.

[rcrevolution]

Forgive me if I'm Hi-Jacking, but I need to do the same. Problem is that it's coooold outside and I can't leave it out there with water in it. The problem is that we're going on a 2 week trip in 2 weeks and we'll need water, shower, etc. on the way. We should be out of the freezing weather in a day.

My thought was to blow out the antifreeze and flush the system with bleach, then drain, blow out the lines and pour some antifreeze in the traps. I would do that the day before departure. When we get further south, I'd take on water.

Do you think this would work?

[Notayurt]

TVP:
Sanitizing your water system using household bleach:
Use 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of cool water. You may want to fill your entire onboard tank with this solution to assure complete sanitation. So, do the math based on your inboard tank capacity.
Run your water pump until the odor of bleach is evident from all potable water faucets. (If you have a poor sense of smell, the water will feel very slippery when the bleach has run through the system.)
Let the bleach/water solution stand for 2 hours or so. Some folks say 4 hours. More time won't hurt if you have the time.
Drain the system. Refill with fresh water. Run the inboard pump again to push water through all potable water faucets. Drain the system again, refill with fresh water, run the pump again pushing water through the faucets. Drain the system one last time. Refill with fresh water and head out on you adventures in the desert, boondocking on your inboard water in the knowledge that it is safe.
Disinfecting your water system using household bleach:
Use 1/4 (minimum) to 3/4 (maximum) cup of bleach to 1 gallon of cool water. Follow remaining directions as listed above.
If you have ice and water in your refrigerator, don't forget to run water through the refrigerator water line. You should replace any in-line water filters after sanitizing or disinfecting your water system. Good luck, and healthy water!

[Notayurt]

rcrevolution:
Yes, indeed. That will work.
Good luck, and good weather wishes in your southbound journeys!

[USMCRET]

I have never used bleach in the dewinterizing process. On average, I dewinterize three times each winter.

I open the low point drains to drain as much antifreeze as possible, then I put fresh water in the lines. I then sequentially open each spigot and shower until clear water flows. I cycle the ice maker about 4 times to get clear water there too.

I then put however much water in the tank I want and hit the road. No problems whatsoever.

[tnedator]

How do you get bleach in the fresh water tank without a gravity feed?

[tvp]

I use the winterization fill bypass system or you can use a hose and pour bleach solution in hose then hook up to supply
✅

[Ricci]

Hi - Unless the water system was contaminated prior to winterization or the antifreeze was contaminated there is no need to sanitize the system. Also the antifreeze is not toxic (it's in many items you eat on a daily basis) but for purposes of having clear water just run each tap until it runs clear.

Tom

[96kpmjmm]

You can add beach to your water filter canister, remove filter first.

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by Ricci

Hi - Unless the water system was contaminated prior to winterization or the antifreeze was contaminated there is no need to sanitize the system. Also the antifreeze is not toxic (it's in many items you eat on a daily basis) but for purposes of having clear water just run each tap until it runs clear.

Tom

Only if you do not believe in airborne pathogens and sterilize all the equipment used in adding the antifreeze.

That does not change the idea that the bleach does a good job of clearing out the antifreeze residual many folks complain about.

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by rcrevolution

Forgive me if I'm Hi-Jacking, but I need to do the same. Problem is that it's coooold outside and I can't leave it out there with water in it. The problem is that we're going on a 2 week trip in 2 weeks and we'll need water, shower, etc. on the way. We should be out of the freezing weather in a day.

My thought was to blow out the antifreeze and flush the system with bleach, then drain, blow out the lines and pour some antifreeze in the traps. I would do that the day before departure. When we get further south, I'd take on water.

Do you think this would work?

It would work but it seems like a lot of work. I'd just blow out the antifreeze as it simplifies clearing the system. Take some jug water to start with. At the first stop where I wanted to dewinterize I'd add water and bleach to get the system cleared, give it a soak and dump the fresh tank and refill with water. Run that through the taps to clear the bleach as I use the system. No need to fill the fresh tank as the chlorine will outgas and more or less gas the interior of the tank.

[vettenuts]

Originally Posted by rcrevolution

Forgive me if I'm Hi-Jacking, but I need to do the same. Problem is that it's coooold outside and I can't leave it out there with water in it. The problem is that we're going on a 2 week trip in 2 weeks and we'll need water, shower, etc. on the way. We should be out of the freezing weather in a day.

My thought was to blow out the antifreeze and flush the system with bleach, then drain, blow out the lines and pour some antifreeze in the traps. I would do that the day before departure. When we get further south, I'd take on water.

Do you think this would work?

Personally, I would blow out the antifreeze from the system into the traps and then once you reach safe temperatures introduce the sanitizing bleach/water mixture.

[Dav L]

I use some compressed air to blow out what's in the lines (regulated to 50psi). This gets rid of 99% of the antifreeze.

Then, sanitize the system since it's already prime to do that (carbon filters are bypassed etc) and I am in the mode.

Fill and dump several tanks of fresh water to get rid of most of the chlorine. Especially if I am not hooked up to waste water disposal. I don't mind dumping the lightly chlorine water on the gravel driveway.

Send the clean water through all of the fixtures.

Rehook up filters and bypasses and refill the hot water tank.

Run some clean water again. Especially on the hot side now that the hot water tank isn't bypassed.

Check that I have hot water and no leaks.

Enjoy.