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Old 10-02-2010, 06:40 PM   #1
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How to put sanitizer in fresh tank

This is my first adventure with a wonderful 05 Alpine 40 FDTS. I had only had TT experience. On all our TT's, to pour bleach or hydrogen peroxide into the tank all I needed to do was pull out fill "spout" and pour it in then add water. No such thing on the Alpine. Can I just take a short length of garden hose, hook it up and turn the selector valve to "fill tank" and pour the sanitizer in using a funnel?
Thanks, Mike
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Old 10-02-2010, 06:49 PM   #2
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Hi Mike,

Yep, I think you can do as you describe so long as you properly dilute the "bleach" you're putting in so as to not damage anything along the way. I prefer removing my charcoal filter insert in my plumbing bay and putting the solution in there and then filling the tank from the water supply. Once I've sanitized and flushed I reinstall the filter element.

Rick
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Old 10-02-2010, 07:47 PM   #3
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We never use bleach because you have to flush the tank before drinking. We put 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of granulated chlorine granules in the hose end just before connecting to the faucet and filling the tank. If you only use a small amount for a full tank fill it can barely be detected and it does kill the bad stuff just like chlorine in a swimming pool or municipal water. Happy travels, Joe
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Old 10-02-2010, 08:02 PM   #4
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Wrinklemeist,
My water system has a check valve on the inlet, IIRC this is a standard feature on the Alpines. What I do is connect the waterhose to the tank inlet, pour about a cup of bleach into the other end of the waterhose, connect that end of the hose to the faucet, then turn on the water. I usually fill to about 1/2 tank, drive around a bit so as to get the water all around the inside of the tank, let it sit for a few hours, then drain. Rince and drain, then fill 'er up.
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Old 10-02-2010, 08:15 PM   #5
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We never use bleach because you have to flush the tank before drinking. We put 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of granulated chlorine granules in the hose end just before connecting to the faucet and filling the tank. If you only use a small amount for a full tank fill it can barely be detected and it does kill the bad stuff just like chlorine in a swimming pool or municipal water. Happy travels, Joe
Hey Joe... I like the idea. But, like a swimming pool, do you ever test for a constant chlorine level or any level of chlorine at all? Do you do this every time you fill the tank? My swimming pool required occasional "shock" treatments... do you ever do that type of thing?

Thanks,

Rick
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Old 10-02-2010, 08:37 PM   #6
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Hey Joe... I like the idea. But, like a swimming pool, do you ever test for a constant chlorine level or any level of chlorine at all? Do you do this every time you fill the tank? My swimming pool required occasional "shock" treatments... do you ever do that type of thing?

Thanks,

Rick
We only add the chlorine when the tank is near empty and then we fill it. Then we use the full tank up instead of keeping the hose connected at the campground. I got this tip from a person who was in the pool business for 30 years. More than a teaspoon full wouldn't hurt, but then you will taste it. We use the small amount for a 90 gallon tank. We never measure the chlorine level because we usually use up a tank full or more on each extended weekend outing. DW still works so long weekends are the norm. We never leave a tank of water just sitting there for weeks on end. That is why we fill the tank and then use it up rather than staying connected to campground water. We feel that the water is always fresh and clean this way. Just our method...we know there are others.
Happy travels, Joe
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Old 10-02-2010, 08:53 PM   #7
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Thanks Joe... we full time but I think I might steal some variation of this from you. Seems to make a lot of sense.

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Old 10-04-2010, 06:34 PM   #8
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Joe,

Where do you get the granulated chlorine ?

Jeff
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Old 10-04-2010, 06:56 PM   #9
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Joe,

Where do you get the granulated chlorine ?

Jeff
Almost any hardware store, a pool store for sure or Walmart. The one I like best is the "fast dissolving spa chlorine" but you might have trouble finding it unless you go to a pool/spa store. The regular granulated chlorine is fine too.

Happy Travels, Joe
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Old 10-07-2010, 12:46 AM   #10
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All, our fresh water tank is 105 gallons total capacity, although WRV labeled it as 100 I believe. The ratio for chlorine bleach to fresh water to sanitize a system is 1/4 cup per 15 gallons of total fresh water tank capacity. That being said, the amount of bleach to add would be 1.75 cups of bleach. Which is a tad high, but better safe than sorry.

For us APEX owners it's (or could be just me) complicated, but what I do is take a external water filter unit, remove the filter, mix the bleach and fresh water in a clean gallon jug, pour that mixture into the filter housing, hook that inline to my fresh water hose and a supply from the house to the filter unit. I turn on the water and let it fill the tank for 2 minutes, then take the top from the filter unit, pour out what there, and refill with the mixture and repeat the fill process. When all that chlorine/water is in the tank, I then fill the tank full. Once that is done, I then turn on the pump and distribute this blended mixture throughout the fresh water system, turn on the washer (selector is hot/cold so both lines get it), open the shower valve (again using hot/cold), bathroom sink, outside shower, kitchen and the toilet. I do them one at a time, making sure I smell chlorine in both the hot and cold side of each position. Once it in the system, I leave it in for 4-6 hours. Then I drain the tank, and run the pump to purge the mixture from the system. I then refill the tank with fresh water and flush that through the system again. Then I take ½ cup baking soda and mix it with water in that same clean gallon jug, and using the water filter housing, I get that into the tank. I fill the tank and leave that in the system, using that water once we are camping, as it removes the chlorine taste, and sweetens the plumbing system. I try to do the drain process so the water at least goes over some plants and scrubs so it’s not wasted.

I have not had Montezuma’s revenge ever since I used this process, and that has been 20 years. The experts say to sanitize the system after 30 days of non use, but you can drain out the water tank, and refill it with fresh city water within that period and run that through the system and it will keep it safe to use. Chlorine has a half life of 6 months, so if the brand you use is older than 6 months, my suggestion is to use it in the washer and purchase a fresh bottle of non-scented bleach for sanitizing the system. Water heaters can develop a sulfur smell after long term use even when using approved water systems; the cure is to sanitize the water system. The “experts recommend” that you sanitize the water system every six months even if living in the unit all the time.

There might be other products which will perform this chore, bleach is cheap, plentiful, and can be purchased almost anywhere. Many RV publications outline a way to do this for various types of RV’s.
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