Community Forums

AllanK · 11-10-2018, 06:38 AM

Our first week long trip is coming to a end. We are about to put our coach into a covered storage facility near Phoenix, AZ. We won't be back until our next trip Dec 22.

Both black and grey tanks will be dumped prior to leaving the park this morning. The fresh water tank is about 2/3 full. Do you dump the fresh water tank? If so where do you do it?

HikesInRain · 11-10-2018, 06:45 AM

If there's even the slightest chance of freezing, I'd empty the tank. I'd probably do it even if there weren't, to keep mold, bacteria and other slimy things from growing in the stagnant water. You can use it to flush your black and grey tanks; just open the faucets. Or, there should be a tank drain valve near the tank that'll dump it on the ground. No environmental issues with that, since it's drinking water. Mine won't drain the tank completely unless the coach is on a downhill slope toward the drain.

harris155 · 11-10-2018, 06:46 AM

We have had our fresh water turn nasty in that period of time.
I would drain both the tank and hot water heater.

Sweetbriar · 11-10-2018, 07:05 AM

Dump it. City water has preservatives that will keep organic growth in check for maybe two weeks. If the tank has well water then there's nothing. Actually I would drain the entire system. Easy enough to refill when you head out in December.

I usually just dump my potable water on the ground. You could just drain into the gray tank via the sinks then dump the gray tank.

Crasher · 11-10-2018, 09:51 AM

Why not run some bleach and sanitize your entire system? Let it set awhile, dump the grey and black tanks and run 10 gallons of "bleached" water into both tanks and drive around to slosh the sides. Then dump all three tanks and drain the lines. You are then ready for the next time of use and no worries about freezing or critters growing anywhere.

AllanK · 11-10-2018, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crasher

Why not run some bleach and sanitize your entire system? Let it set awhile, dump the grey and black tanks and run 10 gallons of "bleached" water into both tanks and drive around to slosh the sides. Then dump all three tanks and drain the lines. You are then ready for the next time of use and no worries about freezing or critters growing anywhere.

What is the best way to get bleach into the fresh water tank?

nothermark · 11-10-2018, 10:25 AM

If you don not have a gravity fill then just put the bleach in the water hose after connecting one end and before you connect the other. Turn on the faucet and let the water push the bleach into the tank.

We seldom drain the tank in the summer but we seldom let it sit for 6 weeks. If it freezes in Phoenix your problem will one of the smaller one's. Even so I think I'd drain most and push some bleach into what was left. Run the faucets to get the mix to the drain and call it good. When I got back top off the fresh tank and run the new water through the pipes to flush out the strong bleach.

Monacoach · 11-10-2018, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HikesInRain

If there's even the slightest chance of freezing, I'd empty the tank. I'd probably do it even if there weren't, to keep mold, bacteria and other slimy things from growing in the stagnant water. You can use it to flush your black and grey tanks; just open the faucets. Or, there should be a tank drain valve near the tank that'll dump it on the ground. No environmental issues with that, since it's drinking water. Mine won't dr
ain the tank completely unless the coach is on a downhill slope toward the drain.

Draining the fresh tank will offer zero freeze protection but in Phoenix I wouldn't be concerned.

Crasher · 11-10-2018, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllanK

What is the best way to get bleach into the fresh water tank?

What nothermark said works well. I have a gravity fill, but have also just poured bleach in to an empty hose and forced it into the coach with fresh water. The chances of freezing in Phoenix in the next six weeks is very unlikely. I would remove the water filter for this process. Your system might not need sanitizing, but it can't hurt and gives peace of mind for the next trip. Good luck

CJ7ole · 11-10-2018, 04:04 PM

Had our coach for 10 years now, never had to empty the fresh water as it winters in FL. I have sanitized it twice in that period by adding 1/3 cup of sodium hypochlorite (bleach). It always gets filled from a municipal source that is chlorinated. Never had a problem. I dry camp once a year and that pretty much empties the fresh water tank. I run it at 1/3 full most of the time as 3 months of the year I am hooked to a FL campground city-supplied water source.

HEY, I just hit 1000 posts! How about that!

dezolen · 11-10-2018, 04:25 PM

Waste of water to dump it. What do you think happens to city reservoirs or home owners cisterns? Does lake water go bad?

WyCamper · 11-10-2018, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezolen

Waste of water to dump it. What do you think happens to city reservoirs or home owners cisterns? Does lake water go bad?

If it sits in a closed plastic container for six weeks? Yes. Yes it does.

SarahW · 11-10-2018, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezolen

Waste of water to dump it. What do you think happens to city reservoirs or home owners cisterns? Does lake water go bad?

Exactly. We sanitize our fresh tank every season and have never had any problem with water "going bad."

momdoc · 11-10-2018, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezolen

Waste of water to dump it. What do you think happens to city reservoirs or home owners cisterns? Does lake water go bad?

We use a cistern where we live and put a chloro tablet (swimming pool tablet) every month.

In the coach we empty the fresh water if being stored or empty for over 2 weeks and re sanitize it when we take it out again. Why take a chance.

Grey and Black always empty before storage.