Black water

[REDEYE50]

We recently purchased a older MH Winne 1992 34 RQ. I flushed the water tanks 3 times/ bleach. Sometimes when I first turn the water on it is black but clears up after running for awhile. When we use City water I use a water filter(blue round charcoal type) inline with the hose. When we first flush the toliet there is black water in the bowl. If you let it set the particles settle to the bottum. It finally clears up but where's it coming from? The filter, pump. lines, tank??? Thanks

[marcham]

Can you sift the water and collect the black particles? Could be rubber from the water pump, black mould or plastic from the water tank. Use the military method to sanitize the water tank and all lines with 100ppm of chlorine. Bleach is only 2% chlorine, is mostly water and may have several other nasty chemicals added which can embed themselves in the plastic of your water system.

Do you use a garden hose to fill /connect to city water or a white hose designed for drinking water?

[lynnmor]

Always flush those water filters before attaching to the RV. Shaking them while flushing also helps to remove the loose fine carbon.

I have yet to see anyone flush their hoses, regulators and filters before attaching. What are they thinking?

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by lynnmor

Always flush those water filters before attaching to the RV. Shaking them while flushing also helps to remove the loose fine carbon.

I have yet to see anyone flush their hoses, regulators and filters before attaching. What are they thinking?

AMEN!

[Bob_C]

That's where a whole house filter becomes handy.....you can take it apart.....and, I always pre flush system before hook'n to RV

[bdpreece]

Are you sure you don't have a built in filter somewhere in the coach itself. I had an older Bounder that did that and the black was from the charcoal in the filter which had broken down over time. Took me awhile to find it as it was hidden.

[ThePowells]

If it is settling to the bottom, it isn't plastic or rubber. My guess would be leaning towards a filter that has broken down.

[REDEYE50]

Originally Posted by marcham

Can you sift the water and collect the black particles? Could be rubber from the water pump, black mould or plastic from the water tank. Use the military method to sanitize the water tank and all lines with 100ppm of chlorine. Bleach is only 2% chlorine, is mostly water and may have several other nasty chemicals added which can embed themselves in the plastic of your water system.

Do you use a garden hose to fill /connect to city water or a white hose designed for drinking water?

I did use a garden hose the first time I filled the tank but since I have purchased a hose from Lowes(Geo???) that says it is safe for drinking water. Thanks

[Bigd9]

Here is a couple of WAG's :
What is your water tank made of? What are the water pipes made of? I used to have a older travel trailer where the water tank was galvanized steel. As the galvanizing deteriorated, rust formed and rust particles would show up in the sinks when running the water.

Last year we camped at a campground that was undergoing improvements. Somewhere in their water distribution system they must of had a old steel water line and with all the construction going on suddenly we got a bad iron taste and rusty color water. We left there and for the next week every time we hooked up to water we got a blast of rusty colored water and taste. I finally found the problem. I have a right angle adapter on the city water inlet (where the hose connects) and that adapter was jammed packed with iron rust particles. Once I cleaned out the right angle, all rust color and taste went away.

[marcham]

... Degrading charcoal filter, i hadn't thought of that one!

[REDEYE50]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

Here is a couple of WAG's :
What is your water tank made of? What are the water pipes made of? I used to have a older travel trailer where the water tank was galvanized steel. As the galvanizing deteriorated, rust formed and rust particles would show up in the sinks when running the water.

Last year we camped at a campground that was undergoing improvements. Somewhere in their water distribution system they must of had a old steel water line and with all the construction going on suddenly we got a bad iron taste and rusty color water. We left there and for the next week every time we hooked up to water we got a blast of rusty colored water and taste. I finally found the problem. I have a right angle adapter on the city water inlet (where the hose connects) and that adapter was jammed packed with iron rust particles. Once I cleaned out the right angle, all rust color and taste went away.

The water tank is plastic and the water lines are plastic pvc??.Thanks no rust

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by REDEYE50

We recently purchased a older MH Winne 1992 34 RQ. I flushed the water tanks 3 times/ bleach. Sometimes when I first turn the water on it is black but clears up after running for awhile. When we use City water I use a water filter(blue round charcoal type) inline with the hose. When we first flush the toliet there is black water in the bowl. If you let it set the particles settle to the bottum. It finally clears up but where's it coming from? The filter, pump. lines, tank??? Thanks

I think the charcoal filter particles is the best bet for why this problem exist. But here is another WAG idea. How long did the RV sit unused? Could it be mold developed in the water lines and what you are seeing are flakes of black mold coming off the insides of pipes?

[JollyCamper]

I always hated changing the filter on my ice maker at home...you end up with that lovely batch of black ice for the first day...that could be highly likely.