Community Forums

Reband · 07-22-2012, 03:50 PM

I'm sanitizing my fresh water system. I put 1/4 cup bleach per gallon for every 15 gallons of capacity and ran it through the system as per the owners manual. It is supposed to stay in there at least 4 hours. Is it harmful to anything, such as pump, valves, lines, or tank, to leave it in there overnight or longer?

The reason I'm sanitizing is that last time I filled the fresh water tank, I noticed a very strong sulphur smell coming out of the vent tube as the water was going in. (We haven't really used the fresh water much this season, just the city water at campgrounds.) Is this just from some sulphury water I picked up the last time I put water in, or could there be something nasty growing in there?

Thanks

Dan

2005 Fleetwood Bounder 32W

**CLIFFTALL** · 07-22-2012, 03:53 PM

Hopefully you meant 1/4 cup for 15 gallons. Four hours is the minimum. I don't think overnight will harm anything.

Mr_D · 07-22-2012, 03:54 PM

I leave mine 24 hours.

Gary RVRoamer · 07-22-2012, 04:48 PM

Leave it as long as you like, but 4 hours is about a minimum.

The amount is 1/4 cup bleach diluted in 1 gal of water; then 1 gallon of solution per 15 gallons of tank capacity.

Macpeety · 07-22-2012, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Leave it as long as you like, but 4 hours is about a minimum.

The amount is 1/4 cup bleach diluted in 1 gal of water; then 1 gallon of solution per 15 gallons of tank capacity.

Correct. The concentration that the above posters used can and will weaken the rubber seals throughout their system which will cause premature leaks.

Reband · 07-22-2012, 05:47 PM

Yeah - thats what I meant to say. First I filled the fresh water tank to quarter full. Then I mixed 1/4 cup bleach with a gallon of water and poured it in the gravity fill, and repeated 6 more times since I have a 100 gal tank and a 10 gal hot water tank. Then filled the fresh water tank till full. Then ran water through all taps until it smelled bleachy.
Another question: Do I want to run the bleach water through the toilet, or will it react with the black tank deodorizer & enzyme I have in there?
Thanks for the responses everyone.

Macpeety · 07-22-2012, 06:04 PM

Yes run it in the crapper also. You will probably need to put your nose near the hole till you smell a strong odor of bleach. Let it swish around awhile and smell it one more time. If you no longer smell the bleach, then you can empty the black tank.

Good Luck

Gary RVRoamer · 07-23-2012, 12:13 PM

The bleach will, however, negate the enzymes in the black tank. There is no need to flush much of the bleach solution down the commode, but do run enough into the toilet bowl so that it fills the fresh water line that feeds it. You are sanitizing the fresh water system, not the black tank.

A bowl full of bleach solution shouldn't harm the black tank enzymes much, but you could always add some afterwards to give it a boost.

Lincolnboy2 · 07-23-2012, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reband

I'm sanitizing my fresh water system. I put 1/4 cup bleach per gallon for every 15 gallons of capacity and ran it through the system as per the owners manual. It is supposed to stay in there at least 4 hours. Is it harmful to anything, such as pump, valves, lines, or tank, to leave it in there overnight or longer?

The reason I'm sanitizing is that last time I filled the fresh water tank, I noticed a very strong sulphur smell coming out of the vent tube as the water was going in. (We haven't really used the fresh water much this season, just the city water at campgrounds.) Is this just from some sulphury water I picked up the last time I put water in, or could there be something nasty growing in there?

Thanks

Dan

2005 Fleetwood Bounder 32W

I had that same foul sulfur smell last year and turned out it was the hot water heater stinking up the water line. Not that that is the case with yours, Dan, but I had to drain my hot water tank, got a little wand and rinsed the heck out of it, lots of crud, small bits of sand, and stalactites and stalagmites (just kidding) came out. No more rotten egg smell afterwards. My fresh water tank water when I took delivery of the coach began to smell like rotten corn, like in a feed lot, it was so gross. I sanitized it just like you did and no more problems since!

HHIDan · 07-23-2012, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macpeety

Yes run it in the crapper also. You will probably need to put your nose near the hole till you smell a strong odor of bleach. Let it swish around awhile and smell it one more time. If you no longer smell the bleach, then you can empty the black tank.

Good Luck

lol lol

tinkerreknit · 07-23-2012, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincolnboy2

I had that same foul sulfur smell last year and turned out it was the hot water heater stinking up the water line. Not that that is the case with yours, Dan, but I had to drain my hot water tank, got a little wand and rinsed the heck out of it, lots of crud, small bits of sand, and stalactites and stalagmites (just kidding) came out. No more rotten egg smell afterwards. My fresh water tank water when I took delivery of the coach began to smell like rotten corn, like in a feed lot, it was so gross. I sanitized it just like you did and no more problems since!

That sulfur odor could well be coming from the water heater. It's a common problem. If your heater has a sacrificial anode, check it out. If it's eaten away much you should replace it. Not all tanks have one, though.