Community Forums

Stump Jumper · 04-13-2010, 01:08 PM

I was curious how well you flush your H2O system before you use it each Spring. How many times and how much do you fill your holding tank before it is safe to drink again after having a small amount of RV anti-freeze in it over the Winter?

Ernie n Tara · 04-13-2010, 01:18 PM

Stump,
Typically I just run a couple of cups of bleach into the tank and let it set after running the faucets so that all pipes have bleach (chlorine) in them. Drain and then flush and you are good to go. Be sure you fill the hot water heater during the bleach process.
Ernie

JC2 · 04-13-2010, 01:40 PM

Our Spring ritual includes the following:
1. Fill the fresh water tank about 1/4-1/3 full then use the onboard pump to flush the lines, wh, etc of the rv antifreeze.
2. Fill the fresh water tank and use a ratio of 1/2 cup of generic brand of bleach per 15 gal of water. Pump this mixture through all lines and fixtures until the bleach smell is evident. Let sit for at least 4-6 hrs. We usually let ours sit overnight.
3. Drain fresh water tank and refill with fresh H20 and use a ratio of 1 gal of generic white vinegar per 15 gals of water. Let sit preferably 8 hrs or overnight. This usually will eliminate any bleach smell in the water and dissolve calcium deposits through the plumbing/fixtures.
4. Drain a final time an refill fresh tank about 1/4-1/3 of water unless you will not be using the rig for a couple of weeks.
5. In the event you still have a bleach smell, mix 1/2-1 cup of baking soda with 1 gal of warm water to help it desolve. Pour into tank and about 1/4-1/2 with water and run through lines. Most of the time this step is not necessary as flushing once or twice with fresh water will do the trick.

We will occasionally repeat steps 1&2 aprroximately through the season if needed.

It also doesn't hurt to have one of these to flush out the wh. Water Heater Tank Rinser - Item - Camping World

Stump Jumper · 04-13-2010, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the replies. I am going to flush the tank and add the bleach tonight to start the process. We are going on our maiden voyage with the motorhome this weekend!

azloafer · 04-13-2010, 03:03 PM

We don't have an off season in Arizona, but I occasionally add a teaspoon of fast dissolving spa chlorine to the tank. If you don't have a gravity fill you can put it into the fresh water hose and then connect it to the faucet to get it into the tank. Our system has a whole house filter in the bay so I can dissolve the granules in water and pour it into the empty filter housing and then it will go into the tank when the pump is turned on. With this method we don't have to dump the water because it is drinkable. Joe

JC2 · 04-13-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer

We don't have an off season in Arizona, but I occasionally add a teaspoon of fast dissolving spa chlorine to the tank. If you don't have a gravity fill you can put it into the fresh water hose and then connect it to the faucet to get it into the tank. Our system has a whole house filter in the bay so I can dissolve the granules in water and pour it into the empty filter housing and then it will go into the tank when the pump is turned on. With this method we don't have to dump the water because it is drinkable. Joe

A good point about the filter. We make sure ours is not installed when doing the steps I've listed.

HotMech · 04-14-2010, 09:56 PM

Ok, now I know you are all going to go, eeww, but I don't have any rituals, as far as the water goes. When I drag her out of storge, I close all the valves, screw the plug into the water heater, fill the tank and take off. I dont' use the "pink stuff" in the fresh side. only in the drains.
From then on, it stays full of water until sometime in late October.

I blow out the fresh side with compressed air. I hate the taste of "pink stuff".

I use "city water" so I believe the resident clorine will do it's job.

Never had a problem, never have I been ill, and I don't have to taste "pink stuff" Yuck.

Now, for the rest of the story......

I don't drink too much of my coach water, I bring bottled water, for thirst.

coach water is for washing, bathing, and brushing teeth. hehe and coffee, when you run out of bottled.

I do have one of those faucet mounted Pur water filters too.

HMXDave · 04-15-2010, 05:24 AM

I'm with you Hotmech, 100% the same here for 4 RV's with no issues. I live in a cool climate, so perhaps the water tank staying cool most of the time (plus the city water chlorine) keeps the bugs from growing.

We just got a new-to-us rig and I am doing to do some of JC2's ritual before we use it....just because.