First Time Fresh Water Use Bad Taste

Jhuff8181

Active Member
We are using the fresh water system for the first time and the water tastes awful. We are using pressurized water through an external filter. Our 3650BH is brand new.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi Jhuff8181,

It sounds like you're saying that you're filling the fresh water tank from an RV park water faucet, going through a water filter. Then when you disconnect from the faucet and turn on the pump, the water tastes awful.

Have you tasted the water from the faucet to see if that's where the taste originates?

What does it taste like?
 

Lynn1130

Well-known member
Which fresh water system? Are you on city water or pumping from your fresh water tank? If it is city water, some city systems are so bad that no amount of filtering will help. If you are using your tank, did you sanitize the tank prior to filling for use?

If you did not sanitize, who knows what is coming up from the tank. Depending upon the size of your tank, a certain amount of chlorine needs to be put into the tank, the tank filled, all lines charges with that water and then it should sit for at lease 3 hours before flushing all that water out and refilling.
 

Bohemian

Well-known member
Do you still have RV anti-freeze in the water lines/tanks/system? That stuff tastes real bad. The system needs a complete flush before using it. Then the water source needs to taste good or be charcoal filtered.
 

fredwrichardson

Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
We are using the fresh water system for the first time and the water tastes awful. We are using pressurized water through an external filter. Our 3650BH is brand new.

Are you on City Water or are you drawing water from the water tank? When you say pressurized water it sounds like it is City Water. What does the City Water taste like before entering the RV also was the trailer winterized? If it is City Water I would flush the system by just running water through every faucet. If you are still getting a bad taste then check your filter to make sure it is properly installed. If the water is coming from the tank and the unit was winterized you are going to have to flush the tank for the anti freeze is safe to drink but taste terrible.
 

Jhuff8181

Active Member
We are using a new potable water hose, hooked up to pressurized campsite water (that tastes good) through a charcoal filter. The hose is connected to the city water inlet not the gravity feed. We are not using the water pump.
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
Got that awful plastic-y taste? I did too. Only time took care of it and the ice cubes still have a little taint.
 

olcoon

Well-known member
I can remember buying a new potable water hose, and for a while it had the "garden hose taste". It eventually went away. Also when I put the hose up, I'll drain it, then screw the ends together to keep "stuff" out of the hose. When hooking it up at the next campground I wouldn't flush it out as I figured that it was clean when I stored up & it would still be clean. Bit me on the backside one time, hadn't used it for awhile, & hooked it up, turned on the water. Went inside & turned on the kitchen sink a little water came out then NOTHING anywhere! Come to find out somehow something was in the hose, & the screen at the inlet where the hose hooks up was completely clogged up. I replaced the screen & the problem was fixed. Now I always​ flush the hose BEFORE I hook it up!
 

Jhuff8181

Active Member
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. What is the best way to add chlorine to the system? Through the gravity feed inlet? Then to flush, just run the faucets until the chlorine smell is gone?
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Here is an insert from the Heartland Owners Water System Guide located in the "Tools" section found at the top of each page.
The complete sanitizing procedure can be found there.

Heartland recommends a solution of 1 gallon of water and ¼ cup of household bleach for each 15
gallons of tank capacity. A 90 gallon tank would take a mix of 6 gallons of water and 1 ½ cups of bleach.

Peace
Dave
 

Bohemian

Well-known member
I would consider chlorine only as a last resort. That also needs to be flushed out completely.

Try to flush away the problem first.
 

mobilcastle

Well-known member
We use a pool treatment bleach product. Works well amd takes very little. If you use too much bleach your DW might become a blonde!
 
B

BouseBill

Guest
OK, I will try is again, Our new 2015 also had terrible tasting water from the kitchen faucet. It smelled like sour milk. If you let it rest for a while the smell would go away. The water from the bathroom from either the sink or the shower was just fine. It went away in about a month.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Living in our ElkRidge, I noticed our bathroom water had a funny smell when first turned on. After a number of days, it wasn't getting better. It didn't make sense, because we have a nice water filtration system and none of the other faucets smelled. One day, It finally clicked! We had not flushed antifreeze out of the washer lines, which are further down the line from the bath faucet. It must have been back flow from that long, higher plumbing run. Once we flushed the washer lines, the bath faucet water was fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

gwalter

Retired Colorado Chapter Leaders
Living in our ElkRidge, I noticed our bathroom water had a funny smell when first turned on. After a number of days, it wasn't getting better. It didn't make sense, because we have a nice water filtration system and none of the other faucets smelled. One day, It finally clicked! We had not flushed antifreeze out of the washer lines, which are further down the line from the bath faucet. It must have been back flow from that long, higher plumbing run. Once we flushed the washer lines, the bath faucet water was fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We had the same thing happen the first year with our ElkRidge.
 

Lynn1130

Well-known member
I don't think you can "flush" bacteria from the tank and lines. It needs to be sanitized. Considering what all they do to the tank and lines during construction I would not want to go without sanitizing the system first thing. If you leave water sitting in the lines, tank and heater between trips algae and bacteria grow, especially in our 100+ temps here during a good part of the year and the system should be periodically sanitized.
 

GMCaddic

Active Member
I don't think you can "flush" bacteria from the tank and lines. It needs to be sanitized. Considering what all they do to the tank and lines during construction I would not want to go without sanitizing the system first thing. If you leave water sitting in the lines, tank and heater between trips algae and bacteria grow, especially in our 100+ temps here during a good part of the year and the system should be periodically sanitized.

I agree with Lynn. Sanitizing the system will cure the problem 1 cup of bleach fill the water tank half way flush through the lines with water pump wait a half hour drain fill with clean water
flush again tell bleach smell and taste is gone .
 
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