Yuck. Water tastes bad!

wyleyrabbit

Well-known member
Last night was our first sleep in our new trailer. The mattress is very good, and we slept very well. The kids (ours plus his friend) slept on the hide-a-bed and also said they were very comfortable. :)

We're noticing that our water tastes very "plastic-y". Coffee and hot chocolate also taste very bad. :eek:

I have a brass pressure regulator, a charcoal water filter, and a white potable water hose going to the water hookup. The unit was winterized, and we obviously ran the water until all the pink had disappeared, and then for another few minutes just for good measure.

Is this normal? Will the bad taste go away soon?

Chris
 

mrcomer

Past Ohio Chapter Leaders (Founding)
I think you are going to need to sanitize your water system. I use bleach in the fresh water holding tank then use the pump to pump the chlorinated water to each faucet. Run the faucet until you smell the bleach then turn it off. Do this to all faucets, leave set for a while, maybe hours, maybe a day, then flush the entire system thoroughly. I do this when I de-winterize the trailer every Spring.

Mark
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
If you are using the water in the tank drain it and refill with some bleach added, a tsp full for every 10 gals, or a little more for cleaning purposes, you can do this several times, letting the water set for 10 minutes or so at a time. If you are using the city water connection try the water from the source it may be "bad". We use 5 gal jugs with a Dolphin pump for our drinking water, the tank water is hard to keep fresh, for us anyways...........
 

slmayor

Founding California Northern Chapter Leader
It does go away but takes awhile. We use a Brita pitcher for drinking and cooking water. The sanitizing does help, as will vinegar run through the lines then flushed.
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
Also sometimes you may get "garden hose" water...where your water tastes like water drank from a garden hose. Wait a minute, you are drinking water from a garden hose...imagine that. I usually drink bottled water for that reason. By the way if you are hooked up to the "city water" hookup, sanitizing your tank won't help much because what you are tasting is coming from the water hose as you are not using water from the holding tank.
 

wyleyrabbit

Well-known member
Jim,

Ha ha. Well, yes, that makes sense. That said, I'm hoping this bad taste goes away soon. I need my coffee in the morning, and this morning's was undrinkable. Made a pot, drank half a cup, and poured the rest down the drain.

So what's the consensus? Bleach? Or vinegar? Or should I just turn on all the taps for 30 minutes to really flush the system?

Chris
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Having never used vinegar I will have to stick with the sodium hypochlorite. In my experience it gets rid of the bad taste and it sterilizes the system.........
 

kakampers

Past Heartland Ambassador
If you're hooked directly to the "city water", cleaning the tank with bleach will do you no good. This will only help if you're using your pump and pulling water from the fresh water tank.

It sounds like you have a brand new hose, and I suspect the "plastic" taste is coming from that. By the way, it is a white, drinking water hose, isn't it? That will also make a difference...never use a regular garden hose.
 

wyleyrabbit

Well-known member
Yes, we are using a brand new "white drinking water hose". I suspect though that this might be one of the sources of the plastic taste. I'm not sure if the main issue is the plumbing inside of the trailer, or the hose. Will do some troubleshooting.
 

lhetsler

Well-known member
Water filter

I use a charcoal filter under the sink and with my ice maker. No more bad taste. I ordered a kit for the under sink one online, it comes with a snap on hose for winterizing. The one for the fridge you can get at Lowes, it has 1/4 inch snap fittings so all you do is cut the water line and plug in the filter.
 

HRAI

Member
Willeyrabbit,

Been there done that when it comes to that funny taste! It doesn't matter if you are drinking water from the hose hook up from the park or your fresh water tank because the water at the tap goes through the trailer's plumbing system. It can go away on it's own over time, but that's too long... I put +/- 10 gallons of water in my fresh water tank and add +/- 1 cup of bleach then run all the fawcets in the trailer until you smell the bleach coming through. Let it all sit for at least an hour, then dump your fresh water tank and refill with fresh water and run it through your system untill all is clear. You may have to dump and refill your fresh water tank a couple times, but that's it after that. You'll be good for the summer.

Give it a try.

Guy
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
The other solution is, do as Patty does. Buys 1 gal water jugs on sale and keeps them in the hamper under the stairs. There must be 20 of them. Pin weight must be about 5K now. BTW, any of you guys want to talk her out of it, be my guest. She is a redhead, just ask Kenny. unsigned:eek:
 

Larryheadhunter

X-Rookies Still Luving it
JimBo had me buy a sediment and charcoal water filter system for all water that goes into the rig, even the fresh water tank, that sits under the UDC in a plastic crate. I am thinking of getting a water filter system installed inside the coach as well. Water tastes fine, although we do use those big water bottles that usually go for a buck a bottle. Seems easier than hassling with a built in water filter system.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Yo big Lar,

I too drink and cook with bottled water in the RV but that said, it's still a good idea to filter the water coming in. Reason being is that you run into quite a variety of water quality if you travel any great distance. And with some of your poorer quality water, it can smell and have stuff in it that can get in the water heater and in the faucet and shower heads. For the minimal cost of filtration, whether you drink that water or not, I'd always filter it. Change the filters a couple times each season as well.

Jim
 

Larryheadhunter

X-Rookies Still Luving it
Yo JimBo,
Didn't I just say the exact same thing? I even use the filtered water to put into my fresh water tank so I don't have to deal with the chlorine or bleach. I am very happy with the combo charcoal and sediment system you helped me choose. I was just musing about also putting in a permanent under the sink water filtration system, then I decided it wasn't worth the cost and effort, when u can buy those large bottled spring water for a buck each.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Larry,

I think I either mis-read your post or read someone elses. Thought someone mentioned just doing without filtration altogether since they don't drink CG water. I must have bumped my head :eek:
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Yo big Lar,

I too drink and cook with bottled water in the RV but that said, it's still a good idea to filter the water coming in. Reason being is that you run into quite a variety of water quality if you travel any great distance. And with some of your poorer quality water, it can smell and have stuff in it that can get in the water heater and in the faucet and shower heads. For the minimal cost of filtration, whether you drink that water or not, I'd always filter it. Change the filters a couple times each season as well.

Jim

Maybe so..but, what about the adventure? I mean, guardia only hurts for a little while...and can definitely help you flush out your black water tanks.

Don't even ask.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
YO Lar, have Debbi call Patty. We always need a truck to get the sale water bottles. unsigned:(
 
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