Sanitizing the fresh water tank . . .

[JohnD]

I am going to be sanitizing the fresh water tank on our Prowler tomorrow, and I believe that I have the amount of bleach at 1/4 cup per 15 gallons of water.

However, I think I asked this question before but I can't find the topic thread . . .

Is it OK to run this bleach/water mix into the hot water heater?

Or should I bypass the hot water heater when running the sanitized water through the hot water lines?

By the by . . . we don't have the Anderson valve, but a filler hole on the outside of the trailer for the fresh water tank.

 

[danemayer]

John,

The trailer manual is silent on bleach going through the water heater. The Suburban Water Heater manual mentions using a bleach mixture throughout the sytesm to eliminate rotten egg odor. If they didn't want bleach in the water heater, I think they would have warned about it. Atwood doesn't mention bleach in their manual.

So it seems reasonable to me to add the bleach solution to the fresh tank and then run it through the entire system and let it sit as directed. If there's a strong chlorine taste after cleaning, you may need a 2nd pass with a vinegar solution. "A solution of one (1) quart vinegar to five (5) gallons water and pour into tank. Allow solution to agitate in tank by vehicle motion (several days, if possible)." Of course, agitating by vehicle motion for several days seems unlikely.

 

[mlpeloquin]

I always have, and not had a problem. Do remove the plug on the water heater before to empty it and after sanitizing to get rid of a lot of the bleach water. Refill with fresh and run it through the system. Both sanitizing and flushing the system run water through every valve until you can or cannot smell the bleach. Do remember to do the washer prep valves as well.

 

[JohnD]

I always have, and not had a problem. Do remove the plug on the water heater before to empty it and after sanitizing to get rid of a lot of the bleach water. Refill with fresh and run it through the system. Both sanitizing and flushing the system run water through every valve until you can or cannot smell the bleach. Do remember to do the washer prep valves as well.

My whole water system is dry right now, including the hot water heater.

I drained it all three weeks ago after we got back from our July 4th. weekend campout.

 

[PeternLiane]

When bought our first trailer we were taught to run bleach through the entire system. My brother and father inlaw also do the same thing, they both swear by it. I've never had an issue running bleach through the entire system and neither have they. Granted my first year I forgot to blow out the toilet and the line froze and cracked. But I've never had an issue with running bleach through whole system. Its great for sanitizing the system.

 

[porthole]

John,

The trailer manual is silent on bleach going through the water heater. The Suburban Water Heater manual mentions using a bleach mixture throughout the sytesm to eliminate rotten egg odor. If they didn't want bleach in the water heater, I think they would have warned about it. Atwood doesn't mention bleach in their manual.

So it seems reasonable to me to add the bleach solution to the fresh tank and then run it through the entire system and let it sit as directed. If there's a strong chlorine taste after cleaning, you may need a 2nd pass with a vinegar solution. "A solution of one (1) quart vinegar to five (5) gallons water and pour into tank. Allow solution to agitate in tank by vehicle motion (several days, if possible)." Of course, agitating by vehicle motion for several days seems unlikely.

My tanks are about 120 gallons total, so I use about 2 cups of bleach

I put about 2 cups of bleach in with 5 gallons of water (bucket)
I pump this into the tanks, then fill the tanks.
Drain hot water heater and put the plug back in
Since I can, I run the water pump to 'fill' the tank. This pulls water from the bottom and pumps back into the top. I'll do this for a half hour or so to mix it all up.

Then I open all faucets and run for a few minutes until I can smell the chlorine, including the hot water (water heater off)

I'll let it sit for 4 hours or so then drain everything and refill, including the water heater.
The separate steps for the water heater is to minimize dilution, either sanitizing or flushing.

Even if there is a bit of chorine left it will dissipate on it's own.

Running vinegar through to help eliminate the chorine smell will possibly give you what - a vinegar smell maybe?

 

[JohnD]

I'm getting ready to put the bleach in right now.

I have a separate outside fresh tank filler so I am going to put a couple of gallons of water in the tank and then pour the bleach in with a funnel, then fill the tank the rest of the way.

Let sit for four hours, then drain and fill . . . then drain again!

Then I will hook up the city water to flush the water heater and pipes.

I also just went up to the corner Advanced Auto Store and bought a socket for the anode rod (channel locks are a major PITA).

 

[danemayer]

I'm getting ready to put the bleach in right now.

I have a separate outside fresh tank filler so I am going to put a couple of gallons of water in the tank and then pour the bleach in with a funnel, then fill the tank the rest of the way.

Let sit for four hours, then drain and fill . . . then drain again!

Then I will hook up the city water to flush the water heater and pipes.

I also just went up to the corner Advanced Auto Store and bought a socket for the anode rod (channel locks are a major PITA).

John,

Somewhere in your process, you'll want to pump the diluted chlorine mix from the fresh tank through the plumbing system.

 

[lukeysh]

Our landmark doesn't have a way to pull chlorine solution from bucket into the fresh tank. Any easy ideas on getting bleach in?


Matt & Pam Padgett
2016 Landmark Arlington
2016 F-350
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JohnD]

John,

Somewhere in your process, you'll want to pump the diluted chlorine mix from the fresh tank through the plumbing system.

That is what I did . . .

I used the water pump to fill the hot water tank and to fill the lines to all of the faucets . . . including the outside shower.

I've gone out a couple of times and ran each faucet to move the solution through the system.

I've got about an hour and a half before I go out to drain and flush the system out.

I will use the city water hookup to flush all the lines out.

 

[danemayer]

Our landmark doesn't have a way to pull chlorine solution from bucket into the fresh tank. Any easy ideas on getting bleach in?


Matt & Pam Padgett
2016 Landmark Arlington
2016 F-350
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Add the bleach to your hose and then connect the hose to the city water faucet. Open the faucet and the water flow will push the bleach in.

 

[JohnD]

Out draining the fresh water tank right now . . .

I have already flushed out the water lines and the water heater . . .

After I fill and drain the fresh water tank I'll fill it one more time and the flush the toilet to clear out the water pump of the bleach.

 

[porthole]

Our landmark doesn't have a way to pull chlorine solution from bucket into the fresh tank. Any easy ideas on getting bleach in?

How do you add antifreeze to winterize?

 

[danemayer]

How do you add antifreeze to winterize?

Connect a short piece of hose to the water inlet, other end in the antifreeze, set the valve to Winterize and turn the pump on.

 

[porthole]

Connect a short piece of hose to the water inlet, other end in the antifreeze, set the valve to Winterize and turn the pump on.

Was trying to get him to answer his own question

 

[lukeysh]

Was trying to get him to answer his own question

Our Anderson system only pumps antifreeze into the piping system, not the fresh tank.


Matt & Pam Padgett
2016 Landmark Arlington
2016 F-350
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lukeysh]

Our Anderson system only pumps antifreeze into the piping system, not the fresh tank.


Matt & Pam Padgett
2016 Landmark Arlington
2016 F-350
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The Anderson valves on your landmark allow you to run the water inlet to the pump to allow sucking antifreeze (or bleach) into the piping running to the fixtures. But unlike the 6 way anderson, the 4 way we have doesn't have a way to go from pump discharge to the fresh tank.


Matt & Pam Padgett
2016 Landmark Arlington
2016 F-350
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[danemayer]

Our Anderson system only pumps antifreeze into the piping system, not the fresh tank.


Matt & Pam Padgett
2016 Landmark Arlington
2016 F-350
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You want to put antifreeze into your fresh water tank? Why?

 

[JohnD]

All done!

Seems everything went well!

 

[rxbristol]

Our landmark doesn't have a way to pull chlorine solution from bucket into the fresh tank. Any easy ideas on getting bleach in?

I connect an empty hose to the RV, fill it with the amount of bleach I want, connect it to the water source and I'm off and running. Of course I set the UDC valve to fill the fresh water tank.