Forgot to empty fresh water tank

[satboyz]

I was away for 3 months and forgot to empty the fresh water tank. When I went to us the water, it was stagnant and had a bad smell I dumped the water, but now what can I use to clean the tank before refilling it? Thank you.

[lpfdon]

Very simply, add 1/2 cup of bleach to the refreshed water in your tank and pump it through the system. That should work. Same method is used for desanitizing your waterworks after winter storage.

[dotmel]

I was away for 3 months and forgot to empty the fresh water tank when I went to us the water it was stagnet and with a bad smell I dump the water now what can I use to clean the tank before filling thank you

We are vendors for FMCA with a product that you use in the fresh water tank that destroys existing bacterial colonies and prevents the developing of new ones, eliminates bad odor and bad taste to stored potable water supplies. When you use it everytime you put in more fresh water you don't have to worry about emptying the tank, it stays fresh and safe to drink. We live in earthquake country and leave our tank full year round when not traveling. Be careful about useing bleach in the fresh water tank, its hard to get all the bleach taste out.

[Xplorer]

Just Curious,,,,

I can understand water getting "stale", but does it spoil,,,,and,,,,if water is in a sealed container,,,,How does it get contaminated...?

Rv'n since '76',,,,I know,,,the last century,,,,

We never drink the water out of the tank,,,,,,On the 8 Rv's,,,new and used we have owned over the years,,,,I sanitize with bleach once after the purchase,,,,and flush, flush, flush with fresh water,,,,,,,,,,I normally keep the tank full year round,,,,and make sure it is topped off for each trip,,,just in case.

I also installed a filtering system,,,at the water entry,,,and at the sink in case we ever had to use the tank water,,,,,,for filtering water from approved sources we use.

My other concern is using other chemical products in the fresh water tank,,,,,,not sure what is in the product,,,,,,not sure I would be comfortable drinking water with unknown chemical content added.

Just thinking about it,,,,,,,,,,,and wondering,,,,,,

[Roodriver]

A 1/4 cup of bleach per 15 gallons of tank capacity held for four hours will sanitize your system. Don't forget to pump through the water pump until you can smell the bleach. Three rinses with a pause of thirty minutes between filling and dumping should get rid of the bleach taste. Make sure to pump through the system.

A closed system shouldn't get contaminated......... BUT if you add contaminated water, you have contaminated the system. If you don't clean the ends of your hose and fasten male to female for storage you risk contamination when you reconnect. I've watched guys drag their hoses next to the dump inlet and then just stick them in the bay.

Since water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon, i rarely travel with more than 1/2 tank unless getting ready to boondock.

[kalynzoo]

Your fresh water system is probably not a sealed system. There is an overflow vent, and perhaps a second pressure vent, along with a fill line that is not truly air tight. The water you put in is not distilled, and contains all the contaminants of the water supply line. Living in Southern Calif, we maintain an earthquake emergency water supply which should be rotated periodically. Note that the bottled drinking water in stores have expiration dates.

That said, it is a good idea to clorinate your tank periodically, after storage, after a trip when you have used many different water supplies, or if you smell or fear contamination.

Happy Trails.

[Guest Wayne77590]

I really wonder if I'm safe drinking any water.

CLICK HERE for Portable Water Purification Info.

[Xplorer]

Thanks zoo for more to think about,,,,,

Doc never said anything about drink'n the watta,,,,did say go for the wine,,,,not whine.

Everyone in favor of wine over water,,,,raise your bottle.

[satboyz]

I would like to thank everyone that replied to my problem and there ideas

[Xplorer]

Sorry,,,,we denigrated from your original post,,,,,imho,,,,the sanitizing as indicated above is the best way most folks sanitize their tanks......when you start talkn' about drinkn' water,,,,,,,,,well,,,,as you can see it can go downhill quick...........a little humor never hurt no one,,,,,,,,,,and studies indicate that it is good for longevity,,,, as well as a couple glasses of whine,,,,,,oops,,,,Wine.......

I use to be anal retentive,,,,,,untilllllll,,,,,,,,I realized,,,ain't no one gettn' outta' this World Alive!,,,,,,,,,,When it's time to be serious,,,,,it's time to be deadly serious,,,,,the rest of the time,,,,it's wellll look'n for a way to get outta this world Alive,,,,,Let you know when I find out Howwwww!

In the meantime,,,,,Safe Travels

[Roodriver]

Xplorer, drinking the water might just cure a retentive problem.

[Xplorer]

RoodRiver,

Only if you drink water south of the border,,,,,,,,not sure about the Rood River,,,,,,maybe you can shed some agua on the rood!!!

Beer, wine, and Southern Maggie's prevent Montezuma's Revenge,,,,,,,

Cheers,,,,and thanks for the sense of humor,,,,,,,

[prinaldi@uccs.edu]

I would take wine over water any day. That being said, I have never worried about contaminated water. I have always used the Rv enough that we are constantly filling the tanks. Only problem, I forgot I filled them in Mexico and that was not a pleasent experience. However, it got me out of driving on the last leg of the journey.

Thanks zoo for more to think about,,,,,

Doc never said anything about drink'n the watta,,,,did say go for the wine,,,,not whine.

Everyone in favor of wine over water,,,,raise your bottle.

[Roodriver]

We switched to wine when I figured out the beer was filling the black tank to quickly.

[botiemad11@juno.com]

At the FMCA rally in Farmington, one of the seminars covered this topic and the presenter suggested using peroxyde vice bleach. Odorless, tasteless, and one ounce per gallon will sanitize your tank. I usually add a 12 oz bottle, approximately 12 gal of FW before driving home from my last stop. Finally got rid of that chlorine smell and taste. Be aware also that chlorine bleach attacks some types of seals.

[bootsmalin]

We are vendors for FMCA with a product that you use in the fresh water tank that destroys existing bacterial colonies and prevents the developing of new ones, eliminates bad odor and bad taste to stored potable water supplies. When you use it everytime you put in more fresh water you don't have to worry about emptying the tank, it stays fresh and safe to drink. We live in earthquake country and leave our tank full year round when not traveling. Be careful about useing bleach in the fresh water tank, its hard to get all the bleach taste out.

Please send link to your website and product.

johnmalin@technologist.com

[dogtrot@roadrunner.com]

I add 1.5 ltrs. of a good grade Vodka to my fresh water tank and it always taste fresh too me!! Only joking but probably would work

[Jackhal49]

I bought a kit that cleans and sanitizes the tank in two steps. I don't like the taste or smell of chlorine in my water and it is really hard to get rid of. I also have a very good water filter that connects to the inlet on the water tank or the city water inlet. Do not want any contamination in my water. The kitchen sink also has a separate water filter just for drinking water. I fill our water tank from our deep water well so I know the water is good and clean, however, I still run it through the filter system. I'm very careful about any campground water that goes into my tank and it has to be filtered. Can't be too careful.

[springtimeontheroad@gmail.com]

We are vendors for FMCA with a product that you use in the fresh water tank that destroys existing bacterial colonies and prevents the developing of new ones, eliminates bad odor and bad taste to stored potable water supplies. When you use it everytime you put in more fresh water you don't have to worry about emptying the tank, it stays fresh and safe to drink. We live in earthquake country and leave our tank full year round when not traveling. Be careful about useing bleach in the fresh water tank, its hard to get all the bleach taste out.

Please send information and/or website links about the product to springtimeontheroad@gmail.com

Thanks for your help.

[Rosco]

I also commited that sin this fall an have a Surban heater with Plastic plug Which started to leak. the fix is to remove after you han a new plug. If cap comes off an threads a still in the Heater. It needs to be cut out with Hacksaw blade; Cut in gently with presser to inside of plug; That way you will not damage the threads on outer edge if you go too deep; carfully pry on outer edge with screw drive then pull out with needle nose Pliers.

Use plumbers dope to seal threads.

THOSE INSTRUCTIONS COST $60.00 and four hours wait for rv tech!

Flush with Clean Water has worked for Me

[tmoning]

Concerning using bleach to rinse the holding tank, an FMCA commercial member company that offers sanitation products, advises:

"In tests we have done, consumers have failed to adaquately rinse out all remaining bleach. Any bleach left in the system will not only contribute to the taste and smell of the water, but can also form a potent carcinogen with organics in the water that is added."

There are EPA-registered sanitizers on the market that are said to eliminate 99.9 percent of bacteria in 60 seconds, and get rid of the residual smell and taste.

[stevesandidge@yahoo.com]

I also commited that sin this fall an have a Surban heater with Plastic plug Which started to leak. the fix is to remove after you han a new plug. If cap comes off an threads a still in the Heater. It needs to be cut out with Hacksaw blade; Cut in gently with presser to inside of plug; That way you will not damage the threads on outer edge if you go too deep; carfully pry on outer edge with screw drive then pull out with needle nose Pliers.

Use plumbers dope to seal threads.

THOSE INSTRUCTIONS COST $60.00 and four hours wait for rv tech!

Flush with Clean Water has worked for Me

i have a easy out that fits inside the plastic plug, and can get one out in less that 10 min. the hacksaw thing is slow and hard to keep out of the threds, cut into those and it is hard to get it to stop leaking. you can get a set of pipe easyouts at harbor freight tool stores for less that 10 bucks.

steve sandidge

camping world rv univ

class 54

91 holiday rambler imperial

[carsten.schwark@shaw.ca]

I am a Chemical Engineering Technologist and have professionally work in areas of water purifications.

Sanitizing with bleach is controversial in the industry, simply because there is no safe level of chlorine for the human consumption. Bleach residue left in the tank can become a problem. However there is a simple solution to that.

In chemistry we would write bleach as NaOCl. We could also write NaClO (which is not the correct way but will make it easier for now). Now you can see that we have NaCl present with some oxygen hanging around. NaCl is TABLE SALT. So, in theory all we have to do is get that lazy oxygen molecule away from the table salt. And the answer to that is acetic acid, or for those that don't know what that is, VINEGAR. The vinegar will turn the bleach into table salt and Peracetic Acid which will also react as a antimicrobial agent.

The equation would be:

NaOCl + CH3COOH ------> NaCl + CH3COOOH

So how can we apply this to our RV's? It is OK to use a cup of bleach for every 15 gal of fresh water. After you rinse the tank and system out you use the same amount of Vinegar and rinse again and you will be fine. Don't worrie, the water will not tast like salt. The concentration is so small that you will not tast it. The peracetic acid is very unstable and in the concentration left behind will simply brake down.

I hope I wrote this in a way for most people to understand what I am talking about.

[stevesandidge@yahoo.com]

hey gonzo,

yeah i think i can understand it. i think it would be good to clarify that you need to do the process twice, 1st with bleach, then with the same amount of vinegar a 2nd time. that right? pretty good info, thanks

steve

[TZScales]

This is good information and timely. Since I will be dewinterizing my coach this weekend, I will seriously consider sanitizing the fresh water tank.