Bleach in the Tank and Lines

[FeatherFam]

How long can I leave the bleach solution water in the tank and lines. The manual says to drain and flush after 4 hours. Can I leave it overnight, or will it harm the plumbing or tank if it stays in longer?

[Racinforthefinish]

Over night is just fine.

[stateboy]

I would add that the amount of bleach concentration soaking in the lines becomes the determining factor for how long the soak time should be. Chlorine itself is corrosive. Diluted with water makes it safer. You may get by on the overnight if your using the 50ppm ratio (1/4 cup bleach to 15 gallons of water). The manual says four hours there. One you double it to the 100ppm (1/2 cup to 15 gallons), it drops to one hour soak time. The reason is two fold. 1) the sanitation or germ/mold killing is done quicker and 2) because of the corrosive nature of a 100ppm mix. Personal preference will bring people to one side of the fence or the other on this (some saying yes, it's OK overnight and others saying no).

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[Jagiven]

I always let the solution soak over night. I don't think I have let it sit for more than 24 hours.

[FeatherFam]

Thank you, guys. I did the 1/4 cup to 15gal ratio. I will flush it this morning. I discovered the overflow drain hose up under the fill inlet. It flowed pretty strong for about 7-10 minutes. The pump seems to be working well, good pressure. We never use the fresh water tank, but we want to keep things properly serviced.

[TWP723]

Originally Posted by FeatherFam

Thank you, guys. We never use the fresh water tank, but we want to keep things properly serviced.

Good call!

[Studiovette]

Originally Posted by FeatherFam

Thank you, guys. I did the 1/4 cup to 15gal ratio. I will flush it this morning. I discovered the overflow drain hose up under the fill inlet. It flowed pretty strong for about 7-10 minutes. The pump seems to be working well, good pressure. We never use the fresh water tank, but we want to keep things properly serviced.

I'm actually gonna do this B4 we head south on Friday but just wondering something. You mentioned running the pump. Can't you just drain it from the outside via the low point drain? Is the purpose of using pump to get the lines cleaned inside? What if I just hook up my hose to the city connection while doing this? Is it still advisable to run the pump and also drain water heater?
Thx

[jasum]

You HAVE to drain the water tank, fill full with clean water and run water thru EVERY faucet to clear out bleach solution. You may need to do it a couple of times to get rid of all the bleach solution.

[stateboy]

I WANT the bleach solution to run into every nook and cranny in the system. If it didn't, those areas may be contaminated and will pass whatever contamination those untreated area have through the rest of the water lines, faucets, water heater, etc. once the water system was activated for normal use.

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[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by Studiovette

I'm actually gonna do this B4 we head south on Friday but just wondering something. You mentioned running the pump. Can't you just drain it from the outside via the low point drain? Is the purpose of using pump to get the lines cleaned inside? What if I just hook up my hose to the city connection while doing this? Is it still advisable to run the pump and also drain water heater?
Thx

Yes, you do want to pump at least some bleach solution through all the lines and let it soak too. I let everythingsoak overnight. Then drain, however you choose. Then rinse well. I do not like the smell of bleach, so I rinse the tank, fist just adding a little water to dilute what ever bleach water is left, I do this a couple times. Then I fill the tank full, run the pump for a while, to rinse the pipe between the pump and the tank.

Then I connect to the city water connection and flush the line to nearly all the bleach smell is gone. Mean while I drain the fw tank, via the low point.

I flush probably more than required but I don't like the black in my drinking water, and I do drink the water I put in my tank.

[Seann45]

Hi guys a little known fact that food grade Hydrogen peroxide works as well as bleach does and is environmentally friendly..