I need a little help please re: Spring startup

[New traveler]

I am a new rv owner, with a 2007 29N Jayfeather. I have been reading the manual and am confused. To get ready for Spring, do I drain out the anti-freeze and flush it out with water only, or do I have to sanitize the system as well? The manual doesn't really explain this well.

[rabalin]

flush antifreeze with water, then sanitize every spring. Many great You-Tube videos, for about any info you need.

[tjpolsin]

you need to flush the anti-freeze out of your system first, then sanitize the system.

to flush,
- hook up shore water and open all faucets until they run clear.
- shut the hot water heater bypass valve, open the inlet and outlet valves and fill the hot water tank. Open the hot water faucets until water runs freely.
- don't forget your outside shower.

To sanitize:
- disconnect shore water
- mix the recommended bleach/water mixture into your fresh water tank. I mix 1/2 cup bleach into my 6gal plastic jerry can and dump that into my fresh water tank. then I fill the fresh water tank full.
- turn on your water pump and open each faucet until you smell bleach out of each one.
- turn off your pump and let it sit for 4 hours or so.
- Dump your fresh water tank and refill.
- turn on pump and open each faucet until bleach smell is gone (15-20 sec each).
- dump your fresh water tank again.

now you are sanitized and ready for adventures.

This process usually takes me 2 days to finish, as the fresh water tank takes forever to dump. I start in the morning on Saturday. By dinner time I dump the tank. The next day I fill the tank again for a rinse and dump it that afternoon.

Tim

[New traveler]

Thank you! That is just the level of detail that I needed.

[Flapper]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

This process usually takes me 2 days to finish, as the fresh water tank takes forever to dump. I start in the morning on Saturday. By dinner time I dump the tank. The next day I fill the tank again for a rinse and dump it that afternoon.

Tim

Or, if you start with empty gray tanks, you can just leave them open, and run the fresh tank dry by leaving all the faucets open. You're just dumping fresh, sanitized, water. The bleach level is not much higher than in a swimming pool, so is not a waste concern. Won't hurt grass, or anything else, in the area.

Hardest thing is getting the bleach water flushed out of the hot water side, as it takes a lot of repeats to turn over the 6 gal or so in the heater. I've found it best to pull the heater drain plug after sanitizing, let it drain, then carry on with a final flush of the system.

[New traveler]

I didn't know any of this, so thank you!

[Flapper]

Empty your tank and all lines after a trip, if you won't be using it for a while (weeks or longer). Also, again drain the hot water heater. You can get the dreaded "sulfur smell" from things growing in the hot water tank.

You may want to sanitize again part-way through the summer - some do, some don't, some never sanitize!