Sanitizing water tanks and lines

[Bonieta Joyce]

First time winterizing question: After the winter season is over and you open up your TT and drain the RV antifreeze do you sanitize all holding tanks and water lines with bleach? I have saw different replies and one lady told me not to use bleach in any of the tanks as it weakens all connections. Need some good advice here. Thanks

[Boss Wagon]

Flush the lines well. I sanitize my system before each trip. You will be using a small amount of bleach, 4 to 8 ounces in your fresh water tank, so it will not harm the system or fresh water tank. Put a little water in the tank, then add the bleach, and fill the tank. Run the bleached solution through all faucets and let the system sit for at least four hours before flushing. The gray and black holding tanks merely need to be flushed and need no bleach.

There are several ways to do this and most of us have our own methods which we tend to stick with. I have done it this way for 14 years and have never had a problem with my system or water quality.

The main idea is to be safe with your drinking water.

[tlhdoc]

You do not need to sanitize the gray and black water tanks. The small amount of bleach used to sanitize the water system will not hurt the water lines and connections. If you don't sanitize the entire fresh water system you could get sick from using the water.

[Seann45]

The connections are EXTERNAL crimps... she has no idea what she is talking about ... and at most you will use 1/2 cup of bleach in a tank of water... run it through your system let it sit for a few hours and drain it out.. rinse at least once to get the bleach taste out..

[krackeer]

I guess I might be a little confused here. My TT is stored at a cg, and only used there. I use shore power and hook a water hose to the city water connection. I was reading my owners manual and I still don't quit understand exactly how the water system works. If I am understanding correctly, even when using the city water connection, it fills my fresh water tank. Correct? If it is correct, I have never drained it when leaving. How do I drain it, if in fact the city water connection is filling it(without my knowledge)? I know I have 2 low point drains, labeled on the outside as low point drains and they can be seen by looking up by the labels, but the owners manual also mentions an actual exterior fresh tank drain. The owners manual also states that the low point drains will be located inside of the TT, but mine appear located outside, or are they perhaps the fresh tank drain I am unable to locate? (Darn, starting to get more confused the more I ask!) When it comes to sanitizing in the spring, I guess I just gravity pour the bleach solution into the fresh water tank, run some using the pump(not the city water), then let it set for 4 hours and then flush it out.

[Boss Wagon]

The fresh water tank has its own drain. When hooked to the "city" connection, the tank will not fill.

Typically city or municipal sources of water will stay fresh and safe longer in your camper as it has been treated with chlorine. One should never fill the fresh tank from a questionable source of water.

You can sanitize your system in the way you mentioned krackeer. The key is that after the bleach solution is drained, you need to flush, flush flush with fresh water.

[krackeer]

Originally Posted by Boss Wagon

The fresh water tank has its own drain. When hooked to the "city" connection, the tank will not fill.

Typically city or municipal sources of water will stay fresh and safe longer in your camper as it has been treated with chlorine. One should never fill the fresh tank from a questionable source of water.

You can sanitize your system in the way you mentioned krackeer. The key is that after the bleach solution is drained, you need to flush, flush flush with fresh water.

Since I do not use the fresh water, as for flushing, will it be sufficient to simply run a lot of the city water connection through all the faucets? Or do I flush them by putting water in the fresh water tank and pumping water through all the lines?

[Boss Wagon]

Originally Posted by krackeer

Since I do not use the fresh water, as for flushing, will it be sufficient to simply run a lot of the city water connection through all the faucets? Or do I flush them by putting water in the fresh water tank and pumping water through all the lines?

You would probably be okay in doing that. I'd use lots of water and start by running the with the faucet furthest away first, then move to another until each one has been done to include the bath/toilet etc.

On my old motorhome, I never had a bypass valve for the water heater, so I timed out how long it took to run a gallon from a faucet. Then I made sure to run over 6 gallons through the water heater as well.

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by krackeer

snip.....When it comes to sanitizing in the spring, I guess I just gravity pour the bleach solution into the fresh water tank, run some using the pump (not the city water), then let it set for 4 hours and then flush it out.

X2

Bob

[tlhdoc]

Originally Posted by krackeer

I guess I might be a little confused here. My TT is stored at a cg, and only used there. I use shore power and hook a water hose to the city water connection. I was reading my owners manual and I still don't quit understand exactly how the water system works. If I am understanding correctly, even when using the city water connection, it fills my fresh water tank. Correct? If it is correct, I have never drained it when leaving. How do I drain it, if in fact the city water connection is filling it(without my knowledge)? I know I have 2 low point drains, labeled on the outside as low point drains and they can be seen by looking up by the labels, but the owners manual also mentions an actual exterior fresh tank drain. The owners manual also states that the low point drains will be located inside of the TT, but mine appear located outside, or are they perhaps the fresh tank drain I am unable to locate? (Darn, starting to get more confused the more I ask!) When it comes to sanitizing in the spring, I guess I just gravity pour the bleach solution into the fresh water tank, run some using the pump(not the city water), then let it set for 4 hours and then flush it out.

The fresh water holding tank has a drain line on the tank and a valve on the end of the drain line. My drain line has a side to side twisting valve. Left is closed and turn it 180 to the right and it is open. I have one set of low point drains that open from the outside. They are close to the water heater. They are two lines that come through the floor of the trailer and have valves on the sides of the lines. My other low point drain is a single drain and that is accessed inside my bathroom cupboard. It is a "pull/push" valve. Pulling it up opens the drain and pushing it down closes the valve. The location is marked on the outside of the trailer.