Sanitize fresh water tanks
Chris Lamb, N7FNB
about 7 weeks fulltime, having covered 48 states and 24000 miles.
That means we filled up with water at lots of different places. I can
imagine that at least one of those may not have had water that was
tested. Just for health reasons, do you do anything to the fresh
water tanks - God knows we dump enough chemicals into the grey and
black - and if so what do you do. When we took delivery it had been
winterized and it tooks a couple months for the taste of that
winterizing chemical to disappear. About all I drink from the tanks
is boiled water for coffee anyway.
Pepperoni
"Chris Lamb, N7FNB" <1awe...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:41920e03...@news.cox.net...
I don't know how the RVers will react, but.........
Sometimes to clear bacteria from water systems in houses, Hydrogen peroxide
is used. It's safe enough to use as a mouthwash. (read the bottle) I'd
make sure to top the tank up afterward to get full coverage, and let it sit
a couple days. A couple bottles should do it. Then empty and rinse the
tanks out. Its usually used on a bacteria that causes a foul (rotten egg)
odor and color change in the water (black).
If you like your coffee, use bottled water. If you get distilled or spring
water in the gallon jugs, its much cheaper than the name brand designer
water.
Pepperoni
dm.callier
A. When properly winterized the fresh water tank won't have anti-freeze
introduced.
B. Fill your fresh water tank, adding a little bleach, let sit for a short
time, drain and fill with fresh water. That'll disinfect your tank.
John Bell
I have RV'd for a long time, from coast to coast and border to border.
It has been rare that I ever came across "bad" water. Of course I don't
examine it under a microscope. But even so, I sanitize my fresh water
tank once a year. Besides that, and this drives me nuts, my wife insists
on buying bottled water, even though we have an outside water filter and
a filtering pitcher we keep in the fridge. There are probably some
commercial products you can buy to sanitize the tank, but I believe most
people just use ordinary bleach. jtb
Golfers!
If fewer strokes
Are what you crave
You're out of the rough
With
Burma Shave
Bob Giddings
wrote:
>Chris,
>I have RV'd for a long time, from coast to coast and border to border.
>It has been rare that I ever came across "bad" water. Of course I don't
>examine it under a microscope. But even so, I sanitize my fresh water
>tank once a year. Besides that, and this drives me nuts, my wife insists
>on buying bottled water, even though we have an outside water filter and
>a filtering pitcher we keep in the fridge. There are probably some
>commercial products you can buy to sanitize the tank, but I believe most
>people just use ordinary bleach. jtb
>
So far I have been fulltiming for two years. Like you, I've never
come across bad water from a faucet connected to a municipal water
system. Or a well, for that matter.
I think the concern about bad water is way, way, way, way overblown.
But I do use a small inline carbon filter for taste considerations.
It too is probably not necessary, but it came with the rig.
In fact, very seldom do you need to add anything to your grey and
black tanks. The key is to use all of your tanks, all the time, and
never leave your outlet valve open. This will result in proper
flushing with plenty of water whenever they fill up, which is about
every 3 or 4 days, and there won't be a chance for stuff to smell.
All the people I have talked to who had an odor problem had it during
or after storing the unit, not when actively using it.
Even then, the key is to flush the tanks with fresh water.
You don't need to foul them with chemicals. You just need to flush.
Bob
Current email at:
bobgiddings0 at yahoo dot com
Chris Lamb, N7FNB
On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 08:48:36 -0500, ss1a...@webtv.net (John Bell)
wrote:
>Chris,
Chris Lamb, N7FNB
the cost) but she insists you have to or it will smell. A cousin of
hers said he just runs a bunch of hot water into the black and grey
tanks with a little dish washing soap and as he runs down the road is
really cleans everything out.
I used to be a Culligan Man in Wisconsin and I can tell you there is
lots of "bad" water around. One town almost threw me in jail when I
proved to them that their water supply was contaminated and that they
were not properly testing. So it can happen.
The once a year with some hydrogen peroxide sounds like a reasonable
solution. I hate using bleach because it can react with so many other
things in a bad way.
On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 08:17:11 -0700, Bob Giddings <m...@privacy.net>
wrote:
Lone Haranguer
> The once a year with some hydrogen peroxide sounds like a reasonable
> solution. I hate using bleach because it can react with so many other
> things in a bad way.
Many towns have enough chlorine in their water to kill anything that got
in your tank. I don't know how good your nose is but all I have to do
is sniff it. We buy bulk reverse osmosis water for
drinking/coffee/juice/ice cubes because it gives consistent results.
However when we can't find a water machine we use whatever is in the
tank. By now we know which campgrounds/cities have good-tasting water
and that is where we fill our tank.
LZ
bill horne
Some 'sanitize', some don't. I don't. We started TTing in 1970, and have
never 'sanitized'. Before topping off anywhere, I simply ran a glass of
water, looked at it, smelled it, and tasted it. If it passed, I topped
off. If it didn't, I didn't. I'm still alive.
--
bill
Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.
Bob Hatch
bill horne <red...@rye.net> pounded out these words:
>
> Some 'sanitize', some don't. I don't. We started TTing in 1970, and
> have never 'sanitized'. Before topping off anywhere, I simply ran a
> glass of water, looked at it, smelled it, and tasted it. If it
> passed, I topped off. If it didn't, I didn't.
Kind of the same thing we do. I've never sanitized the fresh tank. I've
"refreshed" the water by draining the old and adding new, but never
"sanitized".
I'm still alive.
Are you sure?
bill horne
>
> In news:41924EC6...@rye.net,
> bill horne <red...@rye.net> pounded out these words:
>
> Are you sure?
I'm pretty sure. If I'm not, then I know what the afterlife is - or I'm
dreaming inside of a damned long nap.
Mark Filice
I brew my own beer at home. I use iodophor to sterilize all my equipment
(fermenter, hoses, bottles, etc.) It is a common sterilizing agent used in the
restaurant industry.
Once a year, I sterilize my trailer's freshwater tank with iodophor. I mix up a
solution based on my 35 gal tank. I empty the tank and flush it once with
water--although the attached article says I don't have to. I have a liter bottle
that costs around $15.00 or so. I use so little of it, it lasts a long time.
Smaller bottles for around $3-$5 would last an RVer a long time.
http://www.handpaintedglassware.com/brewing/iodophor.html
I have an inline filter that I connect up to the campground water supply.
Mark
"Relax, don't worry. Have a homebrew"
William Boyd
system. They call for 5% sodium hypochlorinate solution diluted. I
would rather use the granule chemical that most water departments
use. My rig came with a rather large filter, but it only filters the
city water inlet. I think they should have connected it so as to
filter both the storage tank as well as external source. After the
warranty is up I will reconnect it to do just that. This system is
about the same as the Omni Whole house filter, only just a single
10" filter. As for as when to sanitize, an ounce of prevention is
worth more than a pound of cure as they say. There are occasions
that one should sanitize, when in doubt check with your health
department. We can take a sample to them and for a small nominal fee
they will perform a bacteria test.
--
BILL P.
2004, 2500 SLT Quad Cab, Dodge Ram, SWB, 2WD,
5.9 HO Turbo Diesel,48RE Auto Trans,Anti-Spin Dif.
Rhino Liner, Husk 16K.Voyager Controller
2005, 27RL Wildcat, DT/PC Wi-Fi.
Just Me and Dog
Neon John
and is mounted exposed under the rig. In the heat of summer, reflected
sunlight makes algae growth explode. The water comes out looking
distinctly Irish :-)
A little bleach in the tank, followed by flush fixes the problem.
John
---
John De Armond
johngdDO...@bellsouth.net
http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/
Cleveland, Occupied TN
Steve Wolf
> and is mounted exposed under the rig. In the heat of summer, reflected
> sunlight makes algae growth explode. The water comes out looking
> distinctly Irish :-)
>
> A little bleach in the tank, followed by flush fixes the problem.
Bleach, it works great. The rest is a troll, right?
Steve
www.wolfswords.com under the motorhome tab
Lon VanOstran
Lamb, N7FNB) writes:
We are _supposed_ to use a cup or so of bleach in a tank of water to "sanitize"
the water system, once a year or so. Even more important is to drain and
thoroughly flush your water heater every 6 months or so.
I flush our WH at LEAST every 6 months, but have never sanitized our fresh
water supply. Since it's been over 63 months, maybe I'll get around to that
eventually. Maybe not. Our immune systems work pretty well. <g>
Lon
Alan Balmer
wrote:
>The Forrest River Owners manual calls for sanitizing the fresh water
>system. They call for 5% sodium hypochlorinate solution diluted.
Are you sure they didn't say sodium hypochlorite? That's the most
common recommendation - it's ordinary liquid laundry bleach (Clorox.)
> I
>would rather use the granule chemical that most water departments
>use. My rig came with a rather large filter, but it only filters the
>city water inlet. I think they should have connected it so as to
>filter both the storage tank as well as external source. After the
>warranty is up I will reconnect it to do just that. This system is
>about the same as the Omni Whole house filter, only just a single
>10" filter. As for as when to sanitize, an ounce of prevention is
>worth more than a pound of cure as they say. There are occasions
>that one should sanitize, when in doubt check with your health
>department. We can take a sample to them and for a small nominal fee
>they will perform a bacteria test.
--
Al Balmer
Balmer Consulting
removebalmerc...@att.net
Neon John
few weeks in the summer and it'll turn bright green with algae. A white
coffee cup full of the water looks like it's been tinted with food color.
The water tank has a green tint to it.
I headed out on a flat spot camping trip back in Sept without checking the
water quality. It had sat for several weeks as I traveled with my mom in
her MH. I arrived at the campsite with bright green water. I used up my
entire distilled water supply making coffee that 3 days weekend! Oh the
hardship!
John
---
BeeCee
tank. I do mine every spring when I get the rig out of storage.
But - let's put this in perspective - that's only good for today - does
nothing for the next load of water you take on from an new source.
I've been travelling for a good many years now - usually one long 2 or 3
month trip a year - that's a lot of water fill-ups - never had a sickness I
could attribute to the water supply.
I figure if the water comes from either a municipal system or a frequently
used campground source chances are any problems with contamination would
have been noticed. But - if you fill up with the dump station hose, which I
have witnessed more than once, you asked for it.
Hey ....... what's life without a little risk?
BeeCee
Albert at dot
LZ
When we built our home we put in the reverse osmosis unit and we had
it about three months when our dentist told us that the reverse
osmosis demineralized the water therefore if you drink it will leach
the minerals in your teeth.
Fact is, when our company builds a new gasoline plant it was our
practice to circulate demineralized water throughout the whole system
to dissolve the iron droplets that form while welding (dill-berries),
and it works.
The technology of it says that pure water (no minerals) will dissolve
any mineral to the point of saturation. The rate that is absorbed is
directly proportional to the amount of the dissolved mineral in the
water.
Our doctor said a person should drink a good sanitized and filtered
water in order to get their daily mineral requirements.
Although I'm pretty sure it will not affect dentures ;-)
Albert
Lone Haranguer
> When we built our home we put in the reverse osmosis unit and we had
> it about three months when our dentist told us that the reverse
> osmosis demineralized the water therefore if you drink it will leach
> the minerals in your teeth.
Most commercial water machines give you a choice of with/without
minerals being added back in. The local water supply has a high
flouride content. People who have lived here all their lives have black
teeth. Arsenic is also high.
> Our doctor said a person should drink a good sanitized and filtered
> water in order to get their daily mineral requirements.
So far my teeth are holding out quite well but I will mention this to my
dentist.
>
> Although I'm pretty sure it will not affect dentures ;-)
I suggest we have Will Sill soak a set and log the results.
LZ
HD in NY
snipped
> So far my teeth are holding out quite well but I will mention this to my
> dentist.
>
>>
>> Although I'm pretty sure it will not affect dentures ;-)
>
>
> I suggest we have Will Sill soak a set and log the results.
> LZ
I read this and the mental picture got me laughing so hard I
almost pissed my pants <lol>. Dentures, nuts, soaking, <snerk>
HD in CNY
Lone Haranguer
> I read this and the mental picture got me laughing so hard I almost
> pissed my pants <lol>. Dentures, nuts, soaking, <snerk>
Better have your prostate checked, Hugh. People hate stained furniture.
LZ
HD in NY
No problem Linus. PSA has been around 2.2/2.3 for several
years now. Speaking of which, did you see the warning on
high dose Vitamin E? I've been taking 1200 units a day with
selenium for several years now. Perused the web and came up
with;
<http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200501040-00110v1>
Interesting eh? My cardiologist knows about it and has never
said anything negative. Maybe I'm in the study <g>.
HD in CNY
Lone Haranguer
> <http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200501040-00110v1>
>
> Interesting eh? My cardiologist knows about it and has never said
> anything negative. Maybe I'm in the study <g>.
> HD in CNY
>
kill you, you will live longer....
Sounds like rolling dice. My doctor says I could live to be a hundred
unless I die first.
LZ
ElAlumbrado
> water tanks ...
I occasionally inject an oven-baster full of Clorox into the fresh water hose before filling the
tank. Seems to work. But, we don't drink the water out of the tank anyway.
El Alumbrado
"Civis Texanus Sum"
R.J.(Bob) Evans
>Some 'sanitize', some don't. I don't. We started TTing in 1970, and have
>never 'sanitized'. Before topping off anywhere, I simply ran a glass of
>water, looked at it, smelled it, and tasted it. If it passed, I topped
>off. If it didn't, I didn't. I'm still alive.
That's about the same program that we use. I did bleach the bus right
after we bought it and then it took most of the summer to get the
lingering bleach taste out of the tanks. I'm pretty particular about
what water I put into the tanks - I doubt we will put bleach in them
again.
Sample size of 1 - we've had plenty of Mexican water running through
our system and never had a problem. But I don't recall ever actually
filling the fresh water tank with Mexican water, FWTW.
R.J.(Bob) Evans
(return address needs alteration to work)
DeLores Lamb
N7FNB) wrote:
>I hope DeLores reads this. I have wanted to not use chemicals (mostly
>the cost) but she insists you have to or it will smell. A cousin of
>hers said he just runs a bunch of hot water into the black and grey
>tanks with a little dish washing soap and as he runs down the road is
>really cleans everything out.
It took me awhile but I finally read it. lol Actually, it isn't
necessarily to prevent smells but I have always thought the chemicals
helped to break down toilet paper.
DeLores