Fresh water tank sanitizer w/ power fill?

[astrungis]

How do you add sanitizer to the fresh water tank with a power fill system? The inlet has a screen and is mounted flush to the wall of the service area. Do you remove the screen and use a skinny funnel?

[ranch560]

Anthony, the easiest way is to use the freshwater fill inlet. It is usually located behind a small locked panel door. Mine is at the rear of my trailer. I use bleach as a sanitizer, diluting it with water, then pouring it into my tank. I then fill my tank, let it sit several hours, drain, fill it again (no bleach) to rinse, drain, then I'm ready to go.

[Carl n Susan]

I am pretty sure the fresh water fill access at the rear of the coach is a thing of the past effective with the late 2013 models. All there is the power fill position in the convenience center. I suspect the engineers didn't think of sanitizing when they eliminated the fill port.

I am curious to hear a solution.

[H. John Kohl]

If there is no fresh water "hose" fill on the new 2013 then my solution would be:

Mix a solution in a 5 gal pail.
Use the winterization hose connection to suck into the trailer. This requires the internal water pump to draw it in from the pail.
Open the fresh water fill valve and pump the solution into the holding tank.

[dieselguy]

Boy Howdy ... if there is no longer a fresh water fill that you can use a garden hose with ... we need to start firing off emails to Keystone. The fresh water fill via the convience center IS NOT CONVENIENT as it takes forever say you wish to completely fill your fresh water tank. The line is only 1/2" then the actual holes in the switch over valve is more like 3/8". Can engineers spell RESTRICTION? I can hear the conversation in the line at a lake fresh water fill station ... "yep there's one of those Montana people fillin her up without a garden hose ... might as well find a razor cause our beards will grow out before he's done".

[DQDick]

That does present a number of issues. You'd think Keystone would ask some owners before they make a decision like that.

[snfexpress]

While John gives an excellent example of how to introduce sanitizer into your holding tank, another way might be to get one of those lawn care bottles that attaches to your hose like this one from organicplanthealth.com for $7.50.

You can put your sanitizer in the bottle and it will be dispensed into your tank as you fill it. It has hose ends on each end.

[WeBeFulltime]

quote:Originally posted by ranch560

Anthony, the easiest way is to use the freshwater fill inlet. It is usually located behind a small locked panel door. Mine is at the rear of my trailer. I use bleach as a sanitizer, diluting it with water, then pouring it into my tank. I then fill my tank, let it sit several hours, drain, fill it again (no bleach) to rinse, drain, then I'm ready to go.

This is correct. In addition, I use the pump to draw some of the bleached water through all the lines and let it sit a while to sanitize them also. Be sure to flush them when finished.

[johncamtravel]

We have the 3900FB also and the only way I was able to sanitize the holding tank was to pour the bleach solution into the 50ft hose and run the water to fill the tank. At least you sanitize the hose also.
Then I drove the trailer and used the pump and ran water thru all the plumbing lines and then let it sit for couple of hours.
The other great thing with the 3900FB is that there is no provision for flushing Black Tank #2 when draining it. They only have a flush
on Black Tank #1. Great engineering. I guess they at Keystone feel
you only have to flush one Tank and not the other. When I talked to
Keystone I could not believe it when they told me that. Guess we will have to use lots of water in that toilet. Not happy about that...

[BB_TX]

I think johncamtravel has the best idea to make sure all the bleach goes directly to the freshwater tank first. Pour a cup of bleach into the hose, connect to water supply, set switch to tank fill, and run water supply until tank is full.
Then turn on the pump and pump water thru all faucets to make sure some goes into each line. You should be able to smell cholorine when it reaches the faucet. Let that set overnight. Then drain the tank and thoroughly flush out the entire system.

[Samiterry]

Just got off phone with Keystones, what they like to refer themselves as, "Tech Support", and asking her how I sanitize a 2013 Montana w/Big Sky package, she told me to use the exterior fill to fresh water tank. Which I then asked her where this fill access was located. She said it is located near fresh water tank. With which I then asked where the fresh water tank was. Anyway to make a long story short, and after she consulted with both engineering prints and I believe with an engineer, she proceeded to tell me there isn't any way to sanitized the fresh water tank and there isn't a need to because it is a "sealed" system. Now, dummy me, why they have always had a way to sanitize a fresh water tank up until 2013 and all of sudden it's not neccessary, well, I just don't get it. What I do know is, we will be going to the fall rally in Goshen and this will be item #2 that Keystone will be hearing about so far.

[Gkerlin]

Fortunately there were a few other ways suggested to get bleach into your fresh water tank and circulated thru the lines. Don't buy Keystones "sealed system" garbage for a second.

Just sitting around with the tank unused - bacteria can grow in the tank or lines. but what about... oh lets say you get some questionable quality water somewhere? In Keystones sealed system concept - that just means you've sealed in the germs for your drinking pleasure.

Looks like another bright design decision made by someone who never took one of these units out for a spin.

[Samiterry]

Ok, let me start off by saying, I was just playing dummy when talking to the "tech". I realize all of the ways mentioned along with a few dozen others. I knew before I called the "tech" told me there wasn't a hose filler for the tank, and I also knew where the tank was. I was wanting them to tell me that it was impossible to sanitize the tank in the old conventional way. I also know that when it comes to water in an RV, there's no such thing as a closed system. When you buy a $106000msrp unit, you expect to be able to do the things you know need to be done.

[cargary2]

I read about this topic for the first time last night, without realizing that I had the same system that "astrungis" was talking about.
We have recently purchased a 2013 3100 RL Montana and brought it home on 5-9-2013. We haven't camped with it yet as we have been installing in it, our camping gear we had in our former fifth wheel. I now realize that the method I have used in the past...placing a funnel into the fresh water fill opening and dumping the gallon jugs of water/chorine mixture into the tank to sanitize the entire water system, is no longer used.
With the new unit, we now have only the city water fill inlet to provide city water for the coach and or to fill the fresh water tank. This is now done with a selector lever that allows two functions - to have city water flow through the coach water lines or to allow the power fill of the fresh water tank.
This morning, I called the dealer that I bought our unit from. I explained to the service person the problem I had and asked what the new process is regarding the sanitizing of the fresh water tank. He didn't know and after talking to others in the service dept. replied that there isn't any way now to sanitize it. I was shocked and dumbfounded. I then called Keystone and talked to the customer service dept. and the lady I spoke to, and after conferring with some others, told me there wasn't any way to sanitize the tank with my current setup. I asked her how this could happen and she told me that their engineers changed the process to make it more convenient for the customers to fill the fresh water tank. I can appreciate this, but the tank still needs to be sanitized to be safe for consumption. The lady went on to say if they get enough calls on this, that the future units will most likely get a fix. I asked what am I to do until then....and was told, "I'm sorry"! I then asked to speak to the manager and was told that I could leave a message, but would not receive a call back from anyone, as that is her job....dealing with customer problems.
Anyway, sorry this is so long, but after thinking on this a while afterwards, I wondered why I couldn't use the same process that I use to winterize my system each fall. A few years ago, I bought a manual siphon/pump combo to pump antifreeze into the water lines and fixtures to winterize the water system. I don't know why this same tool wouldn't work to siphon and pump the sanitizing solution into the fresh water tank? Then later fill the remainder with hose? Is there anything that I am missing or is this a viable solution?
Thanking everyone in advance for any input.

[jlb27537]

Hello folks,

I just sold my 1996 Safari Motorhome. It did NOT have a gravity water fill. It filled from the city water hose with a flip of a valve. Some how we managed to full time in it for 7 years with no gravity fill.

Once a year, I'd take the water hose, pour a cup of bleach in it. Connect the hose to the motorhome and the faucet. Fill the 100 gal fresh water tank. Turn on the pump till I had bleach water out every faucet and let it sit over nite. Then drain the tank, refill fresh tank and purge the lines.

Now with my 2014 3150RL I picked up yesterday, the water system is the same as on my 17 year old motorhome.

Folks get over it. You do not need a gravity fill port.

Jim

[Gkerlin]

I can fill my tank from the Gravity fill in about 15 minutes. Using the so-called convenience center it takes a good 1/2 hour. so I never fill it that way.

Like wise I prefer to not have to pour bleach into my hose - perhaps spill some on my pants... what ever. Can they sanitize the tank without it..? Yes But having the gravity fill door is WAY more convenient.

If you had had one on your 17 yr old motorhome you might understand why some folks are not happy.

[CruzerDoc]

I brought the 2014 3400RL home last week and had the same thoughts. I sanitized the plumbing by filling a 5 gallon bucket with the proper mix of water and bleach, switched the system to "winterize", by-passed the water heater and turned on the pump. No problem. tried to fill the fresh water tank with the "winterize" switch but no luck. The tank does have a drain hose on it. My thoughts are to rig a valve to the end of that(it has a screw on cap at the moment) use a hose to add a bleach solution (gravity filled) and then fill it the rest of the way with the hose. Would need to open the power fill valve to prevent pressure backup. Does this make sense? What do you think? Am I missing something? I think this would also work for winterizing the tank.

[astrungis]

After reading all the suggestions, johncamtravel's idea seemed the most convenient to me. So that is what I did - disconnect my water hose, emptied any remaining water out the last 10 feet, filled the end of the hose with sanitizer, reconnected, flipped the switch to "fresh water tank" and let it rip. Thanks for your ideas.

[jlb27537]

quote:Originally posted by Gkerlin

I can fill my tank from the Gravity fill in about 15 minutes. Using the so-called convenience center it takes a good 1/2 hour. so I never fill it that way.

Like wise I prefer to not have to pour bleach into my hose - perhaps spill some on my pants... what ever. Can they sanitize the tank without it..? Yes But having the gravity fill door is WAY more convenient.

If you had had one on your 17 yr old motorhome you might understand why some folks are not happy.

Hello, I just filled my fresh tank with the power fill and it took exactly 12 minutes. I did not have to stand and hold the hose, unhook anything, just flip a lever.

I like the power fill.

Jim

[Recumbent]

I have been waiting for a simple solution to sanitizing the fresh water tank. Been patiently reading the MOC and findly after trolling a few weeks the subject appears. I was going to do a sanitizing in April before leaving on our current trip (in AZ today leaving for CA tomorrow) and when back to the back corner to look for a fill cap, but no cap, just a vent. I thought it got to be here somewhere, but no there is not one. I even thought of replacing the air vent with a fill cap, which could maybe be done, but thanks to the comments here I will just pour bleach into the water hose and turn on the fresh water fill valve and then reconnect the city water and turn it on. Then I can fill the fresh tank to some estimated quantity of water for cutting the bleach dilution to some guess work amount then turn off the city water and turn on the pump and push water to the kitchen and bath without doing anything to the clothe washer line. So, another lesson, all new things are not improvements, I hope the marketing department did't try to sell this as an improvement.