Fresh water question

[TCmontana]

Hello all

My wife and I are a bit new still to the Rv life. First we love it but as we are getting ready to get out rig out of storage, what is the best way to sanitize the fresh water tank. We have a 2020 Montana 3931fb. Any thoughts are welcomed.

Thanks

[AZ Traveler]

I put bleach in the hose (about a cup) and put several gallons of water in the fresh tank via the power fill. Then I disconnect the hose, turn the water pump on and run water at each faucet and the shower (hot and cold). When done, I drain the fresh tank.

[ChuckS]

Also once you have the bleach smell at each tap inside let the water sit in the lines for several hours.. The longer the better.. This gives the "free chlorine" a chance to actually sanitize the lines, tank and fixture lines and such

[RMcNeal]

Just to add to the above, I was told to put the water heater in bypass mode so you don't put bleach in the water heater tank. You can clean it up from the outside using a small hose adapter to flush it out.

[DutchmenSport]

Well, how DO you get bleach into the fresh water tank?

Answer.

Pour your bleach water solution into a bucket and suck it up using your winterizing connection.

Before you do that, connect your outside shower hose (that blue coiled hose in your wet bay area) to the city water "IN" connection, and flip the valve to "fill".

Now start "pumping the pink". Oh sorry, not RV antifreeze, start pumping the bleach water mix and turn on the outside faucet.

The water pump will pick up the bleach water from the bucket, pump it to the outside shower (blue coiled hose), the water hose hook up connection will feed the bleach water to the fresh water tank. Pump however much bleach you think you need for the size of your fresh water tank (it will be strong in the bucket), and when the bucket is empty, disconnect the winterizing stuff, and finish filling the fresh water tank with your garden hose, normally like you'd fill it any other time.

You now have your bleach water in your fresh water tank. You can now pump the sanitizing solution through all your plumbing lines. Let it sit in the lines for a while and then flush everything with fresh water.

[TCmontana]

Thanks for the helpful step by step..

[rohrmann]

Typically, you will want to sanitize the entire fresh tank, so that will need the tank full of chlorinated water. The chlorine bleach should be 1/4 cup per 16 gallons of water, so for a 60 gallon tank that would be about one cup of bleach. Here is a link with more information. https://blog.campingworld.com/rv-bas...-simple-steps/

[shovelhead86]

I dont know if I'm doing something wrong but I make sure my tank is near empty and pour a cup of bleach into the potable water hose that I will connect to city water. switch to tank fill and turn on. I also turn water heater bypass on. Then I run plenty of water from each faucet and shower. After several hours I drain the tank. Maybe more than once to get chlorine smell out. It seems to work. Another way I could get bleach into tank is to pour it in from the tank vent.

[Mikelff]

Here is the formula from other threads I have seen, and I use successfully. 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gallons of water. I put total amount of bleach needed mixed in 1 gallon water container/clean used milk jug. I feed this into my fresh water tank with funnel and a clear plastic hose through fresh water over flow. Fill fresh water tank. NO need to bypass hot water heater! You need to sanitize it as well and will NOT damage your hot water heater. Run water using rv pump through each faucet, hot and cold, until you smell the bleach. Let everything sit for 24 hours. Drain fresh water tank and hot water tank. Fill fresh water tank along with hot water tank. Flush all lines using RV water pump until no more bleach smell. Drain fresh water tank and hot water tank. Refill with fresh water and you are done. What little bleach that might remain in the system will not hurt you. You should do this every 6 months or so, depending on how often you use your RV. The more you use your water system the cleaner it will stay because you are circulating fresh water through your system and not letting bacteria build up as fast as if it sits in storage. Im a part timer so I sanitize my rig every 6 months, and immediately after I de- winterize. Hope this helps.

[Mikelff]

Originally Posted by TCmontana

Hello all

My wife and I are a bit new still to the Rv life. First we love it but as we are getting ready to get out rig out of storage, what is the best way to sanitize the fresh water tank. We have a 2020 Montana 3931fb. Any thoughts are welcomed.

Thanks

Fill your fresh water tank with fresh water. Flush all your water lines well using your RV water pump until no more pink can be seen BEFORE you sanitize. Then sanitize.

[TCmontana]

I kinda figured that one, but again thanks

[Minitrbo]

Can't the bleach water be added to the tank through the fresh water overflow "port" on the side of the trailer?

[Mark N.]

Don't use bleach. It's very damaging to plastics. Go to a pool supply store or order online, a granular sanitizer called sodium dichlor. 1/2 tsp., put into your fill hose, then fill the tank and let it sit overnight after pumping the sanitized water into all lines. Then drain and flush.

[Mikelff]

Originally Posted by Minitrbo

Can't the bleach water be added to the tank through the fresh water overflow "port" on the side of the trailer?

Yes, That's what I do.

[twindman]

Sorry to hijack thread. We store trailer in Mesa, AZ where winter is pretty warm. Before storing, we drain water heater and all water lines thru the covenience center. Also drain the fresh tank. completely.

We don't drink anything but bottled water when in the trailer. Since we store the unit when the temps are still around 90 or 95 degrees and leave the water heater drain open, is that enough to dry out all the lines and avoid mold or such? I have been doing this for 15 years now.

[TCmontana]

Is that a 1/2 tsp per gallon or for the entire system?

[Mark N.]

Originally Posted by TCmontana

Is that a 1/2 tsp per gallon or for the entire system?

1/2 tsp per tank! As you can see, a 1 lb bottle of this stuff will last you many, many years. Compare that to the cost of messy, damaging bleac0p This bottle would last you about a decade. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0876123WY..._wcR6Fb5RQGCBV

[Rondo]

To clear the chlorine smell from your lines and fresh water tank, add about a cup of baking soda to the hose after draining all the lines and tank and refill the tank and run the pump to fill the lines again. Let it set for a few hours and drain all the lines again and the tank again and then refill your tank with the amount you want to carry when traveling and make sure you turn your knobs to the correct setting again. The baking soda neutralizes the chlorine smell.

[TCmontana]

Thanks again for all the comments.

[Razrbk]

Originally Posted by Mark N.

1/2 tsp per tank! As you can see, a 1 lb bottle of this stuff will last you many, many years. Compare that to the cost of messy, damaging bleac0p This bottle would last you about a decade. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0876123WY..._wcR6Fb5RQGCBV

I use same type of product: Spa Time chlorinating granules
Works well.