How to sanitize water system ?

[MVieira]

What do most people do to sanitize the water system after the trailer has been stored ? Every year I've been dumping a couple cups of clorox into the tank and adding about 5 gallons of water and running it through all the faucets and then draining the system and flushing it with fresh water. I've been doing it this way for years because the guy at the trailer place told me to do it that when I bought my first trailer in 1994. I'd like some opinions from the trailer guys here on the TDR. Is what I'm doing wrong and is there a better way to do this. I've looked at the bottles of junk at camping world and I'm not real sure if they are better. I'd appreciate any advice. Thank you, Mike.

 

[SBall]

Sanitizing according to Lance

My Lance manual suggests the following:



1. Prepare a chlorine solution with one gallon of water and 1/4 cup of household bleach.



2. Pour one gallon of the solution for each 15 gallons of fresh water tank capacity into the tank. (My fresh water tank is about 30 gallons so I end up using about two gallons of the solution).



3. Fill the tank with fresh water.



4. Turn on your pump and open each faucet and water heater relief valve until water flows evenly. Then close all valves and turn pump off.



5. Allow solution to stand for 3 hours.



6. Drain and flush with fresh water.



To remove any chlorine taste you can fill the tank with one quart of vinegar to each 5 gallons of water and let it sit for several days. This is an optional step.



Hope this helps.



Steve

 

[Hoefler]

The idea is to get a chlorine level of 5ppm ( parts per million ). Let soak, health department recommends 24 hours for fresh water systems, flush until clear and no smell of chlorine.

 

[TLane]

We basically do what SBall does, only we let the chlorine sit in the system overnight, typically close to 24 hours. Then flush some fresh water, and then the vinegar, then more fresh water flush, then partially fill the tank and go. We start something like a week before our first trip of the season and usually do things like turn on the fridge, run the A/C, check the air in the tires, water the battery, and all those other things.

If you have a water filter inside the unit, don't forget to pull the cartridge out before sanitizing as the carbon filter type will attempt to remove all the chlorine. Put in a new cartridge and flush it after the chlorine/vinegar is done.

 

[Regcabguy]

I just did mine using the above mentioned technique. I formally used a charcoal filter to remove chlorine from the tap,but I developed some mold in the supply line to the pump this time do to neglect and non-use.



From now on,I won't use the filter and just go with the city water complete with it's minute amount of chlorine. We only use it for showers and washing dishes anyway.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I just did mine using the above mentioned technique. I formally used a charcoal filter to remove chlorine from the tap,but I developed some mold in the supply line to the pump this time do to neglect and non-use.



From now on,I won't use the filter and just go with the city water complete with it's minute amount of chlorine. We only use it for showers and washing dishes anyway.

Yep, I don't use a filter either... never have for that reason. We don't drink the water that comes out of the tank so a little chlorine in the city water isn't a big deal.



Bill

 

[AH64ID]

I do about 2 cups in the full 40 gallons and only let it sit for about 30-45 minutes because the bleach is supposed to be really hard on the tank/plumbing plastic.

 

[Yo Hoot]

I did like the trailer instructions said... 3-4 hours.

 

[MVieira]

SBall - Good detailed instructions, that is what I was looking for. Thank you to everyone that gave some input, I really appreciate the advice. Regards, Mike.

 

[Grizzly]

I sanitized the water system on my 5th wheel today. My owners guide calls for basically the same procedure that SBall described, except to refill the tank after all water outlets have been sanitized and let it stand for 3 to 4 hours, then drain and refill and drain with clear water 2 or 3 times. Final step is to fill with one quart of vinegar to each 5 gallons of water and let it stand overnight.



Don't forget to add the capacity of the water heater to the capacity of the water tank. My water tank is 76 gals and my water heater is 10 gals. That's going to take a lot of vinegar. I don't believe I'm going to do that because we take along a 5 gal jug of tap water for drinking and cooking.



No, we don't travel with 86 gals of water. If we're dry camping we fill it when we get there.



george

 

[BIGNASTY]

Bleach in the tank and run same water to fill the Hot water and water lines to all sinks and the tub let it sit for a day or two drain, flush and refill with filtered water. 2 cups in our 45 gal tank 10 gal water heater and all lines. It has to be just plain Bleach no color saving crap just PLAIN CLOROX BLEACH. We do our's before every use. BTJMO