Skip to main content
Topic: Sanitizing our fresh water tank (Read 1198 times) previous topic - next topic

Sanitizing our fresh water tank

It will soon be time to sanitize our fresh water tank.  This involves putting laundry bleach into the white hose with a funnel and then hooking the white hose to city water.

In the absence of city water, could I hook the white hose up to the faucet in the utility bay? 

We now have about a half tank of water and a 200 mile drive ahead of us.  I thought this would be a good time to put in the bleach, but there is no water supply where we are camped.

George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #1
Sorry to say it won't work.

Problem is that opening the valve to fill the fresh water tank sends the pressurized water that would have gone to the faucet into the fresh tank instead.  You won't have much if any pressure or flow through your white hose.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #2
Your approach will work just fine.  You're setting up a closed loop.  Why do you think it's time to sanitize?  Did you get a bad load of "city water"?  I've full-timed for 18 years and never sanitized my water system.  I just add a little bleach when I have to use water from a private well.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #3
George, you are a full timer and are using your coach. I would say just go to a park that has city water like in Houston Texas or in a major city you will be able to smell the chlorine they put in there. I used my pool testing kit one time and found the drinking water was over 1 ppm out of the tap at my uncles house and is almost that at my old house. If you fill up with that water a few times a year that should be fine. The sanitation of the of a new tank or one that sits outside and gets no use for months.  I will fill up with city water every trip out if I can.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #4
Or, another alternative is to add 1/10 oz. of chlorine per ten gallons of fresh water capacity a couple times a year.  That's what I have been doing since 1978 and have never had any problems.

" George, you are a full timer and are using your coach. I would say just go to a park that has city water like in Houston Texas or in a major city you will be able to smell the chlorine they put in there. I used my pool testing kit one time and found the drinking water was over 1 ppm out of the tap at my uncles house and is almost that at my old house. If you fill up with that water a few times a year that should be fine. The sanitation of the of a new tank or one that sits outside and gets no use for months.  I will fill up with city water every trip out if I can."

Paul 36' 2000 U320
Paul
36' 2000 U320
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #5
So the perfect place to ask a dumb question.  NO OUTSIDE FILL???  Book says to fill the hose with chlorine mix then force it in.  Not a real elegant solution, especially if you need to put in a bunch of anti-freeze.  Has anyone/is there a way to add an outside fill?
1996 U270
Build #4846

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #6
Yes Barry and Cindy posted something on that but you can put antifreeze in by taking the suction side of the pump off and put a T in and switch it to the antifreeze bottle.  Easy.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #7
Quote
Has anyone/is there a way to add an outside fill?

Here is some photos and instructions of what some others have done.
http://beamalarm.com/Documents/water_tank_gravity_fill.htm
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #8
So many mods, so little time........ :))
1996 U270
Build #4846

Re: Sanitizing our fresh water tank

Reply #9
I use my overflow pipe and put a whit hose down it and the pour whatever I'm using to sanitize the tank, then I can also yop it off that way
Gervin C. Friedrich
1996 U320