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Old 06-19-2016, 08:44 PM   #141
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...of course if your hiking the mountains above the snow line all you sometimes need to carry is a tin cup....

...Unless the snow is pink. Little known factoid: there's a fungus that grows on some glaciers that turns the snow pink because the fungus produces phenolphthalein as a metabolic byproduct. You might remember phenolphthalein from chemistry class as a pH indicator. It is also a powerful laxative, and is unfazed by boiling ;-)
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Old 06-20-2016, 12:05 AM   #142
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There are experts who now argue that we have taken the idea that everything has to be sterile to a dangerous level .

I agree wholeheartedly Steve. One of the reasons I believe we grew up healthy with very little illness or visits to the Doctor was that we played outside, got muddy and dirty, ate unprocessed and unrefrigerated food, and were exposed to all sorts of things that built up our immunity. The lives of many people today are completely insulated from such things.

Having said that, I can't go with drinking the holding tank water. Not because of any health concerns, but because of the taste. When I was a kid I didn't know the difference, and was thrilled to drink from an old rubber hose.



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Old 06-20-2016, 01:50 AM   #143
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sanitizing tank and lines

My concern continues to be that people be diligent in properly sanitizing their trailer's water supply system. And if their trailer has sat in storage for a long time with water stagnating in the fresh water tank, do an extra good job cleaning it.

I agree that we need not live in a sterile environment, but drinking from a tank that hasn't been properly maintained is a risk to people who don't have a good immune response to germs. It would take a lot of bacteria or algae to affect the taste of the water, so don't rely on that for how clean your water is.

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Old 06-20-2016, 01:29 PM   #144
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sanitizing tank and lines

I agree Bob. I just got done bleaching and rinsing our system. Robert for the water we drink from the tank, we run it thru a Pur filter pitcher and neither of us can discern any taste. Also we never put any water in the tank without running it thru an RV Carbon filter first.

Maybe we both just have poor tastebuds!

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Old 06-20-2016, 01:52 PM   #145
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After having my 19' for about 3yrs, any water stored in the freshwater tank still takes on a plastic taste after a few days in the tank, even if we sanitize the tanks in advance with a bleach solution. Knowing this, we try to refill our freshwater tanks every 2-3 days when using the trailer. Keeps the water fresher and more drinkable. I am hoping that this taste issue will eventually fade away.
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Old 06-20-2016, 02:25 PM   #146
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After having my 19' for about 3yrs, any water stored in the freshwater tank still takes on a plastic taste after a few days in the tank, even if we sanitize the tanks in advance with a bleach solution. Knowing this, we try to refill our freshwater tanks every 2-3 days when using the trailer. Keeps the water fresher and more drinkable. I am hoping that this taste issue will eventually fade away.
I've often wondered why water ,milk , fruit juice and soda pop come in plastic jugs and PEX is used for most domestic water lines yet the product they contain do not taste like plastic . Maybe RV manufacturers use a different plastic for their fresh water tanks or maybe it's all in my imagination ?.
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Old 06-20-2016, 02:55 PM   #147
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I've often wondered why water ,milk , fruit juice and soda pop come in plastic jugs and PEX is used for most domestic water lines yet the product they contain do not taste like plastic . Maybe RV manufacturers use a different plastic for their fresh water tanks or maybe it's all in my imagination ?.
The plastic used for beverage containers is usually PET (polyethylene terephthalate). PEX is cross-linked polyethylene. I think freshwater tanks are usually polyethylene as well, although they could be polypropylene and some are even ABS. PET and polyethylene are not the same, despite the similarity in the name. The issue is probably that few products are pure polyethylene (or other polymer), and trace additives could be an issue.

Another possible issue would be the vinyl (PVC) hoses which are normally used in RVs where flexibility is needed, such as from the freshwater tank to the pump, and (hopefully but often not) at the pump discharge.
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Old 06-21-2016, 08:44 PM   #148
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We bring bottled water for drinking. I would like to know how to get debris (pipe dope?)out of the line so we do not need to constantly removing the areators because they are clogged. We put in a new water pump because it ran constantly, we needed to turn it off at the main switch. We have flushed the hot water tank twice, used a special tool for rinsing the second time. Got lots of sand and pretty good sizes of blue plastic. We were surprised at how much a 2 month old anode could break down. We have used the gravity drain to empty fresh water tanks, but I don't think the hole is low enough or large enough to flush debris. We are beginning to think the source of debris may be coming from the hot water.
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Old 06-21-2016, 08:52 PM   #149
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We bring bottled water for drinking. I would like to know how to get debris (pipe dope?)out of the line so we do not need to constantly removing the areators because they are clogged. We put in a new water pump because it ran constantly, we needed to turn it off at the main switch. We have flushed the hot water tank twice, used a special tool for rinsing the second time. Got lots of sand and pretty good sizes of blue plastic. We were surprised at how much a 2 month old anode could break down. We have used the gravity drain to empty fresh water tanks, but I don't think the hole is low enough or large enough to flush debris. We are beginning to think the source of debris may be coming from the hot water.
I doubt what you are finding is pipe dope, as none would be used on PEX water lines. There could be some we bits of plastic though from your failing pump? With new tap installs we always remove the aerator and run the lines until we know they are clear. If you are breaking down the anode that fast with the water you use, I would bet there is a lot of that getting into the system, though that is all downstream of the water tank. Could you not just take the drain valve out of the water tank to drain it to get any larger bits out. I would doubt though there is much in there unless somehow introduced, but it would be interesting if you drained it through a fine mesh to see what you find.
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Old 06-21-2016, 09:14 PM   #150
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We bring bottled water for drinking. I would like to know how to get debris (pipe dope?)out of the line so we do not need to constantly removing the areators because they are clogged. We put in a new water pump because it ran constantly, we needed to turn it off at the main switch. We have flushed the hot water tank twice, used a special tool for rinsing the second time. Got lots of sand and pretty good sizes of blue plastic. We were surprised at how much a 2 month old anode could break down. We have used the gravity drain to empty fresh water tanks, but I don't think the hole is low enough or large enough to flush debris. We are beginning to think the source of debris may be coming from the hot water.
Have you flushed out the hot water tank? We get a lot of what I think must be calcium from hard water that builds up in the bottom of ours. I use one of these Hot Water Tank Rinser and flush the chunks out at least once a year.
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Old 06-21-2016, 10:37 PM   #151
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We bring bottled water for drinking. I would like to know how to get debris (pipe dope?)out of the line so we do not need to constantly removing the areators because they are clogged. We put in a new water pump because it ran constantly, we needed to turn it off at the main switch. We have flushed the hot water tank twice, used a special tool for rinsing the second time. Got lots of sand and pretty good sizes of blue plastic. We were surprised at how much a 2 month old anode could break down. We have used the gravity drain to empty fresh water tanks, but I don't think the hole is low enough or large enough to flush debris. We are beginning to think the source of debris may be coming from the hot water.
Hi Mary .Sorry you are having all these problems . You got some good idea's here . Try flushing your tanks again . I know our drought and what water costs here . My anode was pretty worn too when I checked it at 6 mo . I think it is because of our water where we live . Just keep a eye on it . I wouldn't change it unless it is down more then half . If you remove that whole plug and flush out the fresh tank the best you can . I have another question to ask . That little pan for your sink you brought over where can I get one ? I can't seem to find one that fits our sink . Any help I can give you guys just ask . Eventually all these things will work out . Pat
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Old 06-21-2016, 10:49 PM   #152
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A lot of people replace their anode prematurely.
Picture shows good and bad anodes.
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Old 06-21-2016, 11:31 PM   #153
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A lot of people replace their anode prematurely.
Picture shows good and bad anodes.
Great picture to show when to change . But if it wears pretty fast maybe just a little bit sooner . Pat
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Old 06-21-2016, 11:46 PM   #154
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As an old chemist, I say if there's any anode left, it's still functioning as designed.
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Old 06-21-2016, 11:52 PM   #155
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As an old chemist, I say if there's any anode left, it's still functioning as designed.
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Old 06-22-2016, 12:50 AM   #156
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A lot of people replace their anode prematurely.
Picture shows good and bad anodes.
That picture of the bad anode was what ours looked like at 6 mo . Pat
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Old 06-22-2016, 08:21 AM   #157
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Thank you for all your input. In all of our years of RVing I never even knew RV's had an anode. I thought they were just on the hull of salt water boats. (I just let Kevin take care of all that, but now our trips involve me watching him fix stuff). We did use the hot water tank flush gadget. We got a lot of gunk flushed out. When we changed the water pump, there is a screen filter that had a little debris in it, but nothing like in the aerators. I hope the flushing the hot water and draining the tank as we drove out of Jalama gets the job done.
Pat, we use the small blue Rubbermaid container from Home Depot. It sticks up above the sink, but I like having the handles for lifting it out.
BTW - we have been testing the refrigerator in our hot weather with the dangling thermistor and it is 37° at #4 setting. Hope it can keep up in Redding,CA next week!
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Old 06-22-2016, 08:33 AM   #158
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Not all water heaters for RVs use anodes.
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Old 06-22-2016, 10:52 AM   #159
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Thank you for all your input. In all of our years of RVing I never even knew RV's had an anode. I thought they were just on the hull of salt water boats. (I just let Kevin take care of all that, but now our trips involve me watching him fix stuff). We did use the hot water tank flush gadget. We got a lot of gunk flushed out. When we changed the water pump, there is a screen filter that had a little debris in it, but nothing like in the aerators. I hope the flushing the hot water and draining the tank as we drove out of Jalama gets the job done.
Pat, we use the small blue Rubbermaid container from Home Depot. It sticks up above the sink, but I like having the handles for lifting it out.
BTW - we have been testing the refrigerator in our hot weather with the dangling thermistor and it is 37° at #4 setting. Hope it can keep up in Redding,CA next week!
Hi Mary sounds like whatever was in your lines is just about finished coming out .worst case would be the screens on your sinks , and the one for filter before pump maybe again . Your refrigerator with this heat sounds to be working pretty good . My thermistor also dangles , one of my fixes for mine . Thankyou for the source for dish pan .Did you ever stay at Mountaingate ,in Redding, right on the 5 .Pretty nice . We have stayed many times ., last year on the way to Washington .Have fun camping and sounds like these problems are getting sorted out . Pat
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Old 06-22-2016, 11:59 AM   #160
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As an old chemist, I say if there's any anode left, it's still functioning as designed.
You're not an "old" chemist, Karen! And, might I say, "You Look Mawvelous!"
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