portable compressor

[kavm]

Thank you very much! I am still trying to figure this out and your advice is invaluable! I don't even know what the process of blowing out the lines looks like, just that it must involve a compressor

I have now revised my plan to the following -

• Get a lighter compressor (e.g. VIAIR 88P) to inflate the tires. This goes with the camper.
• Find/get comfortable with an alternate process (than blowing out water lines) to prevent bacterial and algae growth in the fresh water tank across trips within the camping season.
• Get another (pancake - 3 or 6 gallon) variety compressor for the water line blow out process for winterizing. This can be slightly heavier and be left in the trailer storage area and not taken on the trips.

To begin with, we are hesitant about the use of chlorine and bleach for anything that might go in our mouth (except chugging it for Covid ). I know, that's what the municipal water folks do but our experience and measurement systems will not be of that order. But, looks like we are going to have to research and get comfortable with it.

I don't know the difference between a shock treatment vs a regular treatment. I will try to research it a bit, and come back to ask more questions if it is not clear.

Thanks a lot for all of you for your patience and help. I am sorry for the excessive posts but this is a steep learning curve and I am at the beginning of it.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by kavm

Thank you very much! I am still trying to figure this out and your advice is invaluable! I don't even know what the process of blowing out the lines looks like, just that it must involve a compressor

I have now revised my plan to the following -

• Get a lighter compressor (e.g. VIAIR 88P) to inflate the tires. This goes with the camper.
• Find/get comfortable with an alternate process (than blowing out water lines) to prevent bacterial and algae growth in the fresh water tank across trips within the camping season.
• Get another (pancake - 3 or 6 gallon) variety compressor for the water line blow out process for winterizing. This can be slightly heavier and be left in the trailer storage area and not taken on the trips.

To begin with, we are hesitant about the use of chlorine and bleach for anything that might go in our mouth (except chugging it for Covid ). I know, that's what the municipal water folks do but our experience and measurement systems will not be of that order. But, looks like we are going to have to research and get comfortable with it.

I don't know the difference between a shock treatment vs a regular treatment. I will try to research it a bit, and come back to ask more questions if it is not clear.

Thanks a lot for all of you for your patience and help. I am sorry for the excessive posts but this is a steep learning curve and I am at the beginning of it.

Chlorine is used all over the world for water disinfection and while not perfect it is a pretty darn good disinfectant. If you do not like the idea of chlorine in your water put it in an open pitcher in your fridge overnight and the chlorine will just gas off and be gone.

Shock chlorination is a heavy duty disinfection regime used to totally disinfect (read kill) anything in a water system....this method is best for beginning of the season or if you fear your water has been contaminated. DO NOT USE OR DRINK THIS....it is waaaaay to strong.

Routine chlorination in the amount I gave you can be used for drinking and other uses. This amount is more akin to the amount used in public water systems and can help to avoid growth of algae and other potential nasties.

I am a public water system operator and the above is how I handle my Escape system.
But if you fill your tank with good municipal water...don't worry go camping!

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

But if you fill your tank with good municipal water...don't worry go camping!

That's what I do. Municipal water is already chlorinated and rated one of the best in Canada.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

Chlorine is used all over the world for water disinfection and while not perfect it is a pretty darn good disinfectant. If you do not like the idea of chlorine in your water put it in an open pitcher in your fridge overnight and the chlorine will just gas off and be gone.

Shock chlorination is a heavy duty disinfection regime used to totally disinfect (read kill) anything in a water system....this method is best for beginning of the season or if you fear your water has been contaminated. DO NOT USE OR DRINK THIS....it is waaaaay to strong.

Routine chlorination in the amount I gave you can be used for drinking and other uses. This amount is more akin to the amount used in public water systems and can help to avoid growth of algae and other potential nasties.

I am a public water system operator and the above is how I handle my Escape system.
But if you fill your tank with good municipal water...don't worry go camping!

Thank you so so much! I am starting to get the hang of it. So, the plan for a safe fresh water tank in the camper is (just organizing so that I appreciate the details):

• At the end of every camping trip: Add a cap full of household bleach to a full tank. Try for a full tank. Run pump + open faucets to confirm chlorine smell.
• At the beginning of the camping season or in a dodgy water scenario: Shock chlorination - Add 3 1/3 fluid oz. for 30 gal. Make sure of full tank. Run pump + open faucets to confirm chlorine smell. Let the water sit for 24 hours (not fit for consumption) and discard the water afterward. Flush the tank and lines and refill. Do not let it sit for much more than 24 hours.

I assume the tank does not need to be full for all this as long as the bleach quantity is adjusted. We would likely do the end-of-camping trip step before just prior to leaving the campground.

Thanks again!

[Steve S.]

I agree with all this RE: bleach use for sanitation. Just remember that bleach (sodium hypochlorite, generally) has a shelf-life. That bottle you opened 6 months ago and used once - you might need to add a bit more to get the oxidizing power that you will need to treat the water. I would throw it out after a year and just buy new.

[Iowa Dave]

I usually buy a new small bottle (2 quart I think) each spring. I use it on the Escape then store it in the dark the rear of the season I put in two or three glugs when sanitizing during the season. A glug is a scientific measure used by those who also believe in the saying “if a little bit is good a little more is better”. That doesn’t always work especially on gunpowder and starting ether. But bleach does it’s work very quickly and then I drain it and flush with fresh water. A cup or better will not kill blue grass when drained out of a 30 Gallon water tank. I use bleach on a lot of things that need to be sanitized. When I had the oversight for 6 municipal pools we used gas Chlorine in 150 lb cylinders. That was spooky and a happy day when we changed over to the Sodium Hypochlorite briquettes and more modern chlorination systems.
Iowa Dave

[kavm]

Thank you both! The water treatment folder is growing by the minute. I explained all this to my wife (she is much smarter and practical than me) to share and dilute the panic

Steve - That's good to know and note in my folder. We did not know that.

Dave - The time required for the maintenance treatment during the season is interesting to me. Due to the remote storage of the camper, we will likely want to do this before leaving the last campground on the departure day. I assume we will not have a full fresh water tank at that time and would not want to fill up for the (long) drive back. So, can one drain the water after a couple of hours of the maintenance treatment?

[Iowa Dave]

I think the sanitation is almost immediate and if Bobbito weighs in he can confirm. He is an escape owner and a water sanitation expert. I put some bleach in when I leave the CG sometimes and let it slosh around on the way home. If I’ve stayed in a CG that doesn’t have a dump station I may run some of the treated fresh water into the grey tank too. Then I stop at an Iowa Rest Stop before I get home and dump my gray and black tanks for free. Once I get home, I can empty the fresh water tank on the turf in the yard. I live out in the country. It’s several hundred feet to my neighbor’s houses. Nobody Is offended.
Iowa Dave

[kavm]

Thanks a lot, Dave! That's very helpful as I am trying to figure out the practical side of this process.

[camp4528]

Originally Posted by kavm

• At the end of every camping trip: Add a cup or less of household bleach to a full tank (prorate down if not full). Run pump + open faucets to confirm chlorine smell.

This thread is very useful for me and I expect many fellow newbies.

Because people may be cutting-and-pasting your checklist, you should edit your post if possible to change “cup” to “cap-full”. Also worth noting that the seasonal amount (3 and some fractional oz) is a bit less than 1/2 of a cup.

Thanks for asking these questions in the forum. Very useful.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by kavm

Thank you so so much! I am starting to get the hang of it. So, the plan for a safe fresh water tank in the camper is (just organizing so that I appreciate the details):

• At the end of every camping trip: Add a cup or less of household bleach to a full tank (prorate down if not full). Run pump + open faucets to confirm chlorine smell.
• At the beginning of the camping season or in a dodgy water scenario: Shock chlorination - Add 3 1/3 fluid oz. for 30 gal. Run pump + open faucets to confirm chlorine smell. Let the water sit for 24 hours (not fit for consumption) and discard the water afterward. Flush the tank and lines and refill. Do not let it sit for much more than 24 hours.

I assume the tank does not need to be full for all this as long as the bleach quantity is adjusted. We would likely do the end-of-camping trip step before just prior to leaving the campground.

Thanks again!

NO!!!!! NEVER ADD A CUP!!!! THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH!!! A cap full or to put it another way a few drops! Shock chlorination of 30 gal to 50 PPM takes 3.3 fluid ounces and let it sit overnight will kill anything and is the American Water Works standard for sanitizing new water mains....nasty, nasty, nasty stuff don't add more!

I would keep the tank full...no air space less chance of growth and the chlorine is in contact with the whole surface.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

NO!!!!! NEVER ADD A CUP!!!! THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH!!! A cap full or to put it another way a few drops! Shock chlorination of 30 gal to 50 PPM takes 3.3 fluid ounces and let it sit overnight will kill anything and is the American Water Works standard for sanitizing new water mains....nasty, nasty, nasty stuff don't add more!

I would keep the tank full...no air space less chance of growth and the chlorine is in contact with the whole surface.

Thanks a lot for correcting this. Much obliged...

PS: It was good to restate my understanding here. It surfaced the misunderstanding!

[kavm]

Originally Posted by camp4528

This thread is very useful for me and I expect many fellow newbies.

Because people may be cutting-and-pasting your checklist, you should edit your post if possible to change “cup” to “cap-full”. Also worth noting that the seasonal amount (3 and some fractional oz) is a bit less than 1/2 of a cup.

Thanks for asking these questions in the forum. Very useful.

Thank you! I have corrected it in the original post!

[alanmalk]

I tried the household bleach (aka "chlorine", aka "sodium hypochlorite") a couple of times. The first time I shocked the system and flushed. When I went camping I couldn't stomach the chlorine taste-smell. The next time I only added a cap-full to 30 gallons. Still couldn't drink my water. Now if I use bleach I flush the entire system 3 times (100 gal +). Waste of time and water.


My current solution is to use a backpacking water treatment - active ingredient is chlorine dioxide - which is used in many USA water treatment plants. Normally available at stores like REI and Amazon but like everything else camping related, in short supply.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquamira-Chlo...ef_=ast_sto_dp

The taste is fine. I have even used it to make stinky reservoir water (Blue Mesa, Colorado) taste acceptable. Appears to kill what it needs to and I have been using it for 10+ years while hiking.

--
Alan

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by kavm

I will have a power outlet in my truck bed. So, the will look for something with a standard AC plug.

Check the wattage of your bed outlet, my Taco puts out 400W at 120VAC and that's enough to run a real compressor. Used to use a pancake style, but don't need that big tank on the road.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

I tried the household bleach (aka "chlorine", aka "sodium hypochlorite") a couple of times. The first time I shocked the system and flushed. When I went camping I couldn't stomach the chlorine taste-smell. The next time I only added a cap-full to 30 gallons. Still couldn't drink my water. Now if I use bleach I flush the entire system 3 times (100 gal +). Waste of time and water.


My current solution is to use a backpacking water treatment - active ingredient is chlorine dioxide - which is used in many USA water treatment plants. Normally available at stores like REI and Amazon but like everything else camping related, in short supply.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquamira-Chlo...ef_=ast_sto_dp

The taste is fine. I have even used it to make stinky reservoir water (Blue Mesa, Colorado) taste acceptable. Appears to kill what it needs to and I have been using it for 10+ years while hiking.

--
Alan

Alan,

Thanks! I do have this treatment. We trek in Nepal and have extensive experience with this and other backcountry water solutions. So, totally familiar with it. But - is this what you use to sanitize the fresh water tank, or you do not use the fresh water tank water for drinking and use this water instead?

[kavm]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Check the wattage of your bed outlet, my Taco puts out 400W at 120VAC and that's enough to run a real compressor. Used to use a pancake style, but don't need that big tank on the road.

Power in the truck is not a problem. Our TV will be 2021 F150 with Power OnBoard option consisting of 7.2kW generator introduced by Ford. What I am not clear is what you mean by real compressor. Is the VIAIR 87/88P a real compressor? If not, could you give an example?

The reason is that I spent sometime looking at compressor options on Amazon and my head hurts. Aside from the pancake vs. non-pancake distinction, I am clueless as to what feature is good to have vs. must have. So, my current plan is to look at the types that have been mentioned in the thread and go with it.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by kavm

Alan,

Thanks! I do have this treatment. We trek in Nepal and have extensive experience with this and other backcountry water solutions. So, totally familiar with it. But - is this what you use to sanitize the fresh water tank, or you do not use the fresh water tank water for drinking and use this water instead?

I do use the Escape fresh water tank for drinking. If I think the fill water is suspect, or if it is the first fill of the season, I will add the AquaMira treatment. Bleach is waaay less expensive but I end up with a tank of undrinkable water. ($8 vs $0.05). The first time it happened to me I was forced to drink beer for the 3 day fishing weekend.

--
Alan

[kavm]

Thanks a lot, Alan! So, that’s the plan - first trip of the season, drink beer instead of water

[jumboscott]

Bought the Harbor Freight pancake 3 gallon 100psi compressor to blow out the lines, works well. Paid a whopping $40 dollars for it. Also purchased the Viair 88p Air Compressor ($65) to fill tires, works good too.