Cleaning the fresh tank

[TravelMama]

Hello there,

We have an Escape 21NE since '20. We're going out on another extended trip and I want to clean the fresh water tank.

My question is this

Adventures in Nomadness has a video with them bypassing the hot water tank. However, my owner's manual says not to bypass. Which is correct when cleaning out the fresh water tank?

Thanks in advance!

[cpaharley2008]

If you are using some type of chemical to clean, then bypass, if you are just flushing then no need to bypass...

[SRS]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

If you are using some type of chemical to clean, then bypass, if you are just flushing then no need to bypass.

Interesting topic. We expect to get our 17 in a couple of weeks and I will be sanitizing the tank before our first trip so I was checking out the manual. It recommends a mixture of bleach and water and not to bypass the hot water tank. Chlorine is used in very small amounts to purify water for drinking so I'm curious how a slightly stronger solution could hurt the hot water tank?

[gbaglo]

Chlorine can damage seals and it takes very little to do the job properly.
Google CDC water storage:
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/eme...er-supply.html

[Iowa Dave]

When I sanitize, I do the following.
1. Drain all the water including the hot water.
2. I flush the hot water
tank with fresh water and reinstall the anode.
3. Then I fill the fresh water including the hot water tank. I do not bypass the hot water tank. I put a half a cup or so of bleach in the fresh water tank when it’s about half full so it’s thoroughly mixed.
4. After a little wait ( 20 minutes or so) I pump water through all of the water system.
5. Then I drain the water into the grass. The black and grey tank are left open to drain away also .
6. Once the fresh water is drained I refill and drain the tanks a couple more times till I can’t taste any bleach.

If I’m going camping shortly I may leave about 10 gallons in the tank and the hot water tank full. I add some chemical to the grey and black tanks with a little water.
That’s worked for us.

Never had any seal problems doing it this way.

One thing I always do in the fall when I winterize is isolate the hot water tank so antifreeze does go in that tank. I leave the anode out for the winter with a piece of towel hanging out of the tank.
We usually drink bottled water when camping but I do drink form the tap on occasion also. I like my water cold and the tank tap water is not cold.
Iowa Dave

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

We usually drink bottled water when camping but I do drink form the tap on occasion also.
Iowa Dave

Water

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Water

So it’s hopped up and has visited its friend Mr Barley, so what?
Glenn, you’ve seen me in action. I didn’t say I drink a lot of water. And I do not pollute it with whisky, I drink that straight up.
It’s 5:30 here, just about time.
Here’s a few spuds (Kennebecs) and a couple little summer squash I just brought up from the garden.
Iowa Dave

[CharlesinGA]

I have been pouring a little bleach in the hose before filling the tank. Better for sanitizing it is peroxide base sanitizers. At the airline I retired from we used Purogene and Citric acid to soak the water tanks and then drained and refilled the tanks with potable water.

Its effective, safer than chlorine, and no taste.

Charles

[2Travelers]

Also glad this topic was raised.

Since getting our trailer I have always winterized the water system with a gallon of RV antifreeze, bypassing the water heater and using the winterizing T (which works great). When dewinterizing and before each trip I have followed a sanitizing and flush routine described by Iowa Dave earlier in this thread, and that has worked.

This year, for the first time, I have been unable to rid the system of the taste and smell of antifreeze. I have flushed and sanitized several times, being sure to run bleach-treated water through every device (both sinks, showerhead, toilet, outside shower) and the odor and taste remains. It's growing fainter but is still there and our Brita filter doesn't take it out.

I'd appreciate thoughts about what is going on or what else I can try to clear the lines? My next step is to try STAR BRITE Aqua Water Treatment & Freshener which is a sodium chlorite-based treatment. I have it on order though am not sure that it will make a difference. I want to get this solved as I woud like continue using water from the tank for cooking and drinking.

[levi&live72]

If you're using cleaning solution then go for bypass.

[DanandDaphne]

Originally Posted by 2Travelers

Also glad this topic was raised.

Since getting our trailer I have always winterized the water system with a gallon of RV antifreeze, bypassing the water heater and using the winterizing T (which works great). When dewinterizing and before each trip I have followed a sanitizing and flush routine described by Iowa Dave earlier in this thread, and that has worked.

This year, for the first time, I have been unable to rid the system of the taste and smell of antifreeze. I have flushed and sanitized several times, being sure to run bleach-treated water through every device (both sinks, showerhead, toilet, outside shower) and the odor and taste remains. It's growing fainter but is still there and our Brita filter doesn't take it out.

I'd appreciate thoughts about what is going on or what else I can try to clear the lines? My next step is to try STAR BRITE Aqua Water Treatment & Freshener which is a sodium chlorite-based treatment. I have it on order though am not sure that it will make a difference. I want to get this solved as I woud like continue using water from the tank for cooking and drinking.

You might try hydrogen peroxide.

We only use RV antifreeze in the drain traps/ grey water tank and black tank to protect the drain valves. We just use air to blow out the water lines and so far so good.

[Upfisk]

2Travelers,
We had that persistent antifreeze taste last season. The only place antifreeze was introduced was the freshwater lines. We flushed and flushed and cloroxed, and flushed some more. I think by Aug the taste was gone. It took 100s of gallons and likely a quart of Clorox to rid the E19 of the taste. We then went to air flushing the lines. No Clorox taste this year. We were ready to flush with cheap vodka, $13/half gallon at Walmart. We used less than 1/3 gallon of RV antifreeze (safe for RV water tanks). So we know half a gallon of vodka would be enough with the water valve for introducing antifreeze. Thinking buy some food coloring so we could tell when the alcohol comes through the faucets. Then dump ordinary RV antifreeze down the taps.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by 2Travelers

Also glad this topic was raised.

Since getting our trailer I have always winterized the water system with a gallon of RV antifreeze, bypassing the water heater and using the winterizing T (which works great). When dewinterizing and before each trip I have followed a sanitizing and flush routine described by Iowa Dave earlier in this thread, and that has worked.

This year, for the first time, I have been unable to rid the system of the taste and smell of antifreeze. I have flushed and sanitized several times, being sure to run bleach-treated water through every device (both sinks, showerhead, toilet, outside shower) and the odor and taste remains. It's growing fainter but is still there and our Brita filter doesn't take it out.

I'd appreciate thoughts about what is going on or what else I can try to clear the lines? My next step is to try STAR BRITE Aqua Water Treatment & Freshener which is a sodium chlorite-based treatment. I have it on order though am not sure that it will make a difference. I want to get this solved as I woud like continue using water from the tank for cooking and drinking.

After you run the bleach water to the taps are you letting it sit for 24 hours? This is what will help remove tastes and odors. I would also make sure your tank is full to the brim with bleach water mix. Remember bleach is very strong stuff....more is NOT better! 3.3 oz(a little less than 1/2 cup as Dave says) of standard household bleach(6% active ingredient) will treat your tank to 50 parts per million which is MORE than enough...but you have to let it sit in the tank, lines and faucets for a minimum of overnight for it to work.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Upfisk

We had that persistent antifreeze taste last season.

Were you eating a lot of ice cream? It contains an anti-freeze.

[2Travelers]

Thanks all for your suggestions. I do appreciate them. I seem to be having the same problem/experience Upfisk describes and it may be that time and continued flushing will resolve this. Perhaps winterizing with compressed air is the best method for me, if my little compressor has enough umph to get the job done.

To specific points:

Fresh water tank. I do not put antifreeze into the tank. Rather, the antifreeze gets drawn into the water system by the water pump via the winterizing T which is placed directly into the one gallon jug it comes in. Winterizing takes most of the gallon, leaving enough to fill the drains and traps.

Bypassing the hot water heater. Yes, I always bypass the hot water heater when winterizing and dewinterizing. (Two bypass valves get closed and one winterizing T valve gets opened.) The hot water heater gets a separate clean and rinse via the anode opening using a nozzle and garden hose.

Bleach. Yes, I only ever 4 oz. of unscented bleach per tank, tank filled, lines flushed, and tank topped off. Let sit for 24 hrs. I don't think I have a chlorine or sulfur odor; it's definitely that sickly sweet antifreeze aroma. I am one who generally thinks a little is good and more is better, but I have long ago learned my lesson that this is not the case for bleach.

Cheap vodka. I've thought about it and my yet give it a try.

Hydrogen peroxide. I had not heard or thought about this as a sanitizing/cleaning method but it sounds reasonable. How much should I use for my 28 gallon tank and how long should it sit?

Winterizing with air. I've not tried it, thinking my little Viair compressor too small but am reconsidering. What is the minimum CFM rating need to fully (and confidently) blow out the lines? Can it be done with a small compressor? What's the process (fixtures in what order)? I have the adaptor Escape gave me but have never used it.

Ice cream. That is kept in the freezer, which usually works very well. Fridge performance is a topic that I plan to bring up at another time once I have a better feel for what it is and isn't doing, and what I am doing in response.

[sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by 2Travelers

Cheap vodka. I've thought about it and my yet give it a try.

One time my wife had a severe case of strep throat when we were far from help so I gave her about 1/4 bottle of vodka to drink and put her to bed. The next morning she woke up feeling great, strep throat all gone. So yeah it does work.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

One time my wife had a severe case of strep throat when we were far from help so I gave her about 1/4 bottle of vodka to drink and put her to bed. The next morning she woke up feeling great, strep throat all gone. So yeah it does work.

Did YOU enjoy the other 3/4 bottle?

[HABBERDABBER]

For about a dozens years, all I've done was to thoroughly, very thoroughly, blow out the water system. And yes, RV anti-freeze down sink and shower traps. Either dumb luck or thorough blowing have prevented any issues for me.
I'm just not enamored with a pink liquid anti-freeze in my water system. Air...I can't see.
YMMV, of course.

[2Travelers]

Originally Posted by Upfisk

2Travelers,
We had that persistent antifreeze taste last season. The only place antifreeze was introduced was the freshwater lines. We flushed and flushed and cloroxed, and flushed some more. I think by Aug the taste was gone. It took 100s of gallons and likely a quart of Clorox to rid the E19 of the taste. We then went to air flushing the lines. No Clorox taste this year...

To follow-up...

The taste and odor slowly went away, though never to the point that I was comfortable drinking the water from the tank (even after passing through a Brita filter). The STAR BRITE Aqua Water Treatment & Freshener seemed to help speed things along but it is hard to say by how much.

I plan to also switch to winterizing the freshwater system by blowing out the lines. My little Viair 70P compressor (that I use for the tires) is rated at 1.06 CFM, does anyone know if it will be up to the task or do I need more volume? (I understand I'm to do just one tap at a time and to not try to blow out the entire system at once.)

[M & M]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

I have been pouring a little bleach in the hose before filling the tank. Better for sanitizing it is peroxide base sanitizers. At the airline I retired from we used Purogene and Citric acid to soak the water tanks and then drained and refilled the tanks with potable water.

Its effective, safer than chlorine, and no taste.

Charles

Charles, do you know the ratio Purogene/Citric acid to sanitize a 20 gallon tank?
Thank you.