Frustrated Again-Sanitizing

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by richardr

I read somewhere to sanitize the fresh water system before using it. Unfortunately I don't remember where I read it.

In the Owner's Manual, bottom of page 49:
http://escapetrailer.com/wp-content/...nersManual.pdf

[RicVic]

I've drank water out of a garden hose all my life and always fill my water tank with one. If thirsty enough, I've drank out of a slough a few time but wouldn't suggest it.

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by laurah

I was planning on sanitizing my fresh water tank today so I went to the book that came with my 21' and read that I should start by opening the low point drain first. I could not locate any information in this book about where it is so I searched on this forum for some information. I have read in one thread that there is actually no low point drain on the new 21'. If that is true why is it in the book that came with my trailer? And how do I drain everything both now and when it comes time to winterize? GEEZ I wish this trailer come with more/better/accurate instructions!

Sorry you are so frustrated by such simple things. Obviously, you have bought more trailer than you are ready for. BUT all is not lost ... I recommend that you take your trailer to a RV shop and ask them to show you how to sanitize your water system and / or fix other issues that are frustrating you so. Its REALLY simple and once you see how to do it, you will know how. Consider the cost as 'tuition' for going to trailer school. At a minimum, I suggest you get a book on the repair and maintenance of RV's. Even a new trailer will need attention from time to time.

I can't help but laugh about your reluctance to drink from a garden hose. Yes, some can taste bad but generally running water for a while through them will fix that.... and or taste your water before putting in tank ... or better buy a hose fit for drinking. If only you could see what is in your municipal water system ... you'd probably never drink water again. Your hose is likely much cleaner than water coming out of you kitchen sink.

There are very few boogey men out there,

Tom

Tom

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

In the Owner's Manual, bottom of page 49:
http://escapetrailer.com/wp-content/...nersManual.pdf

Never did this in any of my Escapes, I know that Escape fills and tests the systems before pickup and in fact I had them fill my fresh tank on my last Escape since we were heading home right after pick up. I believe some of that BC water is still in my tank here in York,Pa. Course I do not wash new clothes nor new dishes or pots and pans before first use, I just open and use.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

.... Course I do not wash new clothes nor new dishes or pots and pans before first use, I just open and use.

Working in factories and shops convinced me to wash manufactured "stuff" before I use it

[sumac.rhus]

Of course we each make our own choices. For us older folks, it's worth remembering hoses aren't made of the same stuff as when we were kids. I was somewhat startled a few years back to realize this.

If anyone interested re concerns re newer plastics'n'such re garden hoses: Toxic Garden Hose Water: Drinking From Common Water Hoses Potentially Dangerous, Study Finds | HuffPost (might need to cut-and-paste web address)

There are also garden hoses officially rated for potable water.

[gharper]

The FDA regulates and tests plastics that come in contact with food, monitors health effects and makes recommendations to the food industry. There is no such monitoring and regulation for garden hoses that are not used for drinking water like a RV hose. I am not sure I want to put potable drinking water in my RV from a garden hose but I also don't microwave food in plastic containers.

Contaminated water in an untreated hot water tank contaminates the water lines when used so I sterilize the hot water tank.

[laurah]

Hyena,
It might be simple if I had accurate instructions instead of ones that had me looking for a non existent low drain plug. I guess we cannot all be as knowledgeable as you are.

I have to laugh at your ignorance about the dangers of drinking out of garden hoses.

I am new to this and learning as I go and I really do appreciate all of you that help without judgement

[Ron in BC]

Boy, I think I'll sit this one out.

On the other hand, not being a fetus, infant or young child and it being a really hot day...........

I do follow the well established protocol of letting water run in case the plumbing fixtures do have lead in the solder. The lead is concentrated when the water sits for hours. Even schools with older plumbing follow this protocol, run the water first thing in the day.

But, yes, better to use safer materials but I don't sweat filling the tank with a hose that might not have been sold as a suitable for potable water.

Ron

[Fox hunt]

I never drink the water in the tank - maybe i will in my new trailer ? I'm sure i wont sanitize it until next spring -getting it in Oct -but i use bottled water for drinking when camping. I do always use a drinking water hose to fill my water tank. I know it can be frustrating figuring out all the new stuff on a new trailer but also fun to learn new things.

[steve dunham]

The water main coming into our home as a child and into my home as an adult is made of LEAD.
My lunch at work was in plastic containers which I heated in a microwave.
For years at work we had portable restrooms without hand washing facilities.
We treated cuts at work by wrapping them in friction tape.
I drink the water from my trailer's on board plastic tank.
( Bottled water comes in PLASTIC bottles)

Worrying about taking a drink from a garden hose seems rather silly especially when your working in 100 deg temps on the verge of heat stroke.

[War Eagle]

I grew up on a family dairy farm/beef cattle ranch with our share of chickens, hogs, horses and all sorts of wild animals traversing through. Given all the barnyard "stuff" that went down my throat, up my nose and in my eyes and ears over the years growing up, including drinking from garden hoses when that was what was handiest, FDA regulations would probably suggest I died before the age of 10. But instead, I ended up with an amazing immune system. In my 30-year professional career, I never needed or took a sick day. That said, I try to keep my wife happy by not microwaving food or drink in plastic containers. And that's fine with me. Maybe following her advice will keep me alive and kicking and enjoying our Escape even a little longer....

[advenas]

Hi Laura,
Thanks for the question as I need to sanitize my tank before my next trip in Sept. The refresher thread is appreciated.

I do use a charcoal filter when filling with a hose. And I use a Brita filter for water out of the sink since I do use the tank as my coffee, cooking and drinking water.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by advenas

...
I do use a charcoal filter when filling with a hose. And I use a Brita filter for water out of the sink since I do use the tank as my coffee, cooking and drinking water.

We do exactly the same except with a PUR. I sanitize our system often and have no hesitation to drink the water from the fresh water tank.

[padlin]

Last winter we went south in Dec, we dewinterized in Chattanooga but were unable to sanitize till AZ sometime towards the end of January. I didn't think it was a good idea to drain the fresh tank onto the ground in a campsite, finally used a pull off on the highway in the desert.

Question. Headed south mid January this year when home is in a deep freeze. Think it would eliminate the need to sanitize down south if I did it before blowing out the lines this fall?

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

I grew up on a family dairy farm/beef cattle ranch with our share of chickens, hogs, horses and all sorts of wild animals traversing through.

Ditto. We should live to be 150.

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by laurah

Hyena,
It might be simple if I had accurate instructions instead of ones that had me looking for a non existent low drain plug. I guess we cannot all be as knowledgeable as you are.

I have to laugh at your ignorance about the dangers of drinking out of garden hoses.

I am new to this and learning as I go and I really do appreciate all of you that help without judgement

Oh Brother Laurah,
I stand by all my comments to you and think I gave you some pretty good advice. I did though neglect to mention that when finding an RV shop, ask if they have a mobile maintenance man. That way someone can come over to your house and help you without the distraction of a busy shop. I'd suggest, while the repairman was their, ask him to trace out to you your entire water system. If you had a felt tip marker, you might draw arrows on the tubing illustrating the direction of water flow .... perhaps that will help you figure out problems in the future .... especially with by pass valves for the water heater, how to tell if the water heater was full (must be before turning on the water heater) and where there are any shutoff valves. Hint: Many have installed shut off valves for their toilet. I'd also ask how to winterize your trailer as it won't be too long before Michigan has freezing temperatures. Many people have trouble with this.

After understanding your water system, I think it would be a good idea to go use your trailer and have some fun. By some RV rated drinking water hoses to fill your tanks ... (2) 25' long hoses should be enough to hook you up to most camping sites or water access sites. For me I like a 25' hose plus a 10' hose. That way if I can use the 10' hose, there isn't a big coil of hose laying around for someone to trip on and get hurt .... perhaps your liability. Even if I have a drinking safe hose, I like to run water through it to flush out both the water pipe, water pipe valve, and your hose. Unless you are in a water ration area, I'd run water through my hose for about 15 minutes.

After getting comfortable with your water system, I'd do the same with your electrical system .... its a bit more complicated and that's where a RV Maintenance and repair books will come in handy. Read up ... read manuals and call your RV person over to help. Most people even handy people need to hear this more than once.

Take on one system at a time and understand it ... you wont need to get your PhD in an Escape water system... just understand it and your other systems so you know how to do a work around in case of trouble.

I suggested that next you work on your electrical system. On second thought I think understanding your waste system should be next. How it works, how to take care of it, what to do if nothing happens, how to winterize both your gray and black tanks and what to do if it stinks.

Writing this I remembered a really good site for you. Its about a group of women who get together and do road trips ... and well learn how to fix things. I can't remember its name so will have to get off this forum to look it up. I'll come back and post.

Tom

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by StarvingHyena

Writing this I remembered a really good site for you. Its about a group of women who get together and do road trips ... and well learn how to fix things. I can't remember its name so will have to get off this forum to look it up. I'll come back and post.

Sisters on the Fly:

https://www.sistersonthefly.com/

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

The water main coming into our home as a child and into my home as an adult is made of LEAD.
My lunch at work was in plastic containers which I heated in a microwave.
For years at work we had portable restrooms without hand washing facilities.
We treated cuts at work by wrapping them in friction tape.
I drink the water from my trailer's on board plastic tank.
( Bottled water comes in PLASTIC bottles)

Worrying about taking a drink from a garden hose seems rather silly especially when your working in 100 deg temps on the verge of heat stroke.

The mains probably were made of transite, cheaper than copper, longer lasting than iron and a lot of legacy water distribution still have transite pipes. Transite is an asbestos-cement mix.
Use was common in western states as the mines were nearby but Florida has a lot of it. Back when I was a cable splicer we used to run into it all the time in Older parts of Sarasota, Bradenton and Anna Marie and the older parts of Palmetto

The pipes coming into your home if they were copper had lead solder. If iron pipe an asbestos gasket or caulk containing asbestos was used.

Most fireproofing was made of it as was the fake snow put on Christmas trees for you who are older than me.

The blankets we used when we were working were asbestos, we preferred them as the fiberglass ones made you itch and your skin sore if you were in contact with them.

They used to encourage us to eat salt tablets while we worked.
Mercurochrome was the most common antiseptic. It was a mercury compound.

And I'm sure you played with mercury as a kid. My worse butt beating was because I rubbed my moms gold ring with it after I heard it turned gold silver colored.

So why is the average lifespan increasing?

[StarvingHyena]

Originally Posted by KarenH

Sisters on the Fly:

https://www.sistersonthefly.com/

Thank you Karen... that is what I was thinking. I got the book on my tablet and thought it was a pretty good read. Think these women were having a really good time. Thanks also for posting the web site.

Tom