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Old 03-22-2015, 05:51 PM   #1
Stanomatic
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Sanitize if New

I took delivery in February of my 2015 Fuzion 371 Toy Hauler. The unit is still winterized but we plan on taking it out for the first time this Saturday 3-28. I read a lot of forum post about sanitizing so I am comfortable with the process. The only thing I really couldn't figure out was if it is brand new, if I should bother to sanitize after flushing the unit / de-winterize?

The other thing that came from all the reading, I found several post where people stated that city water already has chlorine and that they have never sanitized the system and have been RVing for 30 years. Any thoughts on that statement?

Thank you in advance,
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Old 03-22-2015, 06:19 PM   #2
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I sanitize after de-winterizing our 5th wheel. While the water in the FW tank has been previously drained, there is always the possibility that there may be a small amount of water that, because of irregularities/unevenness in the tank, remains in the tank over the winter and early Spring. Sanitizing the tank will help ensure that the tank is clean and safe.

I use the chlorine sanitized water in the FW tank and pump it through the system after I have drained and flushed all of the pink stuff out of the system. I flush the system again until any bleach smell/taste is gone.

Seeing as how you have a new unit, water may not have been put into your FW tank but to be on the safe side, I would sanitize it regardless.

Chlorinated water or not --- I would still sanitize. Others may not have had any issues without sanitizing but I'm not willing to take that risk. It doesn't take that much more time or effort to sanitize and gives you more peace of mind.
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Old 03-22-2015, 06:31 PM   #3
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I would. You really dont know how eveything has been handled and where and how its been stored, prior to building. Did you buy new dishes and silverware for it. Did you not wash them too?
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Old 03-22-2015, 07:15 PM   #4
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LOL SLIMSHADIE, That was exactly my thought. I wash dishes and silverwear before I use it, I'm sure going to wash my fresh water and hot water system before using them too

Actually, the chlorine in most city water systems is about 0.6 - 1.0 PPM. That level of chlorine will inhibit growth of most pathogens commonly found in water, but is not strong enough to kill any bacteria that may be lurking in a contaminated (new) water tank or in the PEX lines and fittings that were open and subject to contamination during the trailer assembly. Many people report finding sawdust, pieces of wire insulation and other waste from the construction process in their tanks and plugging the aerators on their faucets.

This may sound "gross", but who knows who may have walked by and poured something into the tank fill port. There are some very irrational people living among us these days.....

To be on the safe side, disinfect with 1/4 cup of Clorox mixed in a gallon of water for each 15 gallons of fresh water tank size. So a 40 gallon tank would need 3/4 cup of bleach to sanitize. The solution needs to be around 200 PPM to sanitize the fresh water system. As you fill the tank full, run water through the lines until you smell the bleach at each faucet (hot and cold). After the lines are filled, continue to fill the tank to capacity so the chlorine is in contact with the entire tank lining. Let the system sit at least 6 or 8 hours. Most of us let it sit overnight, then drain and flush to remove the chlorine smell and taste.

Once you've done that, you can pretty much be assured that your family won't get sick from any contaminates that might have been in the system.

As said, it's better to be sure there's no problem rather than risk the potential for sickness. It really isn't a hard task and doesn't take that long to be sure you're safe.

Good Luck
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Old 03-22-2015, 10:01 PM   #5
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Could be a dumb questions but would not the pink stuff that we pump through all the water lines and pore into the fresh water tank and black, gray tanks inhibit bacterial growth? Seems like the chemicals in the antifreeze would keep the lines clean? We take bottled water that we run through our home water filter and then store in clean 3 quart jugs for drinking, dish washing water comes from the city water supply which has been from large state and county parks that we trust.
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Old 03-23-2015, 10:39 AM   #6
Stanomatic
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Good point about the dishes. I think I will wash my new dishes. haha

I see your point, any dish, cup or whatever I do wash so my tank will be no different.

@buzzcop63 - I also thought about if the antifreeze was also a decontaminant. I looked at most of the bottles online and they do not claim to be. I think I will stick with the Clorox/bleach method.

Thank you everyone.
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Old 03-23-2015, 12:12 PM   #7
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Stanomatic:
I should have looked this up to start with instead of expecting others to supply the answer but I had a lazy hope that another RV enthusiast with a chemical background would jump in and give us all the information.
I looked up RV Antifreeze and found a label that shows what is in the product and it list as one of its ingredients "Ethyl Alcohol" then I researched what Ethyl Alcohol does to bacteria:

"Ethyl alcohol kills bacteria mainly through 2 mechanisms: protein denaturation and dissolving the lipid membrane.
Proteins, the machinery of the cell, must be dissolved in water in order to properly function. When one puts a protein in ethanol (ethyl alcohol), the protein cannot function properly and becomes denatured. Also, bacteria are surrounded by a lipid membrane (fatty acids). The membrane is held together because the alkane chain of a fatty acid is hydrophobic, and thus buries itself amongst other lipids. However, the lipids will freely dissolve in ethanol, causing a disruption of the bacterial membrane. This ruptures the bacteria so it can no longer live."
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Old 03-23-2015, 09:57 PM   #8
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We didn't sanitize our new camper. The RV place delivers your trailer to its campground and you immediately start using it for its maiden run. It's ready to go and I'm assuming they didn't run bleach through it.

I really did mean to sanitize after it was winterized this year but we ran out of time, forgot the bleach and didn't get around to it. We just ran the water a lot till all the pink was gone. I still plan to do it, especially because we haven't used the fresh water tank (just city water connections and pipes). Maybe Thursday when we get it to the house for our next campout prep.
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Old 03-26-2015, 04:23 AM   #9
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Sanitize your system. Any argument about the antifreeze sanitizing the system is flawed. Unless the user filled the FW tank with antifreeze, not all contact surfaces were cleaned or protected. The antifreeze will fill piping and connections, all the way to the valve that controls exit/flow (i.e. the faucet).

I could be wrong, but a $2-$4 per gallon - I can't see too many people filling their FW tank with antifreeze. My FW tank is 110 gallons, even if I could afford the antifreeze, I certainly wouldn't take the time to fill it with 2 gal. jugs.

Go buy a dollar's worth of chlorinated bleach, dilute it and pour it in the tank. Fill the tank. Run water at each faucet until you smell bleach. Top off the tank. Come back in 10 or 12 hours. Drain your FW system. Fill with clean water. Run each faucet until you don't smell bleach. Drain your system. Fill again and enjoy with the peace of mind that it is done.
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Old 03-26-2015, 09:05 AM   #10
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My answer was for those like us that do not cold camp, never have or plan on using the FW tank, and we do put antifreeze in the FW tank that at least covers the bottom just in case. Our water source for drinking, brushing teeth etc is bottled filtered water, city water covers washing dishes, shower etc. If we were to use our 60 gal fresh water tank I definitely would do as you suggest and use Bleach to make sure it is disinfected. Have used this procedure but found not worth repeating when our trailer is stored off sight and very difficult to fill and drain.
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Old 03-26-2015, 09:29 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzcop63 View Post
My answer was for those like us that do not cold camp, never have or plan on using the FW tank, and we do put antifreeze in the FW tank that at least covers the bottom just in case. Our water source for drinking, brushing teeth etc is bottled filtered water, city water covers washing dishes, shower etc. If we were to use our 60 gal fresh water tank I definitely would do as you suggest and use Bleach to make sure it is disinfected. Have used this procedure but found not worth repeating when our trailer is stored off sight and very difficult to fill and drain.
There is a current thread where apparently the previous owners did pretty much what you're advocating. The result is pictured clearly in the thread: http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21610

The rational solution? Sanitize the fresh water system, even if it's not going to be used, if for no other reason than to avoid this kind of mess, should your "use pattern" ever change.....

To each his own............
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Old 03-26-2015, 11:24 AM   #12
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Well said, next time I can get the trailer home I will treat the FW storage tank!
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