Sanitizing water tank

NorskeBob · 06-03-2017, 09:16 AM

Tried to slowly add bleach and water to the water tank via the tank vent with a hose today. Does not work too good. I did not have a clean funnel with a small hose to aid in the slow fill.

So I did put some bleach in the vent line and added some water via the vent line with a hose that I usually use for the city water connection. I then fill the tank the rest of the way, 1/3 full, via the normal city water - tank fill method via the "water center".

Our previous RV had the standard gravity fill/vent connection. I would put about 3 oz of bleach in the gravity fill line and then add about 15 gallons of water to the tank via the gravity fill connection

Anyone have luck adding bleach/water to the fresh water tank via the vent connection?

I found that the vent line may not be a "straight" line off the top of the tank. I had to tape it up to the under belly where the hose goes through the frame. It sagged pretty good which impacted the ability to gravity drain water into the tank.

Manual instructions:
Add solution to tank through the tank vent located on the side of the coach. This vent is an arched shape part with the words “tank vent” on the vent cover. The vent cover is removable and held in place by detents on either side of the vent. Remove the bug screen inside the vent. Using a funnel and tube, add the sanitizing solution. Reinstall the screen and cover when done.

srvnt · 06-03-2017, 09:43 AM

Maybe a smaller hose, a turkey baster thing or air syringe like I use for fishing. At first I thought you were talking about the roof vent and thought yeah, that should maybe be sanitizes once in awhile! The roof vents are for grey water and black tanks and I don't think it would matter much, I don't know.

NorskeBob · 06-03-2017, 01:26 PM

Took a few pictures of the vent and how the vent hose routes to the tank. I would have to pull the belly liner to see how the vent line attaches to the tank.

When I used a 3/8" ID hose and a funnel with the hose pushed to the tank I could add water (after I taped up the hose). Just have to add it slowly. There is usually only one or two times a year when I have to add more water to the water tank - camping at Watkins Glen Race track.

**JRTJH** · 06-03-2017, 04:35 PM

Probably the easiest way to introduce bleach into your fresh water tank is to use the "city water fill". Disconnect your fresh water hose at both ends, empty it of all water, hold the "trailer end" about 3' off the ground and the "faucet end" about 4' off the ground. Use a funnel and pour the bleach into the hose. While holding the "faucet end", connect the "trailer end" to the city water connection in your RV water center. Then turn the selector to "tank fill", connect the "tap end" to the faucet, turn on the water and the bleach will be "flushed through the hose and into the tank.

Why Keystone (and almost every other manufacturer as well) eliminated the gravity fill is a question that I don't think any owner can answer as an improvement. Everyone who is "missing" that convenience has come to wish they had the "old style" water fill at some point in their trailering.

mtlineman2010 · 06-03-2017, 05:57 PM

I'm assuming mine would be the old gravity style. Pull the cap off the side of the trailer and stick the hose in. Are you using the bleach to make the smell go away? After dewinterizing ours we always have a bad smell to the water for quite awhile. Would bleach fix it?

Sent from my SM-T818V using Tapatalk

ctbruce · 06-03-2017, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtlineman2010

I'm assuming mine would be the old gravity style. Pull the cap off the side of the trailer and stick the hose in. Are you using the bleach to make the smell go away? After dewinterizing ours we always have a bad smell to the water for quite awhile. Would bleach fix it?

Sent from my SM-T818V using Tapatalk

Weak Bleach solution will sanitize the tank and any bacteria growing ok n there. Theoretically it should eliminate any smell or anything causing a smell. YMMV.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

NorskeBob · 06-03-2017, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtlineman2010

I'm assuming mine would be the old gravity style. Pull the cap off the side of the trailer and stick the hose in. Are you using the bleach to make the smell go away? After dewinterizing ours we always have a bad smell to the water for quite awhile. Would bleach fix it?

Sent from my SM-T818V using Tapatalk

I am sanitizing the tank prior to its first use. I have used too much bleach and end up with a strong bleach smell until the lines are flushed good.

I usually get rid of the RV antifreeze smell by flushing the lines good.

mtlineman2010 · 06-03-2017, 06:06 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. When winterizing I hook a hose from the inlet on the pump right to my antifreeze jug. None goes into my fresh water tanks. This spring I hooked the hose up to the city water input and really flushed things out. As well as a couple tank fulls ran thru the pump. Still smells. I'm thinking maybe throw a little bleach in and run a tank thru to see if it will make a difference.

Sent from my SM-N915V using Tapatalk

ctbruce · 06-03-2017, 07:30 PM

You don't need a lot of bleach. If you get a bleach smell remaining, rinse till its gone. Bleach killing bacteria is about time, not about concentration.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

**JRTJH** · 06-03-2017, 08:30 PM

As ctbruce said, using bleach to sanitize the fresh water tank is about time, not concentration. It takes 8-12 hours of "contact time" to sanitize most water systems. I use 1/4 cup of regular bleach (not the concentrated Clorox) per 15 gallons of fresh water capacity. So for my 43 gallon tank, that's 3/4 to 1 cup of bleach, fill the tank to "overflowing capacity" (remember bleach won't kill what it doesn't contact, so to add 10 gallons of water, 1/4 cup of bleach, and expect it to sanitize, the bleach solution won't contact the top two sensor probes, so anything growing on them (or anywhere else above the water line) is still going to be there when you flush the tank....

Fill the tank to capacity, then run each faucet until you smell the bleach, refill the tank (you'll use 4 or 5 gallons purging the lines) and let it sit for about 24 hours. Drain, flush and if you still have an objectionable odor, a cup of arm and hammer baking soda (in solution) add to the tank, repeat the same "fill to capacity, purge the lines and let it sit overnight, then drain, flush and you should be good to go....

BamaRam · 05-03-2019, 09:37 PM

Man I wish I had read this thread before I started. I probably ruined my fresh water tank and pump. Made a dumb mistake because i was in a hurry. Misread owners manual and used 2 gal of bleach rather than solution. Let it sit overnight. I'm flushing tank and lines with fresh water to follow with baking soda solution. An better ideas to dig me out of this hole? Still have strong odor.

busterbrown · 05-03-2019, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamaRam

Man I wish I had read this thread before I started. I probably ruined my fresh water tank and pump. Made a dumb mistake because i was in a hurry. Misread owners manual and used 2 gal of bleach rather than solution. Let it sit overnight. I'm flushing tank and lines with fresh water to follow with baking soda solution. An better ideas to dig me out of this hole? Still have strong odor.

Yeah, just a little too much bleach.

I can suggest to rinse and drain you're lines several times over. When the smell of bleach has subsided, test the water system for leaks. Bleach does dry out and weaken rubber-based materials in heavy concentrations. This can play a toll on seals, gaskets and lines. Don't think you'll have any problems with your FW tank.

Good luck, hope you come out of this unscathed.

You may also like: