Sanitizing Fresh Water tank

[Eric MP]

:bow: Has anyone tried Sodium Dichlor to sanitize the fresh water tank? Saw this at: http://rvbasics.com/techtips/sanitizing-your-rv-fresh-water-system.html. "This is a Chlorinating Concentrate (Sodium Dichloro-s-Triazinetricone or Sodium Dichlor for short". Wondering about negative effect to tank or if there is any difference in the flushing effort between Clorox and Sodium Dichlor. Thanks. Eric MP

[Northofu1]

The problem with dichlor is the amount you have to buy, and where you buy it. If you work at a pool and can "borrow" a teaspoon, not an issue. If you buy it, what do you do with the rest of it, it degrades over time. Regular bleach is the way to go, quick, easily attainable.

[Eric MP]

:hide: Thanks for the info. I went to a pool supply store yesterday. I did not see this reply until, well, now........ The owner said two things that convinced me the bleach is the easy way.


Dichlor that she sold was granular. I wondered how hard would it be to disolve. Second, she commented that they are not using this chemical as much now. And she even said that there were a lot of teaspoons in a 1LB bag.......which was the smallest that they sold that had Dichlor in it.


So.....the FW tank is full with 1.25 cups bleach for 81 gals.



I saw in just one article that I read where the RV owner sanitized (bleach) the hot water heater..............complete with heating the water and letting it cool. Should the HWH be involved in the process of sanitizing? Mine is not at this point. The owner's manual makes no mention of the HWH in this process............?



Thanks again,
Eric

[Steveo57]

:hide: Thanks for the info. I went to a pool supply store yesterday. I did not see this reply until, well, now........ The owner said two things that convinced me the bleach is the easy way.


Dichlor that she sold was granular. I wondered how hard would it be to disolve. Second, she commented that they are not using this chemical as much now. And she even said that there were a lot of teaspoons in a 1LB bag.......which was the smallest that they sold that had Dichlor in it.


So.....the FW tank is full with 1.25 cups bleach for 81 gals.



I saw in just one article that I read where the RV owner sanitized (bleach) the hot water heater..............complete with heating the water and letting it cool. Should the HWH be involved in the process of sanitizing? Mine is not at this point. The owner's manual makes no mention of the HWH in this process............?



Thanks again,
Eric


I always do the whole system, hot water heater included. I don't heat it up, the bleach does the sanitizing no need for heat.

One thing to remember is to get plain bleach, not the scented kind.

[travelin texans]

You may have done this when winterizing, if not I'd recommend it before filling the water heater. Pull the plug to drain, flush tank throughly, not sure what bleach water will do to the calcium build up, but I suspect it will turn it to slime, inspect &/or replace the anode rod if it's a Suburban water heater & after sanitizing flush tank thoroughly again.