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09-08-2020, 12:25 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 2
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Sanitizing plumbing
Has anyone ever used the antifreeze intake to pump a bleach solution into the plumbing?
We don’t use the fresh water tank but our fifth wheel may sit for a month in between trips.
I’m thinking that if I can fill the hot and cold lines with a mild bleach solution then I could flush it in a day or two.
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09-08-2020, 01:16 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Markham, Ontario
Posts: 1,942
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Dan & Serena
2019 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD SLE
2015 Cougar X-Lite 29 RET
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09-09-2020, 08:57 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 2
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I’m thinking that the water sitting in my lines for a month or so could start growing unwanted bacteria. The reason for giving the plumbing a shot of bleach solution through the antifreeze intake would be to shock/kill anything growing in there. Ever heard of anyone doing this.
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09-09-2020, 09:08 AM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kentmorgan
I’m thinking that the water sitting in my lines for a month or so could start growing unwanted bacteria. The reason for giving the plumbing a shot of bleach solution through the antifreeze intake would be to shock/kill anything growing in there. Ever heard of anyone doing this.
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I sanitize the entire fresh water plumbing system every spring. That includes the FW tank, the hot and cold water lines (from the tank, the city water inlet and water heater to the faucet aerators). Unless you're using water from "extremely questionable sources," I wouldn't suspect you'd find a need to do that kind of sanitizing on a monthly basis, even in storage with water in the lines.
We use well water at home and our trailer has "that untreated water" in the lines, tank, water heater, usually from April/May through October/November. We've never had anything "grow in the plumbing lines" at least not in such quantity that it would be visible or clog the aerators.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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09-09-2020, 06:01 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 503
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I usually sanitize a couple times a year. I do the tank also since we use the tank a lot.
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2018 Cougar 26RBS
2016 Chevrolet 3500DRW D/A
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09-09-2020, 06:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Home, Idaho
Posts: 2,977
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In answer to your question... yes the winterize selection will draw the mixture up thru all hit and cold water lines as well as the water pump itself.
I only sanitize once a year and that’s after I dewinterize... I do however, drain the fresh water tank, water heater and low point drains in between two of my trips because the unit sits from Jun till mid Sep at the house ...
We also use well water ... never had any issues with bacterial growth in the RV... and since I am the state certified well operator for our rural subdivision I took a couple of water samples from my Alpine and had these tested at the state testing agency...no issues detected
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2007 GMC Classic club cab 4x4 Duramax LBZ
2014 Alpine 3010 RE. 34 foot fifth wheel
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09-10-2020, 01:47 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Willamette Valley Oregon
Posts: 330
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I just put a little beach in the FW tank then run all the faucets (hot and cold) until I smell bleach. Then drain the FW tank and refill with only about 5 gals. Depending on usage, I do this 1-2 times a year. We don't drink from the FW tank often.
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2020 Keystone 291RLS
2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 4x4 Crew 3.92
EAZ-Lift Recurve R3 #1200
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09-10-2020, 03:56 AM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,714
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kentmorgan
Has anyone ever used the antifreeze intake to pump a bleach solution into the plumbing?
We don’t use the fresh water tank but our fifth wheel may sit for a month in between trips.
I’m thinking that if I can fill the hot and cold lines with a mild bleach solution then I could flush it in a day or two.
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Seems like overkill to me. I only put water in the fresh water tank via out city water filter, never straight from a source. If your filling from a municipal water treatment supplier chances are it's already been chlorinated. If you are using well water at home then I hope you are testing/treating it or paying a service to do it.
If our trailer is going to set for a couple of weeks then I'll; drain the water heater. I only sanitize in the spring after chasing out the antifreeze. It doesn't take much bleach in the freshwater tank to accomplish this. About a 1/4 cup of bleach for 15 gal of water is what I use. run it thru, then flush with freshwater until bleach smell disappears.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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09-10-2020, 07:49 AM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,839
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When you "think objectively" about sanitizing the trailer after it sits for a couple of weeks, do we "sanitize our home plumbing system" after we return from a vacation and it's sat idle for a couple of weeks (or longer) ???
I'd say that with "potable water in the plumbing system" it's likely not to need sanitizing on a regular basis. Once a year: Yes. Once a month: Way to much for this old man.....
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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09-10-2020, 04:24 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Home, Idaho
Posts: 2,977
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The one factor to consider when comparing a household Water system to the typical RV is the house system is a “closed” system... the water feed lines are 3 feet or more below ground level...
Hence to significant heating of the water system and it’s closed....
Most RVs would have a vent line on the fresh water tank. The system is “open”... in warmer weather the “free chlorine” level drops quickly down to next to nothing... this in turn sets up the scenario for bacterial growth to begin in the water tank and the water lines...
Is it a concern to loose sleep over ... not for me.
Once a year disinfect is usually good enough. If you add bleach and suck it into the system and run thru the lines you need to leave it sit for 24 hours for maximum affect prior to draining and refilling with fresh water
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2007 GMC Classic club cab 4x4 Duramax LBZ
2014 Alpine 3010 RE. 34 foot fifth wheel
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09-11-2020, 01:37 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Home, Idaho
Posts: 2,977
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This is a nice informative article on how and why you need to sanitize your RV water system... simple and effective... filters are not doing anything for bacteria
https://www.sanidumps.com/sanitizerv...atersystem.php
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2007 GMC Classic club cab 4x4 Duramax LBZ
2014 Alpine 3010 RE. 34 foot fifth wheel
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