Add bleach to fresh water tank?

[lilsid]

Anybody have a solution for sanitizing the fresh water tank on a SportsCoach , 2013 or Pathfinder (probably the same). I have an 89 Gallon tank so I want to add 1.5 gallons of bleach in a full tank of water. Question is how to get the bleach in. The only way I can find into the tank is through the hose feed. I tried making a fitting with a hose and funnel to gravity feed it in but that didn’t work. Just wondering if anyone has a makeshift item for adding chlorine into the tank.
If I use the winterizing inlet that will only let me do the lines but not the tank correct?
Thanks for any help.

[GalsofEscape]

What works for me is a turkey baster. Squirts the bleach right in. I usually partially fill the tank with water, add the bleach then finish filling the water.

[dalford]

Sounds like a lot of bleach? Use a funnel and pour bleach into an empty garden hose. Then insert hose into water fill...

[dcheatwood]

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ad.php?t=57273
This thread speaks of the proper bleach/water ratio.

Sent from David's RAZR M.

[fonzie]

You should use 1/4 cup per gallons for sanitizing.....

How-To Sanitize the RV Water System by RV Education 101® - YouTube

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by lilsid

Anybody have a solution for sanitizing the fresh water tank on a SportsCoach , 2013 or Pathfinder (probably the same). I have an 89 Gallon tank so I want to add 1.5 gallons of bleach in a full tank of water. Question is how to get the bleach in. The only way I can find into the tank is through the hose feed. I tried making a fitting with a hose and funnel to gravity feed it in but that didn’t work. Just wondering if anyone has a makeshift item for adding chlorine into the tank.
If I use the winterizing inlet that will only let me do the lines but not the tank correct?
Thanks for any help.

I think 1.5 - 2 cups would do fine, not 1-1/2 Gal which would be WAY TOO MUCH!

[dcheatwood]

Sorry about the over kill on bleach quantity. I got carried away. lol.
The drill pump below is a good idea. A five gallon bucket filled with bleach solution set above the fill spout will allow siphoning to work also.

[Duckogram]

Well now it sure looks like the group addressed your bleach quantity issue but I did not see the answer to your question. So here is what I do:
Pour the correct amount of bleach in a clean 5 gal bucket then fill the bucket with water to dilute the bleach a bit. Then I use a self priming drill pump to siphon the solution in the bucket into the FW tank via a short hose like a hose reel connector.
Then I refill the bucket and siphon it into the FW tank to clean the hoses, pump and bucket. Voila!
You can use the same method only connect to the city connection to sanitize your water lines and fixtures or you can use the onboard pump which is what I do.

That same method will also pump antifreeze in if you are unfortunate enough to live North or more fresh water out of a container if you want to extend your dry camping a bit.

Sure hope this helps.

[Ford Idaho]

Now with the much smaller and safer amount of bleach I would drain the FW hose, hook it to the trailer pour bleach into hose, hook to water faucet and fill as normal.

[heavynlori]

We also use a diluted bleach solution to clean our water filter parts and fresh water hose when they get yucky - soak them overnite in a plastic utility tote

[Roll]

I've done my water system twice now and will do it again in a week when the weather improves a bit.

The problem I have is that nearly all of the instructions I've seen advise you to simply pour the water/Bleach mixture into the water tank. This is not possible in my system and may not be in yours.

Many TTs and other RV products have a fresh water fill tube that is open and large enough to allow you to insert a hose into the tube a few feet and fill the tank. My Encounter is different. I have a direst water line fitting (like a garden hose) for the fresh water tank that includes a debris screen and under that, a one way check valve. You can't pour water into this fitting; the only way it will take water is if you have a hose fastened and are using a water source under pressure.

I can think of only one way (hopefully others will have additional options) to get your bleach into your fresh water tank.

1. Use two hoses. One connected to the water source and the other connected to your tank. Separate the hoses if you have already screwed them together. Hold the hose attached to the RV up and pour into the hose with a funnel, the measured amount of bleach. While holding the hose with the bleach up so it does not run out, connect your shore water to the bleach hose and then turn the water on thereby forcing the bleach in through the fitting and so into your fresh water tank with shore water pressure.

You can try this with a single hose but your water source must be high enough off the ground that your bleach does not drain out when you try to attach the hose to the faucet.

I'd love to find an easier way because its a pain in the neck but this how I get the job done.

Roll

[Roll]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

Well now it sure looks like the group addressed your bleach quantity issue but I did not see the answer to your question. So here is what I do:
Pour the correct amount of bleach in a clean 5 gal bucket then fill the bucket with water to dilute the bleach a bit. Then I use a self priming drill pump to siphon the solution in the bucket into the FW tank via a short hose like a hose reel connector.
Then I refill the bucket and siphon it into the FW tank to clean the hoses, pump and bucket. Voila!
You can use the same method only connect to the city connection to sanitize your water lines and fixtures or you can use the onboard pump which is what I do.

That same method will also pump antifreeze in if you are unfortunate enough to live North or more fresh water out of a container if you want to extend your dry camping a bit.

Sure hope this helps.

Duck,

Does this priming drill pump create enough pressure to push the bleach through the check valve in the FW tank fill fitting?

Also using the shore water line directly will by pass the tank and so will trying to get the bleach into the system via the water pump. I believe the only way to get bleach into the FW tank ( a critical part of the system and the likely spot for the stuff you are tying to kill), is to use the "FW Tank Fill" fitting.

That's what I believe anyway....

Roll

[dalford]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

Well now it sure looks like the group addressed your bleach quantity issue but I did not see the answer to your question. So here is what I do:
Pour the correct amount of bleach in a clean 5 gal bucket then fill the bucket with water to dilute the bleach a bit. Then I use a self priming drill pump to siphon the solution in the bucket into the FW tank via a short hose like a hose reel connector.
Then I refill the bucket and siphon it into the FW tank to clean the hoses, pump and bucket. Voila!
You can use the same method only connect to the city connection to sanitize your water lines and fixtures or you can use the onboard pump which is what I do.

That same method will also pump antifreeze in if you are unfortunate enough to live North or more fresh water out of a container if you want to extend your dry camping a bit.

Sure hope this helps.

I thought my answer was very simple.

"Sounds like a lot of bleach? Use a funnel and pour bleach into an empty garden hose. Then insert hose into water fill...

Maybe I did not explain well enough but you are going to use a hose to fill your tank. I'm sure 1 or 2 cups of bleach can be poured into the hose then put the hose into your tank filler and turn on the water. Walla, bleach is forced into tank by fresh water...

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by dalford

I thought my answer was very simple.

"Sounds like a lot of bleach? Use a funnel and pour bleach into an empty garden hose. Then insert hose into water fill...

Maybe I did not explain well enough but you are going to use a hose to fill your tank. I'm sure 1 or 2 cups of bleach can be poured into the hose then put the hose into your tank filler and turn on the water. Walla, bleach is forced into tank by fresh water...

Tis how I do it.
Poor bleach down hose then stick in fw inlet then turn water on.
How simple is that?

TURBS

Sabre owners united!

[Witch Doctor]

Never tired it but the hose sounds the best and easiest way. I just thought of something. Did you ever see the Miracle Grow dispenser? You hook up the water house with the 2 cup dispenser on it. Cut off the spray end. hook a short piece of hose to that to your tank turn on the water it will mix with bleach. After awhile if you still want more refill the container with bleach. All you really need is enough to smell it at a faucet. I had my well water tested, they came back to me saying just add 1 gal of bleach to my well head run the pump til I smell it. Leave it off over night turn it on in the morning and run the pump til I didn't smell bleach. I did that took a sample back to them and it passed VHD regs for bacteria. That was for a whole house. not a MH.

[camaraderie]

On the issue of how to sanitize tanks AND lines in terms of procedure...here's how we did it on boats. It absolutely works, though you may have to run a couple tanks of water to remove ALL of the bleachy taste:

Turn water heater off at the breaker before beginning. Do not turn it on again until entire recommissioning is complete.
1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/2 cup Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorine solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity, which results in 4 Ounces of bleach for 10 gallons of water.
2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Turn on every faucet and allow water to run until what's coming out smells strongly of bleach.
3. Turn off faucets--but do NOT turn off the pump...it must remain on to keep the system pressurized so that the solution remains in the lines. Allow to stand for at least 3 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
4. Drain the tank through every faucet.
5. Refill tank with clean fresh water and drain again through every faucet.
6. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion (hit some speed bumps! )
7. Drain tank again through every faucet, and refill with potable water.

This is a "shock system" for tanks and lines that have not been maintained well...or for when you get a used coach that has been sitting with who knows what in the lines for months. Or when your filters start cloggin up with slime etc.

[Duckogram]

So much confusion!!! I'm sorry about that but have this penchant for actually answering the OP's question. The OP already was on track with the pouring of the bleach into the hose. He asked how to get the bleach into the tank. I did not assume that there was a pressurized water source available. My response dealt solely with the most economical method of getting sanitizer, water or antifreeze into the FW tank.

I will stipulate that pouring bleach into the hose is the simplest method. It also sanitizes the hose which is an integral part of the FW system. However, you must also be aware that concentrated sodium hypochlorite is a corrosive chemical that can cause damage. So, the best method is to use a prediluted sanitizer. This is what, IMHO, makes the pump a better choice. You can pump diluted solution through the hose as well.

Now comes the addition of fresh water from a container and anti freeze to the FW tank.

In answer to Rolls question of pressure from the drill pump to get passed the check valve... I have never had a problem with that. I do not know what the outlet pressure is when I run the drill pump. I also agree that you must use the FW fill connection to get anything into the FW tank. The one in the pic is a new one because my old one froze up due to lack of use. Creekers don't need no stinking pump. With the Coachmen that is not the case. So we bought a new one for under $10. I still do not winterize but I do have a 5 gal water container to extend our time off the grid.
BTW, if the check valve creates a problem for the drill pump I will pick up a used 12v shurflo.

[1nshort]

I adapted a Ortho hose end chemical dilution system. I just fill the chemical cup with bleach and set it for maximum siphon/mix then turn on the water. Works fine.

[OL Creeker]

I gotta ask this. Why do you put bleach in the fresh water tank?

[ChooChooMan74]

Here is a good tutorial.

HOW TO: Sanitize an RV Water System: https://youtu.be/jEepug8N-aE

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 using the FRF mobile app.