Best method to get bleach solution into fresh water tank

[Ace_Furley]

I want to sanitize the FW tank and water lines using the diluted bleach method. Several things I have read say to simply connect a fresh water hose to the city water connection on the motorhome, then pour the solution into the same hose I'm using to fill the tank, and then connect the hose to a spigot and fill the tank. Is this the recommended procedure? 2018 Isata 3. Thank you all for any suggestions.

[NearDenver]

Originally Posted by Ace_Furley

I want to sanitize the FW tank and water lines using the diluted bleach method. Several things I have read say to simply connect a fresh water hose to the city water connection on the motorhome, then pour the solution into the same hose I'm using to fill the tank, and then connect the hose to a spigot and fill the tank. Is this the recommended procedure? 2018 Isata 3. Thank you all for any suggestions.

That's what I do.

[HappyTrav]

I took a plastic funnel and applied some heat to bend the bottom of the funnel. This prevents any chance of splash back as the bleach is poured directly into the fresh water tank.

Bob

[john a v]

Originally Posted by Ace_Furley

I want to sanitize the FW tank and water lines using the diluted bleach method. Several things I have read say to simply connect a fresh water hose to the city water connection on the motorhome, then pour the solution into the same hose I'm using to fill the tank, and then connect the hose to a spigot and fill the tank. Is this the recommended procedure? 2018 Isata 3. Thank you all for any suggestions.

I'm going to assume this is a Spring startup and the piping to the Hot Water Heater is in Bypass Mode. If not, then engage the bypass valve(s). If the system was blown out with compressed air with virtually no water remaining in the lines nothing further needs to be done before adding the chlorine. If the system is filled with potable antifreeze, connect a hose to the City Water Connection and run water through all hot and cold water lines to flush them out (that includes a water filter unit with the filter medium removed as it should have been when winterizing). Be sure to open all valves and taps .... flush toilet, open inside and outside shower taps.

Somewhere I read to add .13oz. of chlorine to each gallon. So, for a 60 gallon fresh water tank that would be 7.8oz. or lets just say something like 8 to 10oz. would be fine.

Pour the chlorine into the Fresh Water Tank. Fill the tank to completely full. Turn OFF all taps and valves and then using your 12V pump, pump the chlorinated water throughout the system. One by one open the taps ... all of them .... hot and cold .... including the toilet and the showers, until you have filled the system (removed all the air).

Let the chlorinated water sit overnight or at least for several hours.
Open the drain on the Fresh Water tank. Empty completely. Fill it again, empty again ... at least three times.
Put a final good amount of water in the fresh water tank and run the 12V pump opening all taps and valves one at a time until all lines have been flushed well. After an initial running of the pump, it's good to connect to the City Water Connection to flush that line out as well.

Turn your valve(s) to reconnect from the Hot Water Bypass and fill that tank. You should be good for another few months!


Happy Camping

[Scrapper]

john_a_v has everything right. But most members go with 1/4 cup (2 oz) of chlorine for every 15 gallons. So 1 cup of chlorine for a 60 gallon fw tank. Pumping through the lines until you smell chlorine coming out of the faucets. Leave the solution for at least 4 hours. When flushing run fresh water through each faucet until the chlorine odor is gone.


One important thing to remember : Use only chlorine bleach. Use the plain (and generally least expensive) unscented household chlorine bleach with at least 5% sodium hypochlorite found in supermarkets; do NOT buy fresh scent, lemon or other scented chlorine products. Do NOT use color safe, concentrated, splashless, jelled or scented bleach.

[FFred]

IF the hot water heater has an aluminum tank, remember chlorine will attack the aluminum.


Don't let the chlorine sit in the system too long before flushing .

[NJKris]

I noticed John a v's instructions do not include water heater tank sanitization, and FFred advised aluminum could be damaged from bleach/chlorine. Is that why? Does anyone sanitize their hot water heater?

[Ace_Furley]

Originally Posted by HappyTrav

I took a plastic funnel and applied some heat to bend the bottom of the funnel. This prevents any chance of splash back as the bleach is poured directly into the fresh water tank.

Bob

Where are you able to pour directly into the fresh water tank? On my unit, Isata 3, The only method I am aware of to add water to the fresh water tank is through City water collection on the exterior of the motorhome with the Anderson valve switched to tank.

[HappyTrav]

Originally Posted by Ace_Furley

Where are you able to pour directly into the fresh water tank? On my unit, Isata 3, The only method I am aware of to add water to the fresh water tank is through City water collection on the exterior of the motorhome with the Anderson valve switched to tank.

I have a separate fill for my fresh water tank.

Bob

[FOURWHL]

I just pour it in the hose before hooking it up as mentioned

[5picker]

Originally Posted by NJKris

I noticed John a v's instructions do not include water heater tank sanitization, and FFred advised aluminum could be damaged from bleach/chlorine. Is that why? Does anyone sanitize their hot water heater?

I include the water heater as part of my sanitizing routine.
I've had both Atwoods and Suburbans. No issues with either.

[5picker]

There has been some discussion of this before.
Here is a link to a recent thread... there are others...

Sanitizing Water Lines

[caseymyers]

And remember bleach will attack and harden rubber seals in your toilet, dump valves and such and cause them to fail. So lots of flushing the system after sanitizing would be smart.

[babock]

Originally Posted by FFred

IF the hot water heater has an aluminum tank, remember chlorine will attack the aluminum.


Don't let the chlorine sit in the system too long before flushing .

It's so dilute, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

[TitanMike]

I use a different method than most for my water system with no adverse results over the years. When de-winterizing I merely flush the dickens out of both water lines AND fresh water tank with city water that retains a small amount of residual chlorine when it leaves the tap. Not enough to sanitize but enough to insure I'm flushing with clean water. I flush WELL, filling and draining the water tank at least two times.

I then fill the tank, adding 3.5 tsp of clorox for my 43 gallon tank. I run all faucets to bring treated tank water into the lines and then install new filter element for the season.

Whenever I re-fill the water tank I add clorox to the "fill" at the rate of 8 drops per gallon. There are 98.5 drops per teaspoon so you can convert to teaspoons depending on how much water you are going to add when filling.

Rather than using a huge "slug" of bleach for a single sanitizing session I merely "treat" the water as it's added much the same as your city water supply is treated. Chlorine dissipates over time and whatever residual is left is removed by the filter in my system so I don't taste it.

This way I don't have to worry about corrosive effects of the chlorine or possible contamination from questionable well water I might pick up along the way. If one were to give it some thought, how often do you sanitize the water lines in your house? Use good sanitary procedures when filling the water tank or hooking up to city water (most importantly, couple both ends of your water hose when stored so it doesn't become contaminated) and none of those nasty organisms are going to find their way into your water system.

Clorox has a web page with the recommended amounts to add to "CLEAR" water (sediment filtered out).

https://www.clorox.com/how-to/disinf...rifying-water/

Sanitizing with a higher concentration of bleach is OK, but remember that a tank or water system can become contaminated at any time during the season. People may not drink the water from their taps but brushing teeth, showering, washing dishes, can all put you in contact with any organism that may have made it's way into the system.

[mlmay12]

Originally Posted by Ace_Furley

Where are you able to pour directly into the fresh water tank? On my unit, Isata 3, The only method I am aware of to add water to the fresh water tank is through City water collection on the exterior of the motorhome with the Anderson valve switched to tank.

The older Isata 3's have a separate fresh water fill port.

[itat]

TitanMike, the continuing threat of contaminated water can be reduced if not eliminated by a very good water filter used on any water that you allow in your system. I do the standard sanitization with 1/4 cup of bleach per 15 US gallons of water and use a 0.5 micron filter.

As for adding the bleach into the FW tank, I've just used a funnel and pour the bleach solution into the gravity fill port. I have a Camco "Water Bandit" so maybe I'll give the hose method a try using the Water Bandit and a funnel.

[Scrapper]

TitanMike, some of us don't have access to chlorinated city water. The campground I am at is 7 miles from the closest town with chlorinated water and I, as many people live in the country with our own wells.

I shock chlorinate my own well every 2 years. When doing so I bypass the water softener and the reverse osmosis drinking water system. The pressure tank, outdoor water faucets, washing machine and water heater gets treated.

[snufferoo]

Some of the prior posts apply only to units (trailers) that have a gravity filled fresh water tank. Many motorhomes require the city water connection set to fill the tank. Those users will need to funnel bleach into the hose before attachment to get bleach into the tank or piping.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by Ace_Furley

I want to sanitize the FW tank and water lines using the diluted bleach method. Several things I have read say to simply connect a fresh water hose to the city water connection on the motorhome, then pour the solution into the same hose I'm using to fill the tank, and then connect the hose to a spigot and fill the tank. Is this the recommended procedure? 2018 Isata 3. Thank you all for any suggestions.

If you are using a gravity feed or a city-water type connection, this option works well.

I use a hose-end garden sprayer connected at the hose bib on my house feeding through all connecting hoses and either feeding into the city water connection...or diverted to the fresh tank...or both -- or feeding into the gravity fill.

Choose a hose end sprayer that has garden hose in and garden hose out fittings. This is one of quite a few options. Double check that it's output is MALE garden hose. I have an older Miracle Grow sprayer with male garden hose out. New ones don't have that. New is nice, but used is fine. Just wash it in the sink and don't use something that has had nasty chemicals in it. The bleach will sterilize it, too.

This will provide a "rich" mix of chlorine to water, so, when you're done, flush profusely or dilute the chlorine based on the mixing specs provided with the sprayer.

Why this method? Because it not only cleans all connecting hoses, but it puts MIXED solution into the tanks and plumbing. Dumping a cup of bleach into the bottom of the holding tank does not equate to a well-mixed solution. Neither does pouring a cup of bleach into the feed end of a hose. A 30 to 50 gallon fresh tank has no mechanism to "stir." Water entering the tank does not do much agitating. An gravity feed water in doesn't equate to a good mix at all. The hose end sprayer pre-mixes fairly accurately, so all the water is equally treated.

That's how I get it in there. From there, follow normal procedures to circulate to all the plumbing and fittings. Then flush everything several times to get the chlorine stink out.