Sanitizing - Adding Bleach

[lacamastraveler]

I recently read more than one "How To" that stated never add pure bleach to the RV fresh water tank. I always have and then immediately fill the tank with fresh water. I know many others do as well. Anyone know why I shouldn't add directly?

Thanks

[PhoneDude 8289]

I don't know why it's stated that way, not sure if it even matters. I add maybe 5 gallons of water to the tank, add the bleach and fill the tank. Open faucets till I smell the bleach sometime letting it sit overnight before draining and rinsing depending how late in the day I sanitize.

[Ford Idaho]

I can not pour bleach into my FW tank so I dump it in the water hose hook it up and turn on the water till it is full.

I can see no issue with dumping the bleach in and then adding water right after.

1/4 cup per 15 gallons is not a lot.

[CNYCamper]

My FR Owners' Manual advises to: mix 1/4 C liquid household bleach with 1 G of water and add to FW tank at rate of 1 G of solution to 15 G of tank capacity. Fill tank with water. Open faucets until water runs freely and then re-fill FW tank. Let sit at least 3 hours, drain and flush. Repeat until chlorine smell is gone.

[asquared]

I usually pour it through the hose as well so as to sanitize my fresh hose too. 5 years of doing it this way and no issues. I think what they mean is not to have just straight bleach not diluted sitting in your tank. As stated above, pouring it in and putting the water in right after it dilutes it so you should be ok.

[RingoRoy15]

How much bleach are you using?? Most of the RV water tank sanitizers are 1 oz to 20 gals of water and seem to do the job. But, we understand the need for wanting that sense of secure/reliable/clean fresh water. Still curious about how much bleach....?

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

My FR Owners' Manual advises to: mix 1/4 C liquid household bleach with 1 G of water and add to FW tank at rate of 1 G of solution to 15 G of tank capacity. Fill tank with water. Open faucets until water runs freely and then re-fill FW tank. Let sit at least 3 hours, drain and flush. Repeat until chlorine smell is gone.

1/4c-16g if I figured right.

[RingoRoy15]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

I can not pour bleach into my FW tank so I dump it in the water hose hook it up and turn on the water till it is full.

I can see no issue with dumping the bleach in and then adding water right after.

1/4 cup per 15 gallons is not a lot.

We do something like this as well!

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by RingoRoy15

How much bleach are you using?? Most of the RV water tank sanitizers are 1 oz to 20 gals of water and seem to do the job. But, we understand the need for wanting that sense of secure/reliable/clean fresh water. Still curious about how much bleach....?

I use 3/4 of a cup for mine.

[asquared]

I usually do 3/4-1 cup bleach for my 40 gallon fresh tank.

[MNtraveler]

Watch out for "concentrated" bleach which is somewhat common today. It is not quite double strength.

http://www.waterandhealth.org/high-strength-bleach/




Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R

[djeirlessr]

When I had my boat I had 100 gallon fresh water tank. I use to sanitize with bleach but didn't like the bleach smell that lingered. I since then started using chlorine crystals. I used one teaspoon for 100 gallons. Then fill the tank with water. Run the water through all the lines. Wait an hour and empty the tank. Fill the tank again and run the fresh water through all the lines until the tank is empty. The smell of chlorine does not linger as much as bleach. I then would at a quarter teaspoon of chlorine and fill the tank to chlorinate the water. I will do the same with a 60 gallon tank but only use a half teaspoon of chlorine to sanitize it.

[CNYCamper]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

1/4c-16g if I figured right.

When I typed "G" I meant gallons, not grams.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

When I typed "G" I meant gallons, not grams.

I missed the shift button, did not think it worth the effort to edit.

[DaveJordan]

Originally Posted by djeirlessr

When I had my boat I had 100 gallon fresh water tank. I use to sanitize with bleach but didn't like the bleach smell that lingered. I since then started using chlorine crystals.

What specific product do you use? Can you point us to a web site that sells it?

Thanks!

Dave

[djeirlessr]

I'm not sure of the name. I will look for the container I have. I bought it at a store that sell pool and patio supplies. I have a 2 pound container that lasts a long time. When I find it I'll post it.

[Islander]

Recalling my earlier working careers.. one being a bricklayer, we were taught to 'always' place the water in the pail first before adding the muriatic acid (now called hydrochloric acid) ..used for washing down the masonry.

I would recommend doing the same with 'bleach'.

The reason for doing it this way is so the bleach (or any toxic / hazardous liquid) does not splash out - onto -or- in - unwanted places or things should the water be poured in second.

However, having said that, if the bleach is poured into the tank first it really shouldn't cause any 'splash' danger down inside the enclosed tank.

On the other hand if mixed in an open container the water goes in first.

hope this helps

Islander

[Kaadk]

Last spring I just added some water to the fresh tank, then poured in some bleach, then added more water.

But getting the bleach into the tank was a bit of a pain. Probably spilled 2x what I got in the tank.

I think this spring I'll either:

A) put some bleach directly in the filter canister, then run water through.

Or

B) make a solution in a separate jug and use the antifreeze pickup.

Not sure which way I want to go yet. A is easier and more likely the way I'll go if I'm feeling lazy. B gets more components.




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[doc73]

I used my one gallon jug to make the solution in and poured that into the gravity fill port.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Does your Solera have a water system filter? If so, you are probably only sanitizing only the tank. The filter removes the chlorine before it goes into the water heater and lines. Take a look at the flyer on the Solera, it shows the filter. http://www.forestriverinc.com/brochu...leraposter.pdf

What I did once to sanitize was fill a jug with some water and added bleach. Then I turned the valve to winterize and put the draw hose into the jug and pumped the bleach solution thru the lines until I could smell it coming out the faucets. Let is sit a while and then used the low point drain to remove the bleach solution to a bucket for safe disposal and then switched the line back to normal use and ran the faucets a while to clear out the rest of the bleach solution. Too involved for me to do that often.