Black stuff initially in faucets -City water hook up?

[suzea]

Originally Posted by Tiggerdad

Depending on water quality black slime can form in your tank, piping and associated fixtures. Our local health department does restaurant inspections and the #1 complaint is "black slime/mold" on drink machine spigots.

I sanitize my system and fresh water tank every spring although we only camp with full hookups and don't use our fresh water tank except for a few gallons of water to flush the toilet when making roadside stops.

IMO, one should sanitize the fresh water tank and all piping once a year by adding bleach and water to the freshwater tank until full. Then open all faucets and use your water pump to circulate the water from that tank until you get a bleach smell from all fixtures. Let sit and then drain the fresh water tank, refill again, run the pump and continue that method until all traces of chlorine are gone.

Yea, we should sanitize the fresh water tank yearly. I've done it before, but we are only using city water this time out, & I ran out of time. Bought a Camco filter and figured it would suffice.

Many responders have me concluding the blackish water was most likely due to not preflushing the carbon dust from the filter.

The black slime mold you mentioned is what I had feared was the issue. The blackish water dispersed quickly and had a cloudy rather than slimy/clumpy quality.

At any rate, the "Forest River team" has given me thoughts from every angle and a variety of solutions. I've learned a lot and will implement ideas for both fresh water tank and hose lines.

You're input is appreciated.

[suzea]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

If your are sanitizing your FW tank and plumbing the amount of chlorine bleach is 1/4 cup for every 15 gallons. If just sanitizing your city connection and plumbing 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach will be plenty. Use only chlorine bleach you get from the laundry section of any grocery store. Powered bleach should always be mixed until dissolved before adding to your plumbing.

Just remember DO NOT use scented, color safe, splash free, or concentrated bleach.

TX, Scrapper. I'm a liquid bleach person and will use the 1/4 cup solution for the hose.

[suzea]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

What about using the antifreeze inlet with a bleach mixture

Saw something on Youtube about doing something like that. We've got more learning to do before going that route. Haven't even turned on our gas hot water heater yet. We shower at campground. This is embarring to admit, but true.

[Freetyme]

Sanitizing the water lines with bleach along with the tank is good practice 1 or 2 x a year anyways. Just do it. Check your faucet screens, onboard filter. Cheap hoses between the city/camp water and the camper are known to deteriorate internally in time. Then the water itself can vary widely from place to place.

[suzea]

Originally Posted by Freetyme

Sanitizing the water lines with bleach along with the tank is good practice 1 or 2 x a year anyways. Just do it. Check your faucet screens, onboard filter. Cheap hoses between the city/camp water and the camper are known to deteriorate internally in time. Then the water itself can vary widely from place to place.

Agree to all and appreciate the input. Replies like yours add another layer of knowledge. There's so much to learn!

[JohnD10]

Here in the desert southwest, summer is what I call winter as it is too hot to go camping around here.

So my 5'ver is mostly parked all summer unless we have a trip to somewhere at a higher altitude.

We are going to try and squeeze another night or two boondocking before I park it for the summer and will sanitize the water system, and will do it again in the fall when we go out again.

Although, I am thinking about selling the 5'ver this summer and looking around for a smaller TT as we feel that we don't need a monster camper anymore to have our fun little getaways.

We'll see...

While I like the comforts and luxuries of the 5'ver, it seems more like hauling our home around instead of camping.

I miss the charm of that.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by NJKris

I'm new, and only flushed the blue torpedo for a minute, ran clear and seemed fine afterwards. Five minutes seems like a lot, flood out the area around your trailer!

Hmmmm.... maybe I was thinking of the home refrigerator icemaker water filter. Sorry about that. I usually follow the instructions on the Camco filter which I don't have handy.

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by suzea

Saw something on Youtube about doing something like that. We've got more learning to do before going that route. Haven't even turned on our gas hot water heater yet. We shower at campground. This is embarring to admit, but true.

We never have showered in either RV we have had. Too much humidity(to me) for a cardboard box. We use the campsite showers....about the first thing we check upon arriving a scout out.

That being said if it was just the DW and I it might be ok...kids have NO respect and DO NOT listen. My commode is defective as somehow it leaks/sprays urine....cause NO ONE else did it. [emoji6]

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by suzea

Saw something on Youtube about doing something like that. We've got more learning to do before going that route. Haven't even turned on our gas hot water heater yet. We shower at campground. This is embarring to admit, but true.

Embarrassing ? NOT !! We've owned TT's since 2007 and we've never once used the shower in any of them. Just don't camp down wind from us.

[Thurman]

Even though I've been retired since 2005 some things I learned during my "work-life" stick with me. I worked in Industrial Environmental Safety for years and this conversation kicked a thought into my pea sized brain: The "Camco" style filters used on RV's contains "Activated Charcoal" which means that the charcoal has been treated with heat and gases so that the pores within the charcoal expand creating more filter area. How long to run water through a new "Camco" style filter? My best guess is that one minute should be plenty. The charcoal in those filters will break apart just a wee bit during shipping/handling and running water through a new filter will wash out the "dust" created by shipping/handling. Would this "dust" harm you--NO. Activated charcoal is used every day in medical situations to treat things such as excessive stomach acid, used to treat open wounds, and other uses. YES, I do run water through a new filter for minute before attaching to the TT. One thing to remember though--after using a "Camco" style filter and you break down from camping DO NOT leave the filter attached to the water hose, roll up the hose and connecting the ends together. This WILL promote the growth of all kinds of unhealthy funky things. The day after arriving home I do certain things to clean up the camper including taking the fresh water hose and throw it over a branch of a tree close to my shop allowing the hose to dry out as completely as possible. I also have a way to attach the filter to a piece of old hose so that it hangs down and this allows the filter to dry out. When using a new filter I use a Sharpie to put the date on the filter. I never use a filter more than three (3) times and never more than three (3) months old. The filters are not dirt cheap but inexpensive for the good that they do. Just my 2 cents worth.

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by suzea

Help! We've read that the water pump should not be turned on when connecting to city water. Is there a way to sanitize the lines when not using the water tank?

After hooking up hose at the campsite, blackish water squirted out of the connection at the back of the trailer for a few seconds. The same happened in kitchen sink, bathroom sink and tub, both hot and cold lines. After a short time, water ran clear. However, we're worried about mold, etc., and getting sick.

Is just flushing with fresh water necessary?

Should we have left all taps open while in storage to dry out any residual water in the lines to prevent mold?

Thanks a ton for advice.

Suzea1

There is a fresh water sanitizer available at Walmart and most RV stores. I forget the mane but it comes in a blue and white bottle you pour into the F/W tank and use regularly (you can drink it). But since you had a black discharge I would flush many times. You could also ask someone at a RV store if there is anything they recommend. Bleach can be used but be very careful with the concentration as even 50% mix can effect your plastic pipes. IF, you use bleach triple flush the lines/tank or until you can no longer smell the bleach. This will take some time.

[suzea]

Originally Posted by Thurman

Even though I've been retired since 2005 some things I learned during my "work-life" stick with me. I worked in Industrial Environmental Safety for years and this conversation kicked a thought into my pea sized brain: The "Camco" style filters used on RV's contains "Activated Charcoal" which means that the charcoal has been treated with heat and gases so that the pores within the charcoal expand creating more filter area. How long to run water through a new "Camco" style filter? My best guess is that one minute should be plenty. The charcoal in those filters will break apart just a wee bit during shipping/handling and running water through a new filter will wash out the "dust" created by shipping/handling. Would this "dust" harm you--NO. Activated charcoal is used every day in medical situations to treat things such as excessive stomach acid, used to treat open wounds, and other uses. YES, I do run water through a new filter for minute before attaching to the TT. One thing to remember though--after using a "Camco" style filter and you break down from camping DO NOT leave the filter attached to the water hose, roll up the hose and connecting the ends together. This WILL promote the growth of all kinds of unhealthy funky things. The day after arriving home I do certain things to clean up the camper including taking the fresh water hose and throw it over a branch of a tree close to my shop allowing the hose to dry out as completely as possible. I also have a way to attach the filter to a piece of old hose so that it hangs down and this allows the filter to dry out. When using a new filter I use a Sharpie to put the date on the filter. I never use a filter more than three (3) times and never more than three (3) months old. The filters are not dirt cheap but inexpensive for the good that they do. Just my 2 cents worth.

Thanks, so much for those tips. My sweetheart DOES roll up the hose and connect the ends together after use, thinking he's keeping it "germ free". But, you make perfect sense, that creates a mold hole! We'll revamp that.

[NJKris]

Thanks for reminder. I connected my hose ends together just for in transit, going to blow it out this morning and let it air dry.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by NJKris

I'm new, and only flushed the blue torpedo for a minute, ran clear and seemed fine afterwards. Five minutes seems like a lot, flood out the area around your trailer!

I find turning the facet on and off purges the left over charcoal from manufacturing. I do this the first few times.The last thing we want is to flood out Sunnydale Park with all this water.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by suzea

Thanks, so much for those tips. My sweetheart DOES roll up the hose and connect the ends together after use, thinking he's keeping it "germ free". But, you make perfect sense, that creates a mold hole! We'll revamp that.

I have been camping in a RV since 1968, owned my own since 1982. Always screwed the lines together. Never seen mould in the hose. They drain out usually. I am hooked up to treated water all of the time.

[NJKris]

I think a little water would go a long way cleaning up Sunnyvale Randers! I think it's more important to turn on the spigot for a minute BEFORE attaching stuff to get stale water/sediment out of line and keep it from clogging up your filter. Of course, rinse out your filter for minute too. You don't know how long the water has been sitting in the lines, especially early in the season.

[B and B]

I Agree NJKris. The park pipes could have all kinds stuff in them. I run the hose disconnected from the trailer to flush it out before I connect. I also use a water softener as most parks we are at is well water and very hard. I was lucky to get 10 of the Camco filter for $3 each from Bubbles Hardware in town. They get case lot damage goods and sell them at discount, all sealed in plastic but no boxes.

[NJKris]

You probably saved a lot of money not buying from within the park. Besides, I think half the stuff Corey and Trevor sell at their store is stolen.

[5picker]

Almost 50 years of camping and connecting my hose ends together and not one mold issue. Guess I've been lucky.[emoji6]

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Almost 50 years of camping and connecting my hose ends together and not one mold issue. Guess I've been lucky.[emoji6]

Same here...