Sanitize fresh water tank

Retired MSG · 05-09-2020, 06:49 PM

A quick question: I have a 2017 FR XLR Thunderbolt. Having trouble figuring out how to sanitize the fresh water tank. Can someone help me out?
Thanks in advance!

Chris Pastuzyn · 05-09-2020, 07:12 PM

Welcome from New Jersey ,Typically 1 cup of bleach to about 40gal of water will do it, Should be a valve at the pump to isolate the fresh water from city water ,Run all of your sinks,etc .let it s8t overnight or longer then rinse.

aceinspp · 05-09-2020, 07:43 PM

Welcome to the forum.You might also post this question on the XLR thread. Later RJD

Mike134 · 05-09-2020, 07:44 PM

This will keep you busy for a bit

https://www.google.com/search?q=Sani...iverforums.com

Retired MSG · 05-09-2020, 08:44 PM

I will. Thanks

Retired MSG · 05-09-2020, 09:25 PM

We have a 2017 XLR Thunderbolt 413. I am having trouble figuring out how to sanitize the fresh water tank. Any ideas? I know about the bleach and the ratios but how do you get the bleach mixture in the fresh water tank?
Thanks!

WFD · 05-09-2020, 09:52 PM

what many do is simply pour the bleach into your freshwater hoses by means of a measuring cup, then connect to your water tap and fill up your tank. The bleach will get pushed into the tank and mix with the water. Recommendation is 1/4 cup bleach for every 15 gal of freshwater capacity your unit has. Pump it through all your taps till you smell bleach then let it sit for a min 4 hrs and many just leave it overnight. You will then need a couple rinses of your freshwater tank to clear it out. Mixed opinions about if you should include your hot water tank. I did once and found it took forever to clear the bleach smell from it and had a bleach smell whenever using hot water for a pretty long time.

Retired MSG · 05-09-2020, 10:37 PM

Great idea! I was overthinking it. Never thought of just pouring it in the hose and filling the tank. Thanks for your help!

Camp4two · 05-10-2020, 12:20 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Also, a lot of good information in this thread:
https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...nk-205671.html

LannyCox · 05-10-2020, 01:01 PM

The last time I did mine I had a strange (funny) result. I poured the bleach into the manual fill port and left it open. Then I put fresh water in via the city water connection set to fill tanks position. I had thought, when the tank was full, water would just start flowing out of the manual fill port letting me know it was full. Instead, after awhile, a bubbly foam was coming out of the manual fill port. I didn't know Clorox would foam.

Any ideas why this happened? Thanks in advance!

Waterops1 · 05-10-2020, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LannyCox

The last time I did mine I had a strange (funny) result. I poured the bleach into the manual fill port and left it open. Then I put fresh water in via the city water connection set to fill tanks position. I had thought, when the tank was full, water would just start flowing out of the manual fill port letting me know it was full. Instead, after awhile, a bubbly foam was coming out of the manual fill port. I didn't know Clorox would foam.

Any ideas why this happened? Thanks in advance!

Sometimes the Clorox-like products may have other additives for fragrance or whatever. Public water utilities are not permitted to use regular Clorox for disinfecting UNLESS it happens to state that it is NSF Approved and I don't think they are. Most small utilities now have to purchase sodium hypochlorite from chemical companies to get approved material. Certainly no harm in using it for disinfecting FW tanks; just try to get as plain a product as possible.

Scrapper · 05-10-2020, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LannyCox

The last time I did mine I had a strange (funny) result. I poured the bleach into the manual fill port and left it open. Then I put fresh water in via the city water connection set to fill tanks position. I had thought, when the tank was full, water would just start flowing out of the manual fill port letting me know it was full. Instead, after awhile, a bubbly foam was coming out of the manual fill port. I didn't know Clorox would foam.

Any ideas why this happened? Thanks in advance!

It states in your owners manual for your RV "Never use concentrated, scented, non-chlorine, oxygen bleaches or any bleach with additives."
These bleaches contain chemicals not safe for human consumption.

Regular chlorine bleach is 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. Any bleach containing over 5.25% sodium hypochlorite is concentrated.

LannyCox · 05-10-2020, 02:45 PM

Well, I think it was regular, unscented Clorox because that is all my wife used. The foam is still a mystery to me.
Thanks!

lmiken · 05-10-2020, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LannyCox

The last time I did mine I had a strange (funny) result. I poured the bleach into the manual fill port and left it open. Then I put fresh water in via the city water connection set to fill tanks position. I had thought, when the tank was full, water would just start flowing out of the manual fill port letting me know it was full. Instead, after awhile, a bubbly foam was coming out of the manual fill port. I didn't know Clorox would foam.

Any ideas why this happened? Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you used Chlorox Splashless, which foams up. I do not think it is as effective and it is hard to get rid of the foaming stuff they use.

jimmoore13 · 05-10-2020, 05:53 PM

A challenge is getting the bleach adequately mixed in the fresh tank.
Most recommend using a large bucket and a funnel or similar to pre-mix the bleach into about 4 or 5 gallons of water, and then pour that into the fresh tank followed by filling the tank. The pre-diluted bleach will mix more readily with the incoming water from the gravity feed.

If you don't have a gravity feed...but instead toggle a lever at the city water hookup that redirects city water to fill the fresh tank, you can get a hose-end fertilize sprayer that has hose connections in and out and fill it with bleach. Running the hose through the hose end sprayer will dilute the bleach as it goes in.
Get a new one, clean it well, and use it only for this purpose: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....AC_SL1305_.jpg
I use this setup to hook to my hose bib at the house and sanitize everything including the hoses all the way in through my city water connection. Then I switch to the fresh tank.

Since we always boondock, I carry extra water. I premix my bleach in a Reliance Jug and pour it into the fresh tank with a home-made hose adapter. I can mix about 5 gallons, shake it well and pour it into the gravity feed.
Note that the threaded cap allows me to use a 1/2" npt to barb adapter, about 18" of clear plastic hose and a simple hose clamp to adapt the cap to make filling the gravity feed a snap from the jug.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Reliance-...EaApTDEALw_wcB

The formula for sanitizing - about 1/4 cup bleach per 10 to 15 gallons of water in the fresh tank can be found by googling "rv water tank sanitize".

nayther · 06-23-2020, 04:15 PM

so bringing this one to the top again. This is the first rig I've had that's had an issue of smelly water. I did the sanitize thing but every time I use the shower for the first time after setting it stinks. Once the shower is used it does not return until the next trip. Sinks and toilet don't stink. Should I just sanitize again, letting the shower flush more?

TitanMike · 06-23-2020, 05:02 PM

Yes. Might also try a little stronger bleach mix. Make sure hot water tank is not bypassed while sanitizing. Hot water tank is a good place for odor causing organisms to hide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nayther

so bringing this one to the top again. This is the first rig I've had that's had an issue of smelly water. I did the sanitize thing but every time I use the shower for the first time after setting it stinks. Once the shower is used it does not return until the next trip. Sinks and toilet don't stink. Should I just sanitize again, letting the shower flush more?

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