Sanitizing for first time - have questions

[Watarski]

I am about to sanitize my fresh water tank for the first time (2015 Grey Wolf 23DBH purchased late June - our first camper). We're going on a 4 day trip this weekend and realized I should probably do this instead of buying bottled water all the time. My main question is about the hot water tank. I'm going to drain it as soon as I get a 1 1/16" socket. I'm going to fill the tank up about half way, add the solution, top off and then open the different fresh water valves (using the onboard water pump and disconnected from the external water). When I want to pull water from the hot water tank, does just turning the faucet knob to the hot setting pull from there - even though the hot water heater is not on? I know it's a silly question - just want to verify that's how it works. I'm not sure how the fresh water tank / hot water tank is connected...
Any help is appreciated!

[raspivey]

Honestly, I've never sanitized my water heater...maybe I should, but I've never thought about it. To answer your question, it works just like one on your house. It's got a cold water inlet that comes from city water or your freshwater tank (both lines are connected at some point) and a hot water outlet that goes to the rest of the faucets. Most trailers will have a bypass setup right at the water heater so you can isolate it.

I will generally just mix a bleach solution (can't remember the concentration off hand) and pour that into the freshwater tank then fill it up. Then run the water pump out all the faucets until you smell bleach. Let it sit for most of the day, then drain the tank and fill it twice, run all the faucets until the bleach smell is gone, then drain it again. I've always bypassed the water heater during this.

[Watarski]

Thanks for the feedback and information. Do you happen to know if the water faucet, when turned to hot, will pull from the hot water tank without the heater being on?

[raspivey]

Yes. The water heater "on" is only for the heating element or propane ignition. It'll just run cold when turned off. Again, most units will have a bypass on the water heater, and I believe most people will isolate the water heater when winterizing or sanitizing the system. Should be three valves on the lines right at the heater. Turn off the inlet and outlet then open the crossover valve between the two if that's what you want to do. At that point, the hot water supply will be feeding off the cold water line and all the faucets will be cold. Run your bleach solution through hot and cold on all the faucets.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Watarski

Thanks for the feedback and information. Do you happen to know if the water faucet, when turned to hot, will pull from the hot water tank without the heater being on?

Yes, just like at home as long as there is pressure from either the water pump (pump on) and water in the holding tank or city water hook up pressure.