steveandbernie
Member
We were wondering is there anything other then a bleach solution to flush our fresh water tank?
Thanks, Bernie
Thanks, Bernie
Flushing fresh water tank
- Thread starter steveandbernie
- Start date
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Tom
Administrator
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I use plain water for flushing after using a bleach solution for sanitizing. Some folks add vinegar to the final water fill to remove any remaining bleach taste. I don't know what to use instead of bleach for sanitizing.
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
steveandbernie said:
Just use ordinary household chlorine bleach, the kind with no additives. See our library for the full procedure.
Ron
Moderator Emeritus
steveandbernie said:
I am not aware of anything better than bleach. Add the bleach, fill the tank full, let sit for a few hours then drain and flush a couple times.
scottydl
Site Team
Bernie, any particular reason you are wanting to avoid using bleach?
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Hydrogen Peroxide also works fine, but you have to use a much stronger concentration than with bleach.
If you can get food grade peroxide (35% instead of the typical 3% found in drug stores), it can make an effective sanitizer. The advantage is there is no taste to peroxide like there is in chlorine based bleaches. See
http://www.watertechonline.com/article.asp?IndexID=5180706
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/food_grade_h202.html
Bromine is another oxidizer often used to sanitize, e.g. in hot tubs. It is available in bulk at pool stores but also has a flvor/odor that most people don't like. It is nearly as effective as chlorine, though.
But plain old bleach is cheap, effective and readily available.
If you can get food grade peroxide (35% instead of the typical 3% found in drug stores), it can make an effective sanitizer. The advantage is there is no taste to peroxide like there is in chlorine based bleaches. See
http://www.watertechonline.com/article.asp?IndexID=5180706
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/food_grade_h202.html
Bromine is another oxidizer often used to sanitize, e.g. in hot tubs. It is available in bulk at pool stores but also has a flvor/odor that most people don't like. It is nearly as effective as chlorine, though.
But plain old bleach is cheap, effective and readily available.
steveandbernie
Member
Thanks for the advice. I will pass this on to my hubby!
glen54737
Well-known member
That would be TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) home brewers use that to clean the bottles too.
I've heard of adding baking soda to get rid of the taste too.
I always figured filling from a municipal water supply would be enough, it has chlorine added to it but in a small enough concentration that you can barely taste it.
I've heard of adding baking soda to get rid of the taste too.
I always figured filling from a municipal water supply would be enough, it has chlorine added to it but in a small enough concentration that you can barely taste it.
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
Folks, the santizing bleach load is 3/4ths cup of 5-6% sodium hypochlorite in 40 gallons of water. If you completely drain the sanitizing load and completely refill the tank and plumbing with fresh water, that taste should be minimal . No after-treatment with chemistry in action needed. (TSP, forsooth! :
)
The trick is in draining the plumbing. The freshwater system on my little TT consists of a 40 gallon supply tank, a pump, a 2 gallon pressure accumulator, a six gallon hot water tank, and the lines to my sink, lavatory, shower, and john. The accumulator and hot water tank both have separate drains. After sanitizing I open the drains on the supply tank and on the accumulator and hot water tanks and drain them all. I turn on all faucets to allow them to bank drain.
On the refill, I fill the supply tank, and then turn on the pump and open the hot water faucets to and allow the accumulator and hot water tanks to fill and then the cold faucets to purge that plumbing. I then backfill the supply tank.
By then the only chlorine you are going to taste is the chlorine put in by the water department.
)The trick is in draining the plumbing. The freshwater system on my little TT consists of a 40 gallon supply tank, a pump, a 2 gallon pressure accumulator, a six gallon hot water tank, and the lines to my sink, lavatory, shower, and john. The accumulator and hot water tank both have separate drains. After sanitizing I open the drains on the supply tank and on the accumulator and hot water tanks and drain them all. I turn on all faucets to allow them to bank drain.
On the refill, I fill the supply tank, and then turn on the pump and open the hot water faucets to and allow the accumulator and hot water tanks to fill and then the cold faucets to purge that plumbing. I then backfill the supply tank.
By then the only chlorine you are going to taste is the chlorine put in by the water department.
