How to add bleach to clean fresh water

[Ramblin]

I sanitize mine once at the beginning of each season. I fill my 10' hose with bleach, and flush it into the tank. Then I attach my carbon filter and fill the tank till it overflows. Turn on the pump and run it into all the faucets, hoses, spigots, shower, water heater, etc and leave it over night. Next day, I dump the tank, and refill with carbon-filtered water. Run that through the faucets till no bleach smell, then dump the tank again. Refill once again with carbon-filtered water and go camping. I am on well water, and this method has worked great for me.

[mgtr]

As with RickO, we normally add water from our home chlorinated city water. In 27 years of motorhoming, never had to add bleach. I tried to once years ago, and my wife suggested strongly that I not do it. Of course, I didn't. No problems ever.

[macnut]

Mgtr, do you drink the water from the fresh water tank without further treatment?

[RMinflorida]

We beach our tank once a year, we never drink from the tank.

I found this at a auto part store, it is part of a funnel set. The red end is just the right size to screws right on to a gallon beach bottle and the plastic tube go in the water gravity fill. I don't use it for anything else, I hear Mobil 5-20 tastes worst then beach
I hope you can see the picture clearly, it was taken on my patio table.

[macnut]

Thanks, but there is no gravity fill on my motor home. However, it should be simple to measure and pour into the hose, being careful not to spill or run through the filter, which I'll attach on the other end of hose for this. Thanks for the info. I'll post once I successfully do this in a few weeks.

[TheArnolds]

I have read here that a number of people do not drink from their fresh water tank? I can only assume that these are the same people that buy bottled water at home?

My system has a large water filter and the water tastes just fine. We use the water from our tank it to make coffee, tea, brush our teeth, take a shower, etc., same as if we were at home.

In the past, prior to this MH, we carried two 5 gal water jugs of house water for drinking but no longer.

[RickO]

Originally Posted by TheArnolds

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]I have read here that a number of people do not drink from their fresh water tank? I can only assume that these are the same people that buy bottled water at home?

At least in our case that's a fair assumption. We carry bottled water for drinking and for the dogs but we use tank water for coffee, brushing our teeth, etc.

Rick

[Dunner]

When I had my 5er, I used the fresh tank for everything for 12 years. I filled it with soft water from home. Doing the same with my MH. I tried a little bleach one time in the 5er before a trip and I'm sure I put too much in as it gave me heartburn the whole trip. No filter in either.

[Jstarwal]

Originally Posted by DoubleCK

I am new at this and have not yet performed this procedure.

However, a nice guy parked next to us during a recent trip we made, told me to pour the disinfectant into the water fill hose before attaching it to the hydrant. Our coach has a system to siphon a mix into the tank from a bucket. The pour in the hose method sure seems simpler.

BTW: He told me he uses Hydrogen Peroxide rather than bleach as the HP will do the job then dissipate so as not require the extensive flushing necessary to get rid of the bleach smell/taste.

He also mentioned a product to ad between annual treatments to keep the water fresh.

I float this out there hoping for feedback one way or the other....please chime in.

C&K

Quite a few years back worked for the city of Everman, Tx. I was a licensed ground water operator. The only reason we used "chlorine" is because it was the only product that would leave a residual. At that time, it was the only product that would. I learned that Iodine was the best but no residual. HO would work but don't know the amount to use because it warns not to take internaly.
I world be interested to hear what others use. BTW plain ol' vinegar would work great and it is good for you. The smell would disparate shortly and no reason to rinse the tank afterwards.

Jack

[tom1947]

ChasA, you might be the one to ask. I have a Sightseer 30b and am looking for the drain to empty my fresh water tank. Any ideas?

Tom

[pawnotes]

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl

8 drops per gallon, or 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons will make it safe to drink.

1/2 teaspoon per gallon will sanitize just about anything. Let it sit for 30-60 mins.

1 Tablespoon per gallon will sanitize in about 2-5 mins..

When I took biology in nursing school they taught us that stronger is not better. Diluted Bleach will penetrate the organism and basically burst the cell and destroy the organism, but if it is too strong it is unable to penetrate or something along that line.

Thanks for the dilution rate chart. Saved me a dig through the old books

[Midniteoyl]

Originally Posted by pawnotes

When I took biology in nursing school they taught us that stronger is not better. Diluted Bleach will penetrate the organism and basically burst the cell and destroy the organism, but if it is too strong it is unable to penetrate or something along that line.

Thanks for the dilution rate chart. Saved me a dig through the old books

I was going by the EPA and FEMA standards.. But, what i think you are thinking of is for alcohol. 70% was suppose to be better than the 91%.

[Dunner]

8 is better than 3 2.

[pawnotes]

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl

I was going by the EPA and FEMA standards.. But, what i think you are thinking of is for alcohol. 70% was suppose to be better than the 91%.

Yes, Dunner, that is true of alcohol, but also true of bleach. The reason I remember it is because my friend/dog breeder used gallons to disinfect her kennel and I copied the text for her from my book. I'll try to find it for you. Interesting fact: industrial vinegar is used in some disinfection applications. We have so much trouble disinfecting in a hospital because of all the antibiotic resistant bacteria and virus strains.

Dogs and water.....we always give them bottled water (sometimes we bottle our own from home)......last thing you want to do is travel with a bunch of dogs with diarrhea in a motorhome.........ewwwww

[pawnotes]

TSRI - News & Views

Here is a good link on bleach. It is from the Scripps Institute.

[Dunner]

Midniteoyl I was going by the EPA and FEMA standards.. But, what i think you are thinking of is for alcohol. 70% was suppose to be better than the 91%.

Originally Posted by pawnotes

Yes, Dunner, that is true of alcohol, but also true of bleach. The reason I remember it is because my friend/dog breeder used gallons to disinfect her kennel and I copied the text for her from my book. I'll try to find it for you. Interesting fact: industrial vinegar is used in some disinfection applications. We have so much trouble disinfecting in a hospital because of all the antibiotic resistant bacteria and virus strains.

Dogs and water.....we always give them bottled water (sometimes we bottle our own from home)......last thing you want to do is travel with a bunch of dogs with diarrhea in a motorhome.........ewwwww

Uhhh... Hello.. who you be quotin'? I was talking about 3-2 beer.

[Midniteoyl]

LMAO!..



easy mistake.. People confuse you for me all the time

[Dunner]

I think I'm flattered.

[Midniteoyl]

...

[Dunner]

...or maybe you should be.