Sanitizing the fresh water tank.

[krowbird]

We have a brand new Imagine 17mke. I would like to sanitize the fresh water tank before our first use. The directions in the owner's manual say to make a bleach solution, pour it in the tank, and let ALL the solution run through all the faucets. Then wait 3 hours and drain tank. Well, that doesn't sound right to me. During the 3 hour wait time all the water is now in the gray tank? Is this the correct way to do it? I am thinking some of that bleach solution needs to stay in the fresh water tank to sanitize it! Any advice on this procedure would help. Thanks!

[Steve7]

Hi Krowbid,

You mix mix then bleach at the ratio mentioned in the manual for the full amount of water the fresh water tank holds. Mix that in a one gallon or so jug. It doesn’t take much bleach. Then pour it in, our pump it through if you have the pump sanitize option. You should have a way to bypass your hot water tank. Then do as you stated above. Most of the water will stay in the fresh water tank to clean that also. I also filled the FW tank a couple times and drained to get all the bleach out.

[krowbird]

Thank you! Had a hard time finding the by pass, but we did it!

[JoeCoasty]

We put the bleach solution in the fresh water tank then drove to our camp site it took over 3 hours. When we arrived I used the pump to run it through the kitchen and bath room sinks. I then hooked up to water hookup and flushed the lines. I just left the residual bleach water in the fresh water tank when it was empty.

[Johnww]

Hi Krowbid,

You mix mix then bleach at the ratio mentioned in the manual for the full amount of water the fresh water tank holds. Mix that in a one gallon or so jug. It doesn’t take much bleach. Then pour it in, our pump it through if you have the pump sanitize option. You should have a way to bypass your hot water tank. Then do as you stated above. Most of the water will stay in the fresh water tank to clean that also. I also filled the FW tank a couple times and drained to get all the bleach out.

When I sanitize my fresh water tank I set the switches on the control panel to fill the tank from city water, hook up my supply hose to the trailer and before hooking up the hose to my fresh water source I pour the bleach into the hose using a small funnel. I then hook up the hose to the fresh water source and fill the fresh water tank. This is a convenient way to get the bleach into the fresh water tank.

[Tom in PGH]

We put the bleach solution in the fresh water tank then drove to our camp site it took over 3 hours. When we arrived I used the pump to run it through the kitchen and bath room sinks. I then hooked up to water hookup and flushed the lines. I just left the residual bleach water in the fresh water tank when it was empty.

I think that you might have been better running it through the pipes and faucets before you left for camp. That way, you would have had the solution sanitizing the lines and faucets as well, while you were on your drive. I’m not sure how effective just running the solution through the lines would be, if it didn’t sit there for some time. Just my thoughts.

[howson]

When I sanitize my fresh water tank I set the switches on the control panel to fill the tank from city water, hook up my supply hose to the trailer and before hooking up the hose to my fresh water source I pour the bleach into the hose using a small funnel. I then hook up the hose to the fresh water source and fill the fresh water tank. This is a convenient way to get the bleach into the fresh water tank.

I did that same process, and then ran the (bleach) water from the fresh water tank through all the faucets, potty, shower...all the water lines (with the hot water tank bypassed). Then flushed everything after a day's travel and arrival at a full hookup campsite (as suggested by multiple inputs on this thread).

[boyscout]

Thank you! Had a hard time finding the by pass, but we did it!

You seem satisfied with responses received... maybe I've misinterpreted your question or maybe you've figured it out?

In your question you say, "let ALL the solution run through all the faucets". That is not correct, you should let SOME of the solution run through ALL of the faucets and the toilet. Most of the solution remains in your fresh tank doing its work on the tank, which is a pretty big space with a lot of surface area for bacteria to settle in.

It won't hurt, after you've allowed the bleach solution several hours to do its job on the fresh tank and all your lines and fixtures, to pump the solution into your gray and black tanks (using the toilet and faucets to do so) and give it an hour or two do do some work (mostly for odor control) there.

Refill the fresh tank and run fresh water through all fixtures before dumping the tank. Do it at least once; you may detect chlorine in water from the fresh tank after this and want to refill, flush, and dump it again.

[mpking]

Having spent 5 years dry-camping, let me summarize.

I like this site:
https://www.sanidumps.com/sanitizerv...atersystem.php

but Camping world has a great directions as well:
https://blog.campingworld.com/rv-bas...-simple-steps/

1. Remove all water filters (Bleach will destroy them, probably need a new one anyways)
2. Drain your water system (Drain the hot water heater as well)
3. Prepare a 5% sodium-hypochloric solution using chlorine bleach (non-scented and non-gel) and water.
   
4. Add bleach mixture to the water tank - Never pour straight bleach into the RV fresh water tank! (Personally, I just add the above bleach to 2 gallons of water) Use the gravity fill and a funnel to get the mixture into the system.
   (If you do not have a gravity fill, use the Nautilus panel to use the winterize setting to draw the bleach in similar to RV antifreeze)
5. f you have a bypass for your hot water tank, make sure that is set for normal use so that the bleached mixture will be pumped through the hot water tank. YOU WANT TO SANITIZE the hot water as well.
6. Top up the fresh water tank with water.
7. Purge the air from your hotwater tank so it's full with the chlorinated water.
8. Run the chlorinated water through all lines (hot and cold one at a time) for one or two minutes, you should be able to smell the chlorine.
9. Top up the fresh water tank with water again.
10. Let it sit for 4 hours minimum, over night is better. The most important thing is to wait the appropriate amount of time for the tank to be properly sanitized. I personally leave it overnight
    Note: Double the bleach is not half the time
11. Drain the water system.
12. Refill the water system.
13. Run the non-chlorinated water through all the lines, (hot and cold one at a time) to remove all the chlorine.
14. Drain the system.
15. The water should now be safe to drink but if the chlorine odor is too strong you can add a mixture of 1/2 cup of baking soda and a gallon of water to the fresh water tank, repeat the fresh water flush.

[mpking]

Just a side note. Lots of people on my other forums also recommending saniziting the fresh water hoses as well. 5 gallon bucket of the bleach solution, and coil up the hose in the solution. You have to take measures to make sure the bleach gets into the hose.

I'd have to google for a good method on how to do that.

[TucsonJim]

As a public service reminder... Do not use Clorox "Splashless" bleach for sanitizing. If you read the very fine print on the bottle, it will state "not for sanitizing".

Jim

[JoeCoasty]

We have a brand new Imagine 17mke. I would like to sanitize the fresh water tank before our first use. The directions in the owner's manual say to make a bleach solution, pour it in the tank, and let ALL the solution run through all the faucets. Then wait 3 hours and drain tank. Well, that doesn't sound right to me. During the 3 hour wait time all the water is now in the gray tank? Is this the correct way to do it? I am thinking some of that bleach solution needs to stay in the fresh water tank to sanitize it! Any advice on this procedure would help. Thanks!

We put the bleach solution in the fresh water tank then drove to our camp site it took over 3 hours. When we arrived I used the pump to run it through the kitchen and bath room sinks. I then hooked up to water hookup and flushed the lines. I just left the residual bleach water in the fresh water tank when it was empty.

[JoeCoasty]

I think that you might have been better running it through the pipes and faucets before you left for camp. That way, you would have had the solution sanitizing the lines and faucets as well, while you were on your drive. I’m not sure how effective just running the solution through the lines would be, if it didn’t sit there for some time. Just my thoughts.

As a mater of fact I did run a little through before driving.