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  1. #11
    Site Sponsor sande005's Avatar
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    Vinegar does NOT sanitize! It is a mild acid, and can help dissolve mineral deposits. But many of the bacteria that cause the smell can live through it. Bleaching is the only way to actually kill them off. There are other more expensive sanitizers ("Quats", etc) but bleach at the recommended levels is very safe, extremely effective, and very cheap.
    Sanitize with bleach the entire water system, including the hot water tank. Make sure to run it into the outside spray ports, shower, toilet, and all other parts of the plumbing. Even let some trickle out of the low point drains before shutting them again. Makes sure there aren't any reservoirs of bacteria that can travel and regrow again elsewhere. At the proper concentration it will not harm any equipment. More is not better.
    Tip: drain the heater first, before pumping in the bleach water from your water tank. Then, after the "soaking period", drain it and the entire rest of the system. Then fill and flush everything - will require much, much less rinsing.
    Only buy plain regular bleach - unscented, ungelled, nothing fancy added to it for laundry purposes.
    Bleach that has been opened can loose its effectiveness, so don't count on that leftover bottle from last year being useable.
    2017 Imagine 2670MK
    2012 F-150 SCrew, Eco, 4x4 6.5 box
    Max. Tow, HD Payload, Airbags, ProPride hitch
    (Previous: Jayco 26.5RLS Fifth, Revolution Pinbox)

  2. #12
    Site Sponsor FirstAscent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sande005 View Post
    Vinegar does NOT sanitize! It is a mild acid, and can help dissolve mineral deposits. But many of the bacteria that cause the smell can live through it. Bleaching is the only way to actually kill them off. There are other more expensive sanitizers ("Quats", etc) but bleach at the recommended levels is very safe, extremely effective, and very cheap.
    Sanitize with bleach the entire water system, including the hot water tank. Make sure to run it into the outside spray ports, shower, toilet, and all other parts of the plumbing. Even let some trickle out of the low point drains before shutting them again. Makes sure there aren't any reservoirs of bacteria that can travel and regrow again elsewhere. At the proper concentration it will not harm any equipment. More is not better.
    Tip: drain the heater first, before pumping in the bleach water from your water tank. Then, after the "soaking period", drain it and the entire rest of the system. Then fill and flush everything - will require much, much less rinsing.
    Only buy plain regular bleach - unscented, ungelled, nothing fancy added to it for laundry purposes.
    Bleach that has been opened can loose its effectiveness, so don't count on that leftover bottle from last year being useable.
    Thank for the insight on vinegar. Well lucky for me I'm already planning on doing a bleach sanitization on my water tanks and lines so instead of bypassing my WH I'll just syphon the mix into it as well.

    All sites at my current location or non-sewer sites so once I get to my next location next week I'll be doing the full sanitization. I have a fresh gallon of bleach (of course only at proper ratios) ready to go.

  3. #13
    Site Sponsor FirstAscent's Avatar
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    Hey All, I wanted to update with some recent resolutions from today to close the loop on this in case anyone else runs into this.

    spoiler: all better after bleach sanitizing!



    So as I mentioned earlier I was already planning on sanitizing my fresh water tanks with bleach, and now that I'm at a full hookup site I started yesterday with the intent to also sanitize my hot water heater with bleach since the vinegar did nothing from a smell perspective. Many people recommend NOT to use bleach due to the reaction with metals etc, there may be some truth to that but this smell was horrible and I needed it gone.

    High level details are I have about 150 gallons of fresh water and used 3 total cups of bleach. Filled both fresh tanks, ran the bleach mixture through all cold and hot water lines and let sit over night which was probably about 12 hours. use my water pump to drain (turned faucets on to drain to sewer) the tank, re-filled the tanks and flushed completely two times to ensure bleach was out, ran the fresh water through all cold and hot water lines until I couldn't smell bleach anymore.
    Then for the hot water heater I wanted to make sure that was flushed thoroughly. so I manually drained (pulled the anode rod), filled with fresh water, and drained again I think 3 times just to be sure.

    Hooked back up to city water, turned water heater on, waited a couple hours, took a shower and FINALLY! The best smelling shower I've had in a while hahaha. No weird smells, just a regular old shower. I'm so excited.

    Kinda sucks that I now feel like I wasted all that time with the vinegar since I could do the bleach sanitizing for fresh water and hot water heater all in one but oh well. I learned a lot and this was the first time sanitizing both hot water heater and fresh water tanks so now I've got it down. Easy, just time consuming.

    For what it's worth, my hot water heater manual DOES mention bleach even though the large consensus on the interwebs says not to. As always, do your research, then decide what is best for you and your situation.
    2021 Momentum 381M (Ordered 3/6/2020, Delivered 8/27/2020)
    -- Full Body Paint, MORryde IS 7k w/ disc brakes, Gen-Y Gooseneck conversion, 3 AC, Heat Pump, Dual Pane Windows, Slide Toppers, Residential Fridge

  4. #14
    Seasoned Camper
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    Does the tank have a anode? My previous trailer had a anode in the WH and it reacted with hard water to give me the rotten egg smell. I removed it and replaced it with a plug and the smell went away.

    Tim
    Tim
    2020 Reflection 320MKS, Sidewinder Hitch
    2003 2500HD Silverado Duramax, Sumo springs, Hawk Brake Pads

  5. #15
    Site Sponsor FirstAscent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Indy Tim View Post
    Does the tank have a anode? My previous trailer had a anode in the WH and it reacted with hard water to give me the rotten egg smell. I removed it and replaced it with a plug and the smell went away.

    Tim
    It does have an Anode. However, my understanding is the anode is there to prevent degradation of the tank. Have you seen an Anode after a few months they're completely deteriorated as they should be haha.

    With that being said, water heaters are not my background but for me I think I'll stick with leaving the anode in to help with any tank longevity. The anode's are a cheap replacement, the tank would suck ha!
    2021 Momentum 381M (Ordered 3/6/2020, Delivered 8/27/2020)
    -- Full Body Paint, MORryde IS 7k w/ disc brakes, Gen-Y Gooseneck conversion, 3 AC, Heat Pump, Dual Pane Windows, Slide Toppers, Residential Fridge

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Indy Tim View Post
    Does the tank have a anode? My previous trailer had a anode in the WH and it reacted with hard water to give me the rotten egg smell. I removed it and replaced it with a plug and the smell went away.

    Tim
    Removing the anode entirely is a terrible idea. Without the anode any galvanic corrosion will attack the aluminum tank instead of the anode which, under the right conditions could rapidly result in a hole in the tank.

  7. #17
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by tfgd21bhe View Post
    Removing the anode entirely is a terrible idea. Without the anode any galvanic corrosion will attack the aluminum tank instead of the anode which, under the right conditions could rapidly result in a hole in the tank.
    I've got very hard water at my home and had to remove the anode from my house WH along with my 5th wheel. Removed from the house WH in 2001 and had the trailer 15 years prior to selling it with no leaks with the WH. My data with my hardwater(over 180 ppm) doesn't indicate a big risk. It is up to you if you want to take the risk.

    Tim
    Tim
    2020 Reflection 320MKS, Sidewinder Hitch
    2003 2500HD Silverado Duramax, Sumo springs, Hawk Brake Pads

  8. #18
    Long Hauler
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    Cheap insurance, about $8, IMO. Why even bother to run the risk?
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
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  9. #19
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoopy Frood View Post
    Cheap insurance, about $8, IMO. Why even bother to run the risk?
    The only reason to remove it is you don't want your water to smell like rotten eggs otherwise I would leave it in. I don't really have a cost effective solution for my home, my water has been consistent over the last 32 years.

    Tim
    Tim
    2020 Reflection 320MKS, Sidewinder Hitch
    2003 2500HD Silverado Duramax, Sumo springs, Hawk Brake Pads

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