dewinterizing and sanitizing... hydrogen peroxide or bleach for fresh water tank??

[mrffrank440]

Which is better to sanitize the fresh water tank, Bleach (1/4 per 15 gallons) or hydrogen peroxide ? I am not sure of the water to hydrogen peroxide mixture.

Which is better or safer ???

Thanks,
mitch...
2021, 22MLE

 

[livinthelife]

Which is better to sanitize the fresh water tank, Bleach (1/4 per 15 gallons) or hydrogen peroxide ? I am not sure of the water to hydrogen peroxide mixture.

Which is better or safer ???

Thanks,
mitch...
2021, 22MLE

We use bleach for sanitizing the fresh water tank. We use hydrogen peroxide on the hose/water connections in campgrounds.

 

[Stealth13777]

Bleach is recommended by the factory. Just flush the system after you disinfect.

 

[Second Chance]

Hydrogen peroxide is very unstable when exposed to air or diluted - turns into water and oxygen radicals fairly quickly. It would not be effective. Use bleach as recommended in the manual.

Rob

 

[MoonShadow_1911]

Hydrogen peroxide is very unstable when exposed to air or diluted - turns into water and oxygen radicals fairly quickly. It would not be effective. Use bleach as recommended in the manual.

Rob

Another one for bleach here...
[MENTION=870]Second Chance[/MENTION] is just showing off his extensive medical knowledge (seeing as he is a retired medic/nurse).

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[bierdude]

I've used the Thetford Fresh Water Tank kit for a few seasons. 2 part (detergent and acid based sanitizer.) Works well for me.

 

[SGT ROC]

We use 1/4 cup of bleach, let it sit overnight, drain then fill/rinse and drain again. On a side note, my wife will not use the water from the tank or campgrounds for drinking or food use. I, on the other hand, have no issue with it. That may be, as Mark says above, because she's a medical professional. I'm just an ex manager.

 

[NB Canada]

We use 1/4 cup of bleach, let it sit overnight, drain then fill/rinse and drain again. On a side note, my wife will not use the water from the tank or campgrounds for drinking or food use. I, on the other hand, have no issue with it. That may be, as Mark says above, because she's a medical professional. I'm just an ex manager.

What water do you use if you don’t use campground water?


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

 

[geotex1]

For sterilizing, the recommended dilution ratio is 1/4c bleach to 15 gallons of fresh water capacity.

We also do not drink campground water, but this is because Nikki has blood pressure regulation issues and you can never know what the CG is doing to its water - softening can add a lot of sodium. I installed a drinking water tap in the kitchen that is fed by water cooler sized bottles in the basement storage and we bring our own, known water that way. Easier than gallon containers and right there for a glass, fill the ice tray, coffeemaker, etc.

 

[SGT ROC]

What water do you use if you don’t use campground water?


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

For cooking we bring water from home in 2 large Thermos containers (about 2 gallons each). For drinking we bring bottled water, the amount depends on if we have Kids/grandkids and length of stay. To be clear, there is only one campground I will not use the water for anything 0ther than Showers and so on. It smells of sulfur terribly. I reserve the water from home for her. (I do not drink the water from any campground. It's an old habit from many Vacations to the Caribbean. Making that mistake once was enough for us....

 

[mrffrank440]

Hi,

Many thanks for all of your insight and shared experiences.
I think I will bring water test tabs and see the quality of the campground water. I am almost afraid to see the results.

Mitch Frank
22MLE

 

[NB Canada]

For cooking we bring water from home in 2 large Thermos containers (about 2 gallons each). For drinking we bring bottled water, the amount depends on if we have Kids/grandkids and length of stay. To be clear, there is only one campground I will not use the water for anything 0ther than Showers and so on. It smells of sulfur terribly. I reserve the water from home for her. (I do not drink the water from any campground. It's an old habit from many Vacations to the Caribbean. Making that mistake once was enough for us....

We always use the campground water through a filter
Municipal water sources are heavily regulated. At least here in Canada they are. Always safe
Bottled water companies are not regulated


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

 

[SGT ROC]

We always use the campground water through a filter
Municipal water sources are heavily regulated. At least here in Canada they are. Always safe
Bottled water companies are not regulated


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

As are most of the ones here. The one with the Bad water (in my opinion) is on its own water supply as it's private - and about 10 miles from a very tiny town . I'm sure it's safe to drink, but I won't. And we use a filter, always

 

[LV Naturist]

OOPS...Double Tap.

 

[LV Naturist]

Leave it to [MENTION=870]Second Chance[/MENTION] to throw a wrench in the gears... I sanitize my water system with bleach. Having said that, last season we developed a rotten egg smell when using hot water. After struggling with this for a couple of trips, I was advised not to use a solid aluminum anode rod as this promotes a certain bacterial growth that gives off a rotten egg smell. I was told to change the anode to an aluminum/magnesium(?) rod to prevent this from occurring. I was also advised to sanitize the water heater tank (by itself) using hydrogen peroxide, as chlorine is (mildly) caustic and could damage the tank. After changing the anode and sanitizing (maybe cleaning is a better term) the water heater tank with hydrogen peroxide, the smell was gone and has never returned.

John

 

[RobWNY]

I don't think I've ever read about sanitizing water hoses. I have a hose I use when at full hookup sites and a couple of 100 ft. Zero G hoses I use strictly for filling my fresh tank at State Parks where the community spigot might be a distance from my RV. Every spring, mid summer and again in the fall, I put my hoses in a large storage tote with a water/bleach mix and let them soak overnight. Bacteria can grow in the hoses too.

 

[geotex1]

Leave it to [MENTION=870]Second Chance[/MENTION] to throw a wrench in the gears... I sanitize my water system with bleach. Having said that, last season we developed a rotten egg smell when using hot water. After struggling with this for a couple of trips, I was advised not to use a solid aluminum anode rod as this promotes a certain bacterial growth that gives off a rotten egg smell. I was told to change the anode to an aluminum/magnesium(?) rod to prevent this from occurring. I was also advised to sanitize the water heater tank (by itself) using hydrogen peroxide, as chlorine is (mildly) caustic and could damage the tank. After changing the anode and sanitizing (maybe cleaning is a better term) the water heater tank with hydrogen peroxide, the smell was gone and has never returned.

John

Unless you have access to lab-grade hydrogen peroxide, it does not make sense to shock the water heater with it. What you smell is hydrogen sulfide vapor produced from sulfate-reducing bacteria, and you receive this from well water (disinfection processes of public water supply kill the bacteria) which is something we know well having well water. One thing that was incorrect advice - does not matter if your anode is all-aluminum or magnesium-aluminum when either corrodes the reaction with the sulfates in the water ensues. If you can find a zinc anode rod, that is the ticket and they are out there for RV water heaters but generally an order-in affair.

The bacteria is killed readily with chlorine. In fact, the pro shock process is to use chlorine, but hydrogen peroxide works but if you cannot lay hands on industrial (i.e., 90%+) strength you my find it ineffective because household strength goes to water quickly as the other Rob pointed out.

If you are not full-timing and constantly running water through your freshwater system, the best piece of advice I can share to maintain freshness is that when you get home from every trip, flush ALL of your freshwater system with water of known quality. FWIW, many States offer free yearly testing, or testing at a small fee, of your home's water.

 

[geotex1]

I don't think I've ever read about sanitizing water hoses. I have a hose I use when at full hookup sites and a couple of 100 ft. Zero G hoses I use strictly for filling my fresh tank at State Parks where the community spigot might be a distance from my RV. Every spring, mid summer and again in the fall, I put my hoses in a large storage tote with a water/bleach mix and let them soak overnight. Bacteria can grow in the hoses too.

Absolutely! However, you want to make sure your hose is completely filled and have displaced all air with the bleach solution. I link all of our hose together, and put an old twist nozzle on one end and pump the solution in the other. When it's flowing out the nozzle steady, close the nozzle and the other end the demand pump stops. Disconnect the pump, cap the end and let it sit and flush well. Nice a fresh thereafter.

 

[sande005]

Absolutely! However, you want to make sure your hose is completely filled and have displaced all air with the bleach solution. I link all of our hose together, and put an old twist nozzle on one end and pump the solution in the other. When it's flowing out the nozzle steady, close the nozzle and the other end the demand pump stops. Disconnect the pump, cap the end and let it sit and flush well. Nice a fresh thereafter.

I wish I had a way to pump the sanitizing water into my hose. Also wish I had a better way to put the chlorine into the RV fresh tank than by using a funnel in the gravity fill port....
(This on an Imagine 2670MK with the non-nautilus control panel)

Has anyone seen a fitting that can plug into the outside spray port, and then connect a hose? That would fix the first issue for me.

 

[NB Canada]

I wish I had a way to pump the sanitizing water into my hose. Also wish I had a better way to put the chlorine into the RV fresh tank than by using a funnel in the gravity fill port....
(This on an Imagine 2670MK with the non-nautilus control panel)

Has anyone seen a fitting that can plug into the outside spray port, and then connect a hose? That would fix the first issue for me.

You can connect a hose to the coiled hose that plugs into the spray port


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew