Sanitize solution - long term

[wayneskid]

My Airstream Interstate has a 26 gal. fresh water tank. I added 1/4 cup of bleach which is less than half the concentration I've seen suggested for sanitizing.

Is there any reason I shouldn't leave this in the tank long term? Like for maybe 6 months.

Thanks

[Lily&Me]

My first thought....why would you want to do that?

Second thought....don't do it.

Even at a low level, do you want chlorine bleach just sitting in your fresh water tank? Possibly eroding your plastic?


Maggie

[n2916s]

That is a pretty small amount. I suspect it will just kind of vaporize away over the next six months. Personally what I do is leave my tank empty then fill it, sanitize and dump that water. Then I fill it again with freshwater but everybody's got their own way to do it.

At that small a concentration I don't believe that the chlorine is any threat to the seals or any of that.

Enjoy the journey,

Mike

[wayneskid]

Thanks. Maggie, I want to do it because the Interstate is going back into hibernation again, after a 4K mile wander area undo the western states! We were reminded again what a beautiful country we live in!

[RickDavis]

I believe that it is very likely the chlorine taste will permeate the plastic tank and you will live with it for a long time. Personally I would not do it in that high a concentration if the water is going to be there any length of time.
But then I have been known to fill my tank from puddles before the dog could drink from them

[idroba]

The chlorine will dissipate in not too long a time, but it is a bit hard on some plastics. I personally would not leave it in for more than a day or so for that reason.

Chlorine was finally identified as the element which caused the gray polly pipe and fittings used in RV's and homes in the 80's to fail over time. It does not affect PEX though, from what I understand. Still, to be safe......

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by wayneskid

Thanks. Maggie, I want to do it because the Interstate is going back into hibernation again, after a 4K mile wander area undo the western states! We were reminded again what a beautiful country we live in!

Well, ours sits several months each late Oct-early Jan, with the fresh water tank empty but for winterization fluids.

We flush that out, fill with fresh/sanitize, flush that and eventually use it for drinking water. Always takes a few fills before the bleach smell is gone.

Unless you are putting contaminated water into your fresh tank, , why fill it with water and bleach to sit for months? Why take the chance of any problems or issues?

Leave it empty and sanitize when you are ready to hit the road again.

There, our opinion after nearly 7 years of ownership.


Maggie

[wayneskid]

I've gone to plan B. Drained the tank and refilled with fresh water. I will drain it again to flush then fill again when I'm prepping for the next adventure; around June I think.

Thanks for all the advice!

Wayne

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by RickDavis

I believe that it is very likely the chlorine taste will permeate the plastic tank and you will live with it for a long time. Personally I would not do it in that high a concentration if the water is going to be there any length of time.

Probably late since the OP has already drained the tank, but some words about sanitizing, courtesy of information provided by the University of Oregon…

The common terms for the sanitizing technique described in your Airstream owner's manual is "shock treatment," which is typically done when a dry system is first filled with water, to kill anything clinging to the plastic or metal surfaces. You should perform a sanitizing shock treatment any time you refill a tank that has been left dry for any length of time, and time you perform plumbing repairs, or any time you've had bad water in your tank.

However, sanitizing your tank is one case where more is NOT better. If you use too much Clorox, you're not disinfecting as well as if you use just the right amount, same as if you use too little. Here's why…

The chlorine in Clorox is in the form of sodium hypochlorite, which is an unstable compound. If the hypochlorite breaks down into pure chlorine, it will evaporate out of the water, giving your water that distinctive swimming pool odor, but as the chlorine evaporates out, it's no longer disinfecting your tank.

If you want to ensure that your bleach is doing a proper job of disinfecting, test the pH of the water. Pure water has a pH of 7.0; it defines the exact center of the pH scale. If your water tests at pH 7.0 or higher, there is no disinfection happening at all.

If your water tests at pH 4.0 or less, sodium hypochlorite is converting to pure chlorine and evaporating away.

So you want your water, during the shock treatment, to have a pH somewhere between 4.1 and 6.9, with a pH of 5.0 being considered ideal. The maximum beneficial effect is seen at a pH of 5.0 with regard to killing microorganisms in the water or on surfaces.

Amazon has pH meters available if you want to use this method of testing the effectiveness of your disinfection. When you treat with chlorine, draw off a bit of water at any of your faucets, and use the tester. If the pH is above 6 add more bleach to your tank; if it's below 4, drain off some chlorinated water and dilute with more fresh water.

After you flush the tank with fresh water to rinse out the bleach, test the water again. If the tester shows pH of 6.9 or higher, you should be good to go and don't need another flush.

Side note, EPA only recognizes Clorox brand for use as a disinfectant, and your Airstream manual's recommended amount therefore should assume that you're using Clorox brand. If you use a different brand, the concentration of sodium hypochlorite in the bleach may be lower, and it becomes even more important that you test the pH of the water to ensure that disinfection is actually taking place as it should.

[Sbb]

Wayneskid, I see you r from Alaska, do you keep your unit inside a temp controlled garage? I wish I could to avoid winterization! Especially this year.

[wayneskid]

Sbb, I live in Anchorage but my Interstate "lives" in Oregon. Luckily, I have a friend with extra space in a heated shop so the rig is kept there when I'm not wandering the lower 48.

[wayneskid]

Protag, thanks for the detailed response!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by wayneskid

Protag, thanks for the detailed response!

Don't get used to it. I'm retiring at the end of the year, and one of my goals, post-retirement, is to never go into pedantic engineer mode ever again! Like New Year's resolutions, it may not last, but I'll sure try!

[Foiled Again]

I noticed my fresh water tank was a bit on the funky side so I did the bleach thing, ran it through the plumbing, including turning on the pump and then everything was fine for a couple of days - then my water started to smell like a dirty fish tank again. What? I'd disinfected everything.

Then I realized - the HOSE!

Took a look down the inside of the hose and I had algae growing in there. Don't know where it came from, but a new hose and sanitizing all over again fixed it.

UCK!

Normally I replace my hose once or twice a year - usually when they start to leak at the faucet or inlet... this one lasted a bit TOO long I guess.

Paula

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Normally I replace my hose once or twice a year - usually when they start to leak at the faucet or inlet... this one lasted a bit TOO long I guess.

You sure go through hoses quickly! You might consider getting a hose extension, about 6 inches long, with a wire spring wrapped around it, and use it on the end of the hose where it usually starts to leak. That will help keep the hose from kinking right at the fitting, and the fitting should stay attached better.

I do several things to keep my hoses clean, and I haven't had to dispose of one yet due to funkiness from algae growing in them. First, when I remove the hose, I drain it before putting it away. If there's a long run (35 feet is the farthest I've been from a hose to date) I'll attach my blowout plug to the end of the hose and blow it out, just like I do with my plumbing while winterizing. If the run is shorter, Ill hold up one end and let the water run out the other by gravity.

I also cap my hoses before putting them away. I'm sure you do, too. That doesn't stop stuff that's already in the hose from growing, but it does keep anything from getting in while the hose is in storage.

And finally, every time I hook up, I install a Granular Activated Carbon filter right at the faucet, so the water is filtered before it ever enters the hose.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I'll have to take a look at my hoses. For nine years, I have been disconnecting my hose, draining my hose, rolling up my hose, and connecting the ends together when I put my hoses away. I always connect my hose to the campground first, turn on the water to clear the hose, turn off the water and connect to my trailer and turn back on. No problems yet.

[switz]

One can acquire a 90 degree brass hose fitting so the hose connects going straight up. That helps the bent hose problem. One can also put the water filter to the brass fitting and then connect the hose to the bottom of the filter and still be in a vertical line.

I think I got mine at Camping World.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by wayneskid

I've gone to plan B. Drained the tank and refilled with fresh water. I will drain it again to flush then fill again when I'm prepping for the next adventure; around June I think.

Thanks for all the advice!

Wayne

You know, Wayne, I'm sure you have a reason for storing your rig longterm with the fresh water tank full......but I can't figure out what it is.

If there is anything noxious interested in growing in your water, longterm storage would be the perfect opportunity.

I have never heard of storage with the tank full.

Just sayin'.....


Maggie

[Foiled Again]

replacing hoses 1 to 2 times per year .... I fulltime.

Sun damage.
Cheap Chinese hoses.
Spigots with damaged threads can permanently foul up the hose.
Occasionally I come home to find an "oops" note from the lawn mowing crew.
But most often just daily use and changing campgrounds causes wear and tear on the hoses.

I too drain hoses and attach one end to the other when moving - but if you're on the road for 2-4 days or boondock for a week, you could have funk build up in your hose. Bleaching IT isn't a bad idea.

Paula

[wayneskid]

Originally Posted by doug&maggie

You know, Wayne, I'm sure you have a reason for storing your rig longterm with the fresh water tank full......but I can't figure out what it is.

If there is anything noxious interested in growing in your water, longterm storage would be the perfect opportunity.

I have never heard of storage with the tank full.

Just sayin'.....

Maggie

Maggie, here's my thinking, right or wrong. When you drain your fresh water tank, there is a small amount of water left in the tank; it would be impossible to completely dry the inside of the tank. So, whatever organisms are in there have a nice, moist environment in which to grow. I dosed my full tank with Clorox to disinfect it and then drained and refilled it with clean fresh water. Since I just filled it once, I expect there should be a small residual amount of chlorine left in the newly filled tank which hopefully should keep things from growing but should be at a low concentration so as not to damage plastic or seals. It will only be sitting for 4 months or so then when I return to go on the road again, I'll drain the tank and refill it again.

If anyone else has thoughts on this logic, I'd like to hear them.

Wayne