fresh water tank-drain or not?

[AUTAILGATER]

What are the prevailing thoughts on draining your fresh water tank between trips or leaving full then flushing before the next trip? If you leave it full, do you treat the standing water? I can see advantages and disadvantages in both. I didn't see it addressed either way in the owners manual unless I just overlooked it.

[masseyfarm]

What time frame are you talking about between trips?
Once my system on the Clipper is sanitized in the spring, or on first use after winter antifreeze, I just keep filling it till the end of the season.
Dave

Originally Posted by AUTAILGATER

What are the prevailing thoughts on draining your fresh water tank between trips or leaving full then flushing before the next trip? If you leave it full, do you treat the standing water? I can see advantages and disadvantages in both. I didn't see it addressed either way in the owners manual unless I just overlooked it.

[moosetags]

We just fill it, use it, refill it. As Lucy is used year round, we have never drained her fresh water tank in five years of use.

Brian

[Wingeezer]

We just leave ours at whatever level it may be - and don't put any special treatment in.

But then again, we virtually never use it for drinking. Even when we are hooked up to city water, my Mrs prefers to use other water for drinking, coffee, cooking etc.

Last place we stayed this winter we were able to fill a 5 gallon container with reverse osmosis filtered water for $1 from a machine at the RV park.

Brian

[AUTAILGATER]

We plan to use at least once a month and weekly in the Fall (football season).

[aftermath]

I usually drain it between trips. Keeps the weight down and allows me to flush and fill each time with fresh water. We DO drink ours and it is nice to have cool fresh water, at least for the first day out.

I used to open the drain on the way out of camp but was told that I could be ticketed for doing so. I also like to have some water in the tank during trips for stops and such.

So, clean and disinfect tank each spring, fill and use, drain and flush each time we go out.

[Bluto]

I also drain between trips if the trailer will be sitting for more than a few weeks. Then sanitize before filling when getting ready for the next trip.
In using the little pit cock drain often, I believe it will keep it operational and easier to use when needed. It seems to me that once the plastic valve dries out and seizes there is little to do except to replace it.

[Jammer]

I usually refill the freshwater tank after each trip. Since I have my own well, my water isn't chlorinated coming from the faucet, so I add about 1/4 cup of household bleach to the holding tank using a large syringe before filling. That will provide around 5-10 ppm of chlorine which is enough to prevent any bacterial growth yet not so strong as to overwhelm the activated charcoal portion of the drinking water filter.

It is rare that I camp in a location with city water so I do use the freshwater tank, and use it for drinking water as well, albeit using the Moen filtration system that was a factory item for my trailer.

[Jim Foster]

The only time I have drained is for tank removal for axle alignment. Inspection showed it to be clean.

Being that it is in the dark, and filled with city water, I leave water in it. Nice to have some water when in storage for whatever use.

If I am pulling over mountains with steep climbs, I will let it go way down to save some weight as long as there is water available at my destination.

[TBRich]

We never drain our fresh water tank. But then we go frequently... If we are home for more than a couple of weeks, I will periodically taste the water to make sure it's not getting funky, It never has. I feel like it's better to have at least some water in the tank and lines so that nothing dries out, especially in our climate... When we fill from our home supply we don't add anything since it's city water and chlorinated, but when we fill from a non-known source, I do add a weak bleach solution, just in case...we do use our for drinking and cooking, and we have never had a problem while using this routine... The only time we take additional water in water jugs is when we know we won't have a water source where we're camping ... or when we go to Mexico (and even there I doubt there would be a problem where we're staying).

[au_ee]

Originally Posted by AUTAILGATER

We plan to use at least once a month and weekly in the Fall (football season).

We use ours less than you plan to. We drain the fresh tank and hot water heater (then bypass it) when we winterize the system and then fill the lines with pink antifreeze. In the spring we sanitize the fresh water tank and the lines then refill the tank 2 times, leaving the drain open, to rinse the sanitizer out of the system. In between spring/summer opening and winterization, we just use it.

[Michigander]

Since water weighs quite a bit we typically drain down to a few gallons before heading home. That way if we need to wash our hands or whatever then we have what we need.

Each time we add water we also add chlorine to prevent bacterial growth while parked or travelling. Since we do put chlorine bleach into the system, we feel safe letting it sit between outings.

We do drink and use the tank water for cooking, etc., but only after it goes through a 2 stage Doulton ( www.doulton.ca/rv ) water purification system that I installed in the counter top and has its own tap.

[mandolindave]

I don't like traveling with a half tank of fresh water because my fresh
water tank is mounted widthwise. I can feel the weight sloshing around while driving. I guess a smaller amount of water might be useful for long road trips.

[jcanavera]

We only go on one event a year where we carry a full tank of water. I always sanitize prior to that trip. We do carry a small amount as we travel, probably not more than 3 gallons or so. That allows us to use the toilet as we travel between campgrounds. Any water left in the tank is drained prior to the last leg of our trip home. At that point we refrain from using the toilet since I have no good disposal facility at home.

Other than that one annual event, everyplace we stay has a minimum hookup of water and electric.

Jack

[robert claus]

I run fresh water through the system in the spring, to flush it, before first use, but never add chlorine - I don't like the taste, and trust that the city chlorination is sufficient. We fill our water tank at home before each trip, preferring the taste and character of our home water for coffee and cooking and bathing. It's good for three days. We'll add water as necessary on a longer trip. I use what's left to clean the trailer once we get home, then drain the tank until the next use. The state parks we frequent never have water hookups.
Once, in Hermann MO, we stopped overnight in the downtown city park campground. It was November, and the water was turned off, and our tank was empty. So, we backed up to the fire station next door and filled the tank from the outside faucet. We were literally the only ones in the park that night.

[DreamStreamr]

Autailgator
We keep our 39 gallon fresh water full. If we refill with untreated water then we add a teaspoon of common household bleach per ten gallons water. We discard unused water after three weeks and refill fully with treated water. Chlorination, whether muni or home-done, doesn't persist.

It is difficult to clean a fresh water tank because there are no manholes. It is easy to keep it fresh and free of algae and bacteria. We do drink our tank's water after filtering through a counter-top Brita.

Jim and Deb, the dreamstreamrs
http://dreamstreamr.com