Clean Fresh Water Tank

[Blueone]

I have always read all the different ways people winterize and wondered why they don’t put directions in the manual on how to do it right.
My RV owners manuals have detailed instructions on how to winterize and mostly all RVs are plumbed the same for winterizing. Hot water heater bypass and freshwater tank bypass is accomplished with a turn of a knob too keep pink out of those tanks, it has no business being in there. The instructions also tell you to leave the drain plug out of the hot water heater so it can breathe. Mine even came with a replacement plug with a screen to keep bugs out while in storage. RVs all have “winterizing ports” to hook your pink bottle directly to. Couldn’t be easier. Also tells you how to sanitize the system when returning to service by adding 1/4 cup of household disinfecting bleach in a 1 gallon jug of water for each 15 gallon increment of freshwater tank capacity, pour it in the tank, fill the tank with water, return the bypass knobs to normal so that the bleach solution goes in the hot water heater, run all of the fixtures. Leave it set at least 4 hours, not more than 24 hours and rinse. I’ve never had smells or any other problem. It just takes a lot longer to do the boat than the RV, like an hour and a half vs 15 minutes, because nothing is easy on a boat, sometimes by design.

No one reads instructions….. and everyone has a better way of doing it anyway.
Just look above …this group can’t even agree on what % vinegar to use ….. and for the record I’ve never used vinegar….. I’m 100% behind Trump ….. bleach the bitch !

 

[Stee6043]

I have always read all the different ways people winterize and wondered why they don’t put directions in the manual on how to do it right.
My RV owners manuals have detailed instructions on how to winterize and mostly all RVs are plumbed the same for winterizing. Hot water heater bypass and freshwater tank bypass is accomplished with a turn of a knob too keep pink out of those tanks, it has no business being in there. The instructions also tell you to leave the drain plug out of the hot water heater so it can breathe. Mine even came with a replacement plug with a screen to keep bugs out while in storage. RVs all have “winterizing ports” to hook your pink bottle directly to. Couldn’t be easier. Also tells you how to sanitize the system when returning to service by adding 1/4 cup of household disinfecting bleach in a 1 gallon jug of water for each 15 gallon increment of freshwater tank capacity, pour it in the tank, fill the tank with water, return the bypass knobs to normal so that the bleach solution goes in the hot water heater, run all of the fixtures. Leave it set at least 4 hours, not more than 24 hours and rinse. I’ve never had smells or any other problem. It just takes a lot longer to do the boat than the RV, like an hour and a half vs 15 minutes, because nothing is easy on a boat, sometimes by design.

I think they do include those instructions. At least they did in 1997

 

[Stee6043]

No one reads instructions….. and everyone has a better way of doing it anyway.
Just look above …this group can’t even agree on what % vinegar to use ….. and for the record I’ve never used vinegar….. I’m 100% behind Trump ….. bleach the bitch !

And if someone asks "how much bleach?", it's quite simple - if you can't smell that bleach from three boats down, you're not using enough...

 

[Jaybeaux]

After checking the third sink I am so nose-blind, I have no idea if there is bleach in there or not!

 

[tc410]

I do a nice bleach refresh every spring. I will say this though, bleach is corrosive to most metals. I’ve often wondered if some of my prior leaks at the water fittings and hot water tank are exacerbated by the effects of bleach on those fittings

 

[Blueone]

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I do a nice bleach refresh every spring. I will say this though, bleach is corrosive to most metals. I’ve often wondered if some of my prior leaks at the water fittings and hot water tank are exacerbated by the effects of bleach on those fittings

That would take alot of bleach over a very long time

 

[tc410]

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That would take alot of bleach over a very long time

Damn, I had no idea! In addition to being an expert on every topic on CSR, you’re also a world class scientist and metallurgist! You must have quite some wall of framed certificates! (and by the way, it’s “a lot” not “alot”)

 

[Blueone]

Damn, I had no idea! In addition to being an expert on every topic on CSR, you’re also a world class scientist and metallurgist! You must have quite some wall of framed certificates! (and by the way, it’s “a lot” not “alot”)

Funny thing…. I know more about metallurgy than you think being in the industry for 40 years…… now grammar you got me….. you could correct me for ever and ever…. Knock your self out
Bleach didn’t eat your steel clamps

 

[Blueone]

Damn, I had no idea! In addition to being an expert on every topic on CSR, you’re also a world class scientist and metallurgist! You must have quite some wall of framed certificates! (and by the way, it’s “a lot” not “alot”)

Nice jab by the way…. Did you enjoy that ?

 

[Blueone]

Damn, I had no idea! In addition to being an expert on every topic on CSR, you’re also a world class scientist and metallurgist! You must have quite some wall of framed certificates! (and by the way, it’s “a lot” not “alot”)

I’m not sure what triggered this smart ass comment or could care less….. choose your battles. …..You left out how much bleach you are using and how long you are leaving it in your system. If you are normal which is doubtful. You are using some thing like 1:10,000 or if you can’t figure that out 1oz to 75 gallons and you should be leaving it in the system for an hour or so probably less…. If you are normal…most of us leave it in less. Then you flush the system 2 or 3 times after …. If you fall remotely with in those parameters you will not damage anything…… by the way vinegar can cause the same corrosion to metal especially copper like in water heaters if air is present and left for a long period of time…..

Now throw a chlorine puck in your sea strainers and enjoy your boat…..


Disclaimer….this chlorine puck advice is for @tc410 not the rest of you

 

[Stee6043]

I’m not sure what triggered this smart ass comment or could care less….. choose your battles. …..You left out how much bleach you are using and how long you are leaving it in your system. If you are normal which is doubtful. You are using some thing like 1:10,000 or if you can’t figure that out 1oz to 75 gallons and you should be leaving it in the system for an hour or so probably less…. If you are normal…most of us leave it in less. Then you flush the system 2 or 3 times after …. If you fall remotely with in those parameters you will not damage anything…… by the way vinegar can cause the same corrosion to metal especially copper like in water heaters if air is present and left for a long period of time…..

Now throw a chlorine puck in your sea strainers and enjoy your boat…..


Disclaimer….this chlorine puck advice is for @tc410 not the rest of you

1 ounce? I feel like I don't even know you at this point. I think I run about 8 ounces to 100 gallons. Also helps get the kids to take faster showers for the first 4 weeks of the boating season...

 

[Blueone]

1 ounce? I feel like I don't even know you at this point. I think I run about 8 ounces to 100 gallons. Also helps get the kids to take faster showers for the first 4 weeks of the boating season...

LOL….. I only do a couple cap fulls in 50 gallons….. maybe that’s why I get headaches after a few vodka waters

 

[Pirate Lady]

Hey slow down there buckwheat…. I learned the bleach thing from Trump….. he also says if you get Covid it will cure that as well…. Problem is I haven’t had Covid yet to give it a try

I liked Farina

 

[redlightning]

I mean if you're going to do it, go all-in man.

View attachment 158960

This is exactly what I ordered. 12 gallons. Should give me a 10% +/- concentration. I am planning to fill the tank and get all of the water lines and hot water tank full. let it sit overnight with water tank energized. flush the following day and cycle fresh water thru a couple of times. I may then do the bleach sanitization process as well.

 

[Creekwood]

This is exactly what I ordered. 12 gallons. Should give me a 10% +/- concentration. I am planning to fill the tank and get all of the water lines and hot water tank full. let it sit overnight with water tank energized. flush the following day and cycle fresh water thru a couple of times. I may then do the bleach sanitization process as well.

Don’t turn the water heater on when it has the vinegar in it. You don’t need to and it could cause issues. I would not leave that level of concentration of acid in the system overnight either. Maybe 4 hours.

By the way, bleach is a base that will neutralize any remaining vinegar acid. So it would be a good idea to sanitize with bleach for that reason. You don’t need to use a lot. But flush the vinegar first. The water heater takes time to flush. You need to fill them open the valve on the tank to drain fully. Then repeat.

 

[Woody]

1 ounce? I feel like I don't even know you at this point. I think I run about 8 ounces to 100 gallons. Also helps get the kids to take faster showers for the first 4 weeks of the boating season...

I been putting a water glass of bleach in for 100gal, don't know how many ounces that is.

Camping World says this which is 12.5oz for 100gal.

Should I put bleach in my RV fresh water tank?
You'll need about a 1/4 cup of bleach for every 16 gallons of water your fresh water tank holds. Another helpful ratio for your calculator is to use one ounce of bleach for every eight gallons of freshwater.

 

[skibum]

My owner's manual says 1/4 cup per 16 gallons.

 

[Creekwood]

I read somewhere that once it’s sanitized and then rinsed and flushed you can add a bleach jug cap full to treat 40 gallons. So a very small amount. Our marina water is already tested so I only add bleach at that level if the water is not going to be used fully and will sit for any time.

 

[Fill Ess]

Ok based on what @skibum posted, it's 1:240 bleach to water

I'll never use the pink AF in a water tank again. I had the marina do the winterize *once*, and they just filled up the water tank with pink AF, ran it through the lines, and left the rest in the tank all winter. I tried all of the above and never could get it back to normal