First time water tank fill

[TrexBees]

Replaced the cracked tank drain valve at the front of camper. Doing this a bit of water dripped, had a smell of bleach.

I want to ensure the tank is sanatized, what’s the best method to sanitize the system, flush then fill??

 

[JackandJanet]

The manual suggests 1/2 cup bleach per 30 gals of water, added in a solution of 1/4 cup in a gallon of water for each 15 gals of tank capacity. I partially fill the fresh water tank with about 10 gals of plain water before adding any bleach - this fills the hot water tank so that it won't take all the bleach you put in. Then, I add bleach and water until the fresh water tank is full. I let it sit for about an hour.

Then, I run the solution through all the lines to the waste tanks until the fresh water is empty, running both hot water and cold water lines. I drain the tanks and I also open the fresh water tank drain at this time too.

I refill the fresh water tank with plain water and run that through both hot and cold water lines until the fresh water tank is again empty. This gets rid of any residual chlorine. Now I can add the water I'm going to use on the trip.

- Jack

 

[TrexBees]

The manual suggests 1/2 cup bleach per 30 gals of water, added in a solution of 1/4 cup in a gallon of water for each 15 gals of tank capacity. I partially fill the fresh water tank with about 10 gals of plain water before adding any bleach - this fills the hot water tank so that it won't take all the bleach you put in. Then, I add bleach and water until the fresh water tank is full. I let it sit for about an hour.

Then, I run the solution through all the lines to the waste tanks until the fresh water is empty, running both hot water and cold water lines. I drain the tanks and I also open the fresh water tank drain at this time too.

I refill the fresh water tank with plain water and run that through both hot and cold water lines until the fresh water tank is again empty. This gets rid of any residual chlorine. Now I can add the water I'm going to use on the trip.

- Jack

Thank you sir!!!

 

[Gilly-HILO]

How often do we need to sanitize the tanks?

 

[JackandJanet]

I only do it prior to a camping trip. When I come home, I drain all the tanks and leave them empty till the next trip.

- Jack

 

[Gilly-HILO]

Yikes, I've only done it once! I guess I need to add that to my maintenance schedule!

 

[JackandJanet]

Unlike some, I use the fresh water tank for drinking water/cooking too, and I've never gotten sick - Until I learned that the hot water tank fills first, it was hard to get the chlorine taste/smell out of hot water. That's why I don't add chlorine till I've put about 10 gals of water in the tank.

I HAVE used a fresh water sanitizer/maintainer like this one: Amazon.com at times. It was odorless and tasteless and I suppose it makes the water safer while camping, but I haven't used this for several years now.

- Jack

 

[TrexBees]

Ok finally getting around to things.
I watched the “Sting” YouTube regarding filling. He shows a city water and a hose/tank fill in 2 different locations.
All I see on this is a city water hook up

Is this what I have? Not a square door with another way to put a hose into somewhere like filling up the truck with gas???

Also, is this a drain plug for the water heater?

 

[JackandJanet]

I think that IS the drain plug for your water heater. Mine is also plastic/nylon and is in where the water heater controls are.

Looking at the label above your water fill point, I'd say that IS the fill point for your fresh water tank. Can you see a line from it to the tank if you look under the trailer? Later models, like mine, had separate fill points for the fresh water tank and another to attach a hose to for "city water" supply.

Maybe someone with a similar model year trailer can give you better guidance. Have you found an owner's manual in our library for a model year that's close to yours? That would be another source of information.

Edit: Here's a link to the owner's manual for 95-96 Towlites: Owners Manual: 95-96 Towlight It's not particularly illuminating, but maybe you'll find it to be of some use.

- Jack

 

[Elaine and Bill]

Ok finally getting around to things.
I watched the “Sting” YouTube regarding filling. He shows a city water and a hose/tank fill in 2 different locations.
All I see on this is a city water hook up

Is this what I have? Not a square door with another way to put a hose into somewhere like filling up the truck with gas???


View attachment 1322501Also, is this a drain plug for the water heater?View attachment 1322502

Your first photo is “city water”; a water hook up for filling the fresh water tank or for full service camping. You should also have a 4” locked door to the gravity filled freshwater tank. Our City water hook up was on the side of the trailer. One could access the valves next to the water pump through a large 12”x 12” locked door which was located in the front of our trailer very close to our 4” locked gravity tube.

Your second picture appears to be the bottom of the hot water tank!

 

[Elaine and Bill]

Your first photo is “city water”; a water hook up for filling the fresh water tank or for full service camping. You should also have a 4” locked door to the gravity filled freshwater tank. Our City water hook up was on the side of the trailer. One could access the valves next to the water pump through a large 12”x 12” locked door which was located in the front of our trailer very close to our 4” locked gravity tube.

Your second picture appears to be the bottom of the hot water tank!

 

[Elaine and Bill]

On the front of the trailer you can see the small 4” door to manually fill your fresh water tank, to the right is the large door to operate the valves. On the side is the outdoor shower (top compartment) and below is the city water connection. Should be able to enlarge the photo to see more clearly!

 

[JackandJanet]

If you DO have the square door on the front (lower half), then that IS the fresh water tank fill point. From your earlier post, it sounded like you did not have that.

- Jack

 

[TrexBees]

If you DO have the square door on the front (lower half), then that IS the fresh water tank fill point. From your earlier post, it sounded like you did not have that.

- Jack

Correct. I don’t have anything as described by Elaine/Bill.
Good news is I’ve filled the tank with a bleach solution/flush and on the second flush/fill. Water heater works great fired right up after about 5 clicks of the on switch to purge the gas line.
Tested the fridge on electric and propane, good to go there.

It seems that I have to fill the tank regardless if I’m hooked to outside water source though. I have not found an isolation valve to bypass the tank.
I did turn off my hose, rolled the valve under the sink for the water pump to prime and pressurized. Pressured right up and shut off as designed. But I know there’s a way to not have to fill the tank to have water with an outside source.

 

[Elaine and Bill]

No valves on the line near the water pump? From recall, our unit had a series of valves. A 2 way stop valve was used to divert water from the fresh water tank when using the city water connection. The series of valves needed to be turned correctly to pressurize the system when using the water pump.

Our unit also had 4 stop valves to bypass the hot water tank as well as a valve system that made winterizing the water lines very easy.

I searched for photos of our water system and couldn’t find any…my hand drawn instructions (also on a paper plate for quick reference!) went with the trailer when it was sold.