sanitizing question

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Apr 27, 2003 | 08:02 PM

MnTom

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From: outside of Duluth MN

sanitizing question

Been out working on my fiver (grease wheel bearings, check brakes) and could not for the life of me remember how much bleach to use in the water system. I have a 55 gallon tank and just can't remember (good memory-just short). I only want a concentration of about 200ppm. On another note, The manufacturer used what looked like 18ga lamp cord for the brake wiring through the axle. Has anyboby else had that problem? I don't feel that that is even close to what it should be. I rewired the brakes and used 14ga because that was what I had. Also the wiring was black from them not sealing anything. Hopefully the brakes will be better. I also found that all four outer wheel bearings were just about dry. The inner bearings were in decent shape. I only put about 300 miles on this trailer since we purchased it. Prior to that it had only been licensed for one year (1999) and the trailer is a '98. I think that the dealer should have checked them when they "went through" everything. So as a word of warning PULL YOUR BEARINGS even if the dealer said they did. Tom

Apr 27, 2003 | 09:08 PM

Bill1374

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From: Saratoga Springs, NY

Re:sanitizing question

Tom, Can't remember the exact numbers but I use about a cup and 20 gallons of water. Pump it through the system and a short trip to slosh it around and its all set. Good reminder on the bearings and brakes. I think that should be a scheduled once a year service anyway. I do mine each spring. Bill

Apr 28, 2003 | 12:42 AM

DarrellB

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From: Lanesville, IN

Re:sanitizing question

I use these little tablets called Fresh Tabs in my tank. You have to mix the tablets with warm water then put them in the tank. You then run it all through the water system and flush 2 times. Makes the water out of the tank good enough to drink and it sure smells better than bleach. 8) I get the tabs from Camping World but I think Walmart sells them. Good Luck DB

Apr 28, 2003 | 09:17 AM

commando

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Re:sanitizing question

To sanitize drinking water to a safe level you should add 1 tsp (5cc) for every 10 gallons of water. This must be allowed to sit 30 minutes prior to consumption. This assumes the use of household bleach at 5.25% concentration. Most people use way too much bleach. The other recipes are for shock treatments or hyperchlorination. These are used to treat grossly contaminated samples. The chlorine must then be eliminated through a second chemical reaction in another step (addition of H2O2 to create hydrochloric acid). Bear in mind that the bleach (sodium hypochlorite) will break down over time and after a period of several months will no longer be protecting the drinking water. This process is temperature dependant, the hotter it is the faster it breaks down. On the flip side the longer the bleach is in contact with the water the less you need to use. For example, if you're going to be pulling your rig to a camping spot 12 hours away, before you use the water, it will have more time to kill any micro organisms present. Also bear in mind that if you're using city water it's probably already treated to this level with chlorine. Water treated to the proper level should not have a "funny" taste. Commando Battalion Surgeon USA Special Forces

Apr 28, 2003 | 10:04 AM

Lary Ellis (Top)

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Re:sanitizing question

I use approximately 3/4 cup of bleach and fill the system with it. Then I let it sit for a couple of hours so it kills all the germs that grow in the system while it sits unused. After that I flush the entire system a few times to get rid of the excess bleach and it is ready for the next season. Those fresh taste tabs might be a help but do they actually "sanitize" the system, or just make it taste sweet?

Apr 28, 2003 | 08:19 PM

design

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From: Plattsmouth, NE

Re:sanitizing question

If you want to get technical you multiply gallons by .13 this will give you OZ per tank. If you have some odd taste in the tank, use 1 half cup baking powder mixed in 3 gallons of water per 15 gal of tank water. Remember when you rinse the water tank you still have about 8 gal of water in the hot water tank. This is very often over looked and will result in a clorine taste in the water system.

Apr 28, 2003 | 09:48 PM

MnTom

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From: outside of Duluth MN

Re:sanitizing question

Thanks All, I think I will do it like Top says. Here in Mn To "legally sanitize" (per dep't of health) You can use bleach at concentration of 200 parts per million and let it sit for 2 hours then flush appropriately. If you use too much it takes many many flushes to get rid of it. The only "good" thiong is you cannot stomach enough bleach to cause any real harm. Tom

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Apr 28, 2003 | 10:32 PM

bigfoot

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From: Cleburne TX

Re:sanitizing question

I work in Water treatment and the above formula comes out very good. Just a caution on drinking water in general. Do not rely on these so-called water filters. The ones that claim to get rid of Crypto and such. They only work if the micron size is less than 10, and then only when the flow though the filter is at or below a certain PSI and the rated GPM. In other words if you question the water source, then don’t drink the water. There is NO over the counter filters on the market today that works properly in the prevention of water born illness. At lest that you hook up to your RV. Some of the small handheld ones that are used while hiking do work well. With the common flows found in most water systems you would need a filter about the size of a large oxygen bottle in order to slow the rate of travel down enough that the filer would trap sediment and particles . Most of the filters that are advertised in catalogs and magazines are only activated carbon, which does nothing but remove taste and odors. Sorry to be so long, thanks for the use of the soap box, and I hope that I have made some sense. Typing is not the easiest thing for me.

Apr 28, 2003 | 10:48 PM

DF5152

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From: Long Island, NY

Re:sanitizing question

do the clorine tablets work? can u just use tabs from ur pool supply store to threat ur water in the proper level? then u the filter to get rid of the tast?

Apr 28, 2003 | 10:59 PM

#10

bigfoot

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From: Cleburne TX

Re:sanitizing question

Yes they would work but there is no reason to add that much Cl2. The tablets are 65% Cl2 and would be something like 4-5 hundred PPM. Plus tablets leave a calcium Residual.

Apr 28, 2003 | 11:46 PM

#11

DarrellB

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From: Lanesville, IN

Re:sanitizing question

Here is a link to the Fresh Tabs I use. Fresh Tabs Camping Worlds also has many other types of Freshners to choose from. I just think the Fresh Tabs are easier to use. During the winter I put a block of wood under the tank so it says dry and then to start the season I use the Fresh Tabs and then use them again about mid summer. Good Luck DB

Apr 29, 2003 | 05:42 PM

#12

commando

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Re:sanitizing question

The significant benefit to Calcium hypochlorite tablets or granules is that it is much, much more shelf stable prior to use. The other benefit is that it does not turn the carpet white if you spill it 8) It can be purchased from chemical supply houses for a fraction of the cost of pre-fab tablets at commercial outlets. It definately does leave a calcium residue and that could prove a real problem with RV plumbing. I prefer bleach.