twinsmom04
BC Canada
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Joined: 04/21/2008
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The RV dealer sold me a bottle of something called "Happy Tank"... but no where on it can I find that it actually sanitizes the fresh water system. "treatment to remove stale or plastic taste from rv water system" Any idea if I still need to do the bleach thing?
Also, it says to drain the system and flush again... Do I just use the low point drains to do that? Or bucket after bucket out the door? Or something obvious that I'm totally missing....lol.
TIA
TV - 2007 Silverado Crew cab shortbox with 5.3l engine
TT - 2007 28BHS Passport
campers include me and my 4 year old twin boys and occasionally DH
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MaddogBC
Kelowna BC
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Joined: 03/30/2008
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I sanitized with bleach for 4 hours. 1/4 cup per 15 gallons of freshwater capacity.(too long can damage plumbing) Then let it sit with a vinegar solution for several days, I used 2 gallons for my 45 gallon system. I drove around a bit to shake it up during the vinegar stage. I then had to rinse twice to get rid of the odd taste. All this was described very well in my owners manual.
I have no experience with any FW additive products and frankly I'd be hard pressed to trust anything but Bleach. It's how my daddy cleaned the water system for the little town we grew up in 
To properly drain the system you have to drain both the tank and all your lines. You should just have to use your low point valves, and the drain on the or near the FW tank. Check to make sure your hot water tank is not bypassed and is filling and emptying. I flushed all my water lines the old fashioned way into the grey tank.
Good luck, it's not a quick easy job
Rob
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twinsmom04
BC Canada
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thanks Rob.. I have a lot to learn on this trailer evidentally; old one was very basic.
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MaddogBC
Kelowna BC
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No problem, it was my first time so i didn't want to mess it up.
I've seen many posts on the subject. some ppl never bother over the course of many years, some ppl only use a little bleach and skip the vinegar step. The vinegar is only to remove any bleach taste. I love the fact that we can now carry over 40 gallons wherever we go, in fact i spent a week of nights fabricating a steel and aluminum support for the tank. lol will always leave full
Rob
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D & M
Laurel, MD
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Click here for a link that will give you some information on the proper way to sanitize your water system.
You can just hook up to freshwater system and run water through the system to flush it. No need to bucket it out the door.
Water fresheners like "Happy Tank" or like this one from Camping World are a personal preference.
Some people swear by them and some people swear at them.
I dont use them. I just sanitze in the spring and make sure that when I refill I use a good water source.
Dave  & Mary
Isabel (a cuddly little Boston)
Buddy (The Beast) another Boston
2005 Itasca Suncruiser 35A
2003 Jeep Liberty
If it's listed in the Yellow Pages, the government shouldn't be messing around with it.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Cute name but it won't replace sanitizing the system with Chlorine bleach.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
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twinsmom04
BC Canada
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thanks guys... that's what I figured ... I'll do a bleach treatment this morning before I take the twinadoes to school ... that will give me four hours and then load it up with vineger. We are heading out tomorrow morning but going where there is water and power so it will be just the pipes that get only 24 hours of vinegar.. Or can I just use the Happy Tank again to use it up... seems to be the use of it to get rid of funky tasting water......
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bldrbuck
Boulder, Colorado
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Joined: 02/11/2001
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If you are using clorinated city water a fill and dump will take care of the tank.
93 Ford F350 Turbo Diesel, DRW, Crew Cab. PullRite Hitch. 90 Nomad 28' 5er, 375 Watts Solar, 2800 Watt Yamaha Generator, 1750 Watt Inverter, 4 Trogan T105 Batteries, Spare tire and wheel and folding ladder. Me, wife and 2 spoiled Maltise furkids.
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robatthelake
Vancouver Island
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Joined: 08/24/2003
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OOPS Double Post!
* This post was
last
edited 05/16/08 01:08pm by robatthelake *
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Rob & Jean 90 Southwind John Deere/Oshkosh/Freightliner Class A Ford 460/ Toad 92 Tracker 2 wd 5sp Convert Still running Great!
" Everything in it"Still" Works"
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robatthelake
Vancouver Island
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Instead of Vinegar why not use Lemon Juice? It has the same acidic values as vinegar and tastes a whole lot better in Tea Coffee or Straight Up!
Also it seems that many of Us ( Yes Myself included) are using way too much Bleach! We really need only a teaspoon per gallon to totally destroy germs!
It isn't necessary to completely Fill Your FWT with solution in order to sanitise it and the Water used can be recycled through the System by catching it in a Bottle or Jug then reintroduced through the Hose! Or it can be sprayed on the Water faucet at the Campground to sanitise It as well!
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