Here's a question for ya, when i went to redo my piping in my trailer, I believe I saw specs for plastic ( pex) piping stating maximum safe levels of chlorine. It was only a few ppm. So I'm wondering how safe it is to run it through the faucets and leave it there?
The only time it's necessary to keep chlorine bleach in your tank (very small proportion: 1 tsp. per ten gallons) is when traveling in Mexico or adjacent central American countries where water must be purified to be safe.
We always filter our drinking water using a Brita filter pitcher which is then kept in the refrigerator. If the water has chlorine in it, the filter removes the chlorine smell and taste and if it's not chlorinated (but considered safe, as campground drinking water) it removes unpleasant flavors due to minerals, etc.
We only carry a couple of gallons of 'bottled' drinking water for dire emergencies.
Husband: Derek
Dog: Bucky
RV: 2000 Aerolite 19RB TT
TV: 1996 Chevrolet Blazer 6 cyl. 4WD
This car used to be our toad, now is our TV!
There is so much differenct in water types and quality that there are many correct answers. If you have well water, there are many possibilities of minerals, etc.
If you are on a city water system, like we are, there is chlorine in the water and using the bleach or other similar substance is not necessary.
I always keep some water in the tank, but drain and refill it to the level we will be needing (if we drycamp: 100%, unless we have a long drive to get there) (hookups, 1/4 for use on the road)
I always use an inline filter when I fill and I replace it once a year. I also use a Brita pitcher in the fridge.
Another option to sanitize is to use Idophor. It is a sanitizing solution that is used in restaurants. It approved for use by most health departments.
Those of us that brew beer at home use it for all our equipment. Any homebrew store in your area will have it available. This stuff is pretty cheap--I have a 1 quart bottle that cost about $10. I use 1/2 oz. for 5 gallons, so a little goes a long way.
I use it to sanitize my freshwater tank. 4 oz. of the stuff into a tank of water. I let it sit for 1/2 hour. According to the Idophor directions, rinsing isn't necessary, but I do it anyway with another fresh tank.
Then it is ready to be filled for use.
MFinCA
2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
I hope that folks worried about cooties in the FW don't consider the setup of nearly all FW systems. It'll keep them up at nite. No matter how pure the water is that you put into the tank, things will get in. All FW tanks (non-pressurized ones) have a vent somewhere to allow air in when water is taken out. The tank would collapse without one. This vent is not filtered in any way. So, as you pump water out, regular ol' microbe laden air is coming in. Also, the tanks breathe through that vent. When they heat up in the daytime, air goes out. When the tank cools at nite, outside air comes in. Then there are the altitude changes......
There is at least some mold and bacteria in all outside air. That's one reason our bodies have immune systems. We've been drinking FW from the tank on 5 different TTs over 35 years of RVing and haven't died yet. Not even a sickness from the water. We follow the usual "bleach at the beginning of the season" routine in the TT tank and the FW tank in the truck. I suppose if someone had a compromised immune system due to a disease, things might be different. But if your body is "normal," drink and be happy!
Granparents lived in the country. They had well water and a tank that captured water from the metal roof. They always drank the water from the roof. Looked in the tank once and could see the algae.
Tried it once and it was the foulest tasting stuff I ever tasted. They lived into their 80's.
Santizing once a year is good. I think we worry too much about our water in our tanks.
They also butchered their own cows and hogs. Made blood boudin if you know what I'm talking about. Also drank warm milk from the cow and never pasturized it. Used the hog lard for cooking. The old folk's sure were tough.
* This post was
edited 08/14/08 04:16pm by Charlie D. *
What would you consider an extended period of time? A couple weeks gap between trips, or months?
Thanks,
PointyWombat
Great question, tough answer! It will vary depending on your climate, time of year, yada. In a freezing winter, it could be all winter. In a hot summer climate, for me a couple of weeks is enough to bring out the Clorox.
As for ingestibles, nothing I am willing to ingest is going to keep bacteria at bay.
Once you get it down to a routine, it really doesn't take a lot of your time to do it, as long as you have something else to do while the mixture sits in your tank and lines. You can use more bleach and less time, or less bleach and more time. Either way, it takes contact time to do the job. The recommended bleach ratio is effective, but not more concentrated than needed. A bit more won't hurt anything, but will take longer/more rinse cycles to get the concentration down to a level where you can stand it...
Offline
Online
Also drank warm milk from the cow and never pasturized it. Used the hog lard for cooking. The old folk's sure were tough.
