Fresh water tank

Hi... Can someone tell me if the fresh water tank can be filled to the top. The trailer is going to it's new home Saturday, and we want to be sure the tank is clean. We filled it to the top and added about 1/4 cup bleach. We plan to leave it like that overnight. Neither one of us can remember what we've read about it. So, if anyone thinks it's a bad idea or if it's okay, please let us know.

Also, how do you get the FW tank completely empty? We've never been able to do that.

Thanks,
Jo Ann

[B_and_D]

It is kind of hard to get the fresh water tank really full. I think one time I put a piece of tubing inside the hose and shoved it down into the inlet and that made it easier to fill completely full.

There is a low point drain underneath the water tank that should empty out the tank...have you tried that?

You might have to use the pressure relief valve on the hot water tank to get that to empty completely.

When I cleaned ours out after getting it slightly used, I filled it up about 2/3 of the way with water, the put in a 1/4 jug of Spring Fresh (I think...it's CW's fresh water tank cleaner), filled it the rest of the way up with more water (until it shot out the filler hose...which is like 95%+ filled when you look at the tank), ran the lines for each faucet, more water to fill it back up, and then let it sit for a while after jiggling the camper to splash it around that final 5% or so.

Then I drained it through the faucets, filled it all the way up again, drained, filled and drained again.

Then I added water for our trip. I think it's pretty clean by now.

Dan...

Thank you B and D, and Dan, for your replies, you were both very helpful. I hope we didn't hurt anything by putting the bleach in the tank.

Thanks again,
Jo Ann

[Leslie & Nick]

Originally Posted by wwjam

I hope we didn't hurt anything by putting the bleach in the tank. Thanks again, Jo Ann

Nah, that little amount of bleach in 20 gallons of water would not hurt anything. I would rinse the tank with fresh water a few times and let it drain through the valve right beneath the tank.

Nick

Thanks Nick... I feel better about that bleach now.


Thank you Leon...

I appreciate the invitation, I'll do that. I do check in often, just can't stay away. We will be getting our fifth wheel around the 19th. of June, and our first trip will be to Cove Palasades, in Eastern Oregon.

The buyers are picking up the TM tomorrow. They are from San Diego, and are so excited. As I'm cleaning it, again, to have it ready, I think about the memories that go along with it. Our very first RV experience. We were proud owners, and Wayne loved the towing. The fifth wheel will be a whole new experience.

I hope you have a lot of fun things planned this summer.

Jo Ann

Maybe you would like to join another forum to which several of us belong. It's called RV Pics and it is anyone who has an RV not necessarily a TM. Go to http://www.rvpics.com/forums/ It is a great forum and you can put lots of pictures on it. The pictures can be from your trips, of your RV, modifications you've made, etc. and as far as I can determine there's not a limit to the pictures you can download! Leon (Texas Camper) is also a moderator on that site. The rest of you can join, too, if you're so inclined. Best of all, IT'S FREE!

Thanks Jim... I just checked it out and it looks like a fun place to be a part of. I will post pictures when we get our rig.

Jo Ann

Originally Posted by wwjam

Hi... ...we want to be sure the tank is clean. We filled it to the top and added about 1/4 cup bleach. We plan to leave it like that overnight.
Thanks,
Jo Ann

Jo Ann,
This is the prescribed and accepted way to "sanitize" your fresh water tank and all the lines and faucets in the trailer. I owned a TM and now a travel trailer. I only sanitized the TT twice in the 6 years we've owned it.

If your water has a bad taste or strange odor, take these steps to kill bacteria that may be present:
a. Fill fresh water tank half way with clean, fresh water.
b. Mix 1/4 cup of household bleach for every 15 gallons of tank capacity in a container with a gallon or two of clean water and pour this mixture into the water tank.
c. Top off the water tank with fresh water. Go for a drive to mix the solution.
d. Pump water through each faucet so that all the lines are filled with the water/bleach mixture from the tank. Usually, running a quart of water out each faucet is adequate.
e. The hot-water tank holds at least 6 gallons of water. Run the hot water faucets until this much solution has passed to insure that the old water has been purged from the hot-water tank, and it is now filled with the water/bleach solution from the water tank. You'll smell the chlorine.
f. Let the water stand for several hours.
g. Drain the entire water system, hot water tank included.
h. To remove the bleach odor, mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with a gallon of water and pour into the freshwater tank.
i. Fill the tank completely and pump this solution through the water heater and rest of the water lines. This solution can sit in the system for a few days. Driving the rig around the block will slosh water around and thoroughly clean the tank.
j. Drain the entire system and refill with fresh, clean water.

Thank you Paul... I will keep the instructions and use them in our fifth wheel.

Jo Ann