hank schneider
New member
Hello
How much bleach for a 20 gal tank? Anything work better?
Thanks
Hank
How much bleach for a 20 gal tank? Anything work better?
Thanks
Hank
Treating water
- Thread starter hank schneider
- Start date
From an RV forum...
The generally acepted method of sanitizing your RV's fresh water system as outlined below involves filling the fresh water tank with a solution of household bleach and running the solution through each faucet. Then letting it stand for at least three hours. Finally, flush the system once or twice to remove the taste and smell.
This procedure is one you'll find in most any book about RVing it tried and true but be sure to read on to find out what I do.
Start with a nearly full fresh water tank.
Turn the water heater off and let the water cool.
Dilute 1/4 cup of household bleach for each 15 gallons of tank capacity in to a gallon of water.
Add the chlorine/water solution to the water tank. (Never pour straight bleach into the RV fresh water tank. )
One faucet at a time, let the chlorinated water run through them for one or two minutes. You should be able to smell the chlorine. (Make sure you are using the water pump and not an external water supply.)
Top off the RV fresh water tank and let stand for at least three hours over night is better.
Completely drain the system by flushing the faucets for several minutes each. Open the fresh water tank drain valve to speed up emptying the tank.and Open the hot water tank drain plug and drain until it is empty.
Close all valves and faucets and drain plugs.
Fill water tank with fresh water.
Flush each faucet for several minutes each repeating until the tank is again empty. (Make sure you are using the water pump and not an external water supply.)
Fill the tank again. The water should now be safe to drink but if the chlorine odor is too strong you can repeat the fresh water flush.
Your RV fresh water system should now be safe for use.
If the water still smells like bleach, you can add a little baking soda to the next fill.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
The generally acepted method of sanitizing your RV's fresh water system as outlined below involves filling the fresh water tank with a solution of household bleach and running the solution through each faucet. Then letting it stand for at least three hours. Finally, flush the system once or twice to remove the taste and smell.
This procedure is one you'll find in most any book about RVing it tried and true but be sure to read on to find out what I do.
Start with a nearly full fresh water tank.
Turn the water heater off and let the water cool.
Dilute 1/4 cup of household bleach for each 15 gallons of tank capacity in to a gallon of water.
Add the chlorine/water solution to the water tank. (Never pour straight bleach into the RV fresh water tank. )
One faucet at a time, let the chlorinated water run through them for one or two minutes. You should be able to smell the chlorine. (Make sure you are using the water pump and not an external water supply.)
Top off the RV fresh water tank and let stand for at least three hours over night is better.
Completely drain the system by flushing the faucets for several minutes each. Open the fresh water tank drain valve to speed up emptying the tank.and Open the hot water tank drain plug and drain until it is empty.
Close all valves and faucets and drain plugs.
Fill water tank with fresh water.
Flush each faucet for several minutes each repeating until the tank is again empty. (Make sure you are using the water pump and not an external water supply.)
Fill the tank again. The water should now be safe to drink but if the chlorine odor is too strong you can repeat the fresh water flush.
Your RV fresh water system should now be safe for use.
If the water still smells like bleach, you can add a little baking soda to the next fill.
Best wishes,
Jim B.
sawmilldon
New member
This product is available at any homebrew shop.
http://www.superprod.com/product/shelvi ... ode=OLC600
http://brewersconnection.com/classroom/Iodophor.htm
I like it better for a sanitizer because it has a much shorter contact time (I do it for 3-4 minutes) and it doesn't corrode stainless steel like bleach will.
Just my 2 cents.
http://www.superprod.com/product/shelvi ... ode=OLC600
http://brewersconnection.com/classroom/Iodophor.htm
I like it better for a sanitizer because it has a much shorter contact time (I do it for 3-4 minutes) and it doesn't corrode stainless steel like bleach will.
Just my 2 cents.
I was looking elsewhere on the C-Brat forum (mold) and found out that adding vinegar 50/50 with bleach immensely improves its sterilization powers. Here's the article from American Society for Microbiology proceedings:
Adding white vinegar to diluted household bleach greatly increases the disinfecting power of the solution, making it strong enough to kill even bacterial spores. Researchers from MicroChem Lab, Inc. in Euless, Texas, report their findings today at the 2006 ASM Biodefense Research Meeting.
Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in the form of laundry bleach is available in most households. The concentrate is about 5.25 to 6 percent NaOCl, and the pH value is about 12. Sodium hypochlorite is stable for many months at this high alkaline pH value.
"Laundry bleach is commonly diluted about 10 to 25-fold with tap water to about 2000 to 5000 parts per million of free available chlorine for use as an environmental surface disinfectant, without regard to the pH value of the diluted bleach. However, the pH value is very important for the antimicrobial effectiveness of bleach," says Norman Miner, a researcher on the study.
At alkaline pH values of about 8.5 or higher, more than 90 percent of the bleach is in the form of the chlorite ion (OCl-), which is relatively ineffective antimicrobially. At acidic pH values of about 6.8 or lower, more than 80 percent of the bleach is in the form of hypochlorite (HOCl). HOCl is about 80 to 200 times more antimicrobial than OCl-.
"Bleach is a much more effective antimicrobial chemical at an acidic pH value than at the alkaline Ph value at which bleach is manufactured and stored. A small amount of household vinegar is sufficient to lower the pH of bleach to an acidic range," says Miner.
Miner and his colleagues compared the ability of alkaline (pH 11) and acidified (pH 6) bleach dilutions to disinfect surfaces contaminated with dried bacterial spores, considered the most resistant to disinfectants of all microbes. The alkaline dilution was practically ineffective, killing all of the spores on only 2.5 percent of the surfaces after 20 minutes. During the same time period the acidified solution killed all of the spores on all of the surfaces.
"Diluted bleach at an alkaline pH is a relatively poor disinfectant, but acidified diluted bleach will virtually kill anything in 10 to 20 minutes," says Miner. "In the event of an emergency involving Bacillus anthracis spores contaminating such environmental surfaces as counter tops, desk and table tops, and floors, for example, virtually every household has a sporicidal sterilant available in the form of diluted, acidified bleach."
Miner recommends first diluting one cup of household bleach in one gallon of water and then adding one cup of white vinegar.
Adding white vinegar to diluted household bleach greatly increases the disinfecting power of the solution, making it strong enough to kill even bacterial spores. Researchers from MicroChem Lab, Inc. in Euless, Texas, report their findings today at the 2006 ASM Biodefense Research Meeting.
Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in the form of laundry bleach is available in most households. The concentrate is about 5.25 to 6 percent NaOCl, and the pH value is about 12. Sodium hypochlorite is stable for many months at this high alkaline pH value.
"Laundry bleach is commonly diluted about 10 to 25-fold with tap water to about 2000 to 5000 parts per million of free available chlorine for use as an environmental surface disinfectant, without regard to the pH value of the diluted bleach. However, the pH value is very important for the antimicrobial effectiveness of bleach," says Norman Miner, a researcher on the study.
At alkaline pH values of about 8.5 or higher, more than 90 percent of the bleach is in the form of the chlorite ion (OCl-), which is relatively ineffective antimicrobially. At acidic pH values of about 6.8 or lower, more than 80 percent of the bleach is in the form of hypochlorite (HOCl). HOCl is about 80 to 200 times more antimicrobial than OCl-.
"Bleach is a much more effective antimicrobial chemical at an acidic pH value than at the alkaline Ph value at which bleach is manufactured and stored. A small amount of household vinegar is sufficient to lower the pH of bleach to an acidic range," says Miner.
Miner and his colleagues compared the ability of alkaline (pH 11) and acidified (pH 6) bleach dilutions to disinfect surfaces contaminated with dried bacterial spores, considered the most resistant to disinfectants of all microbes. The alkaline dilution was practically ineffective, killing all of the spores on only 2.5 percent of the surfaces after 20 minutes. During the same time period the acidified solution killed all of the spores on all of the surfaces.
"Diluted bleach at an alkaline pH is a relatively poor disinfectant, but acidified diluted bleach will virtually kill anything in 10 to 20 minutes," says Miner. "In the event of an emergency involving Bacillus anthracis spores contaminating such environmental surfaces as counter tops, desk and table tops, and floors, for example, virtually every household has a sporicidal sterilant available in the form of diluted, acidified bleach."
Miner recommends first diluting one cup of household bleach in one gallon of water and then adding one cup of white vinegar.
Mallard":24haojiw said:
This may be obvious (or I may be mis-reading it), but just as a note, it sounds to me like this technique is being discussed as a way to sanitize surfaces (countertops, etc.), whereas the original thread question/title is about treating potable water (i.e. you will be drinking the treated water).
Perhaps the vinegar/bleach/surface method could be well used for cleaning an empty water tank (and then rinsing/drying it prior to filling with potable water). It is interesting to read how the combination works as compared to diluted bleach alone.
I’m not sure I would want vinegar coursing through my water system due to the potential of a lingering stink factor and effect on taste afterwards. Vinegar is an acid that tends to permeate into materials. Of course, we’re talking about diluted vinegar here, but anyone who tries this please report back.
This spring, we decided to not use the bleach method to purify the water tank. In the past with the cold low humidity winters here in Wyoming every other year has worked out well for us. This year it turned out to be a mistake. The water developed a increasingly fowl taste on our Alaska three month cruise. Not wanting to use the bleach method while cruising on the water decided to use vodka instead. Found the 2 liters mixed in 20 gal of water let set for 24 hours completely cured swamp taste of water in the tank. Bleach no doubt would have been just as effective but I difenately prefer the slight taste of vodka to bleach after a couple tank refills.
Jay
Jay
m2cw
Any of the above methods will be effective. I would drain the tank, add fresh water, add sanitizer of choice and allow it to work for several hours then drain, flush and add fresh water.
The killing effect depends on several variables such as time, temperature, chlorine level, water quality, organisms present, organic matter etc
You will need to regularly sanitize it bc a biofilm will remain and it is difficult to remove
Any of the above methods will be effective. I would drain the tank, add fresh water, add sanitizer of choice and allow it to work for several hours then drain, flush and add fresh water.
The killing effect depends on several variables such as time, temperature, chlorine level, water quality, organisms present, organic matter etc
You will need to regularly sanitize it bc a biofilm will remain and it is difficult to remove
Diluted white vinagar is often used as a solution to disinfect items and has no smell if allowed to dry. Don't know what the effect would be in a tank situation where it would never really dry.
I like the concept of adding vinegar to bleach as a surface disinfectant.
Vodka has the added advantage of being an anti-freeze
but I think the last word is probably in this text I received yesterday (apologies to those who already know this)
A glass of wine:-
To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine..
And those who don't and are always
Seen with a bottle of water in their hand.
As Ben Franklin said:
In wine there is wisdom,
In beer there is freedom,
In water there is bacteria.
In a number of carefully controlled trials,
Scientists have demonstrated that if we drink
1 litre of water each day,
At the end of the year we would have absorbed
More than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. Coli) - bacteria
Found in feces.
In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.
However,
We do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer
(or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor)
Because alcohol has to go through a purification process
Of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid,
Than to drink water and be full of Shit..
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information:
I'm doing it as a public service
I like the concept of adding vinegar to bleach as a surface disinfectant.
Vodka has the added advantage of being an anti-freeze
but I think the last word is probably in this text I received yesterday (apologies to those who already know this)A glass of wine:-
To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine..
And those who don't and are always
Seen with a bottle of water in their hand.
As Ben Franklin said:
In wine there is wisdom,
In beer there is freedom,
In water there is bacteria.
In a number of carefully controlled trials,
Scientists have demonstrated that if we drink
1 litre of water each day,
At the end of the year we would have absorbed
More than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. Coli) - bacteria
Found in feces.
In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.
However,
We do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer
(or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor)
Because alcohol has to go through a purification process
Of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid,
Than to drink water and be full of Shit..
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information:
I'm doing it as a public service
starcrafttom
Active member
Jay, your mixture rate should be 80/20 . 80 being booze. makes for a better trip.
grumpy, you right on. :beer :cocktail
grumpy, you right on. :beer :cocktail