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09-23-2018, 10:13 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Kari
Trailer: In the market
Oregon
Posts: 7
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Water system cleaning
We have a 2011 16’ casita. We would like to clean out and sterilize the water system pipes. Has anyone done this? Thanks!
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09-24-2018, 01:40 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,937
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has the water system been getting regular use, or has whatever in it now been sitting in it for years?
assuming its been getting regular use, dump whats in the tank, quarter fill with fresh water, add some of the pink RV water treatment stuff, run the pump and all the faucets, toilet, til it comes out pink, including the hot water (with the water heater shut off). then pull the anode from the water heater and let it completely drain out. get a new anode if the old one is all gone.
when you're ready to use it again, drain the water tank, fill with fresh water, run all the faucets until it runs clear, drain the tank again, fill it with fresh water again, run it some more, til the water doesn't smell like disinfectant.
if its been sitting a long time unused, the water system might be more messed up.
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09-24-2018, 02:44 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fishbend
We have a 2011 16’ casita. We would like to clean out and sterilize the water system pipes. Has anyone done this? Thanks!
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Yup, do it once a year. Different ways folks accomplish this and if you have to winterize, which I don't, it may be moot servicing. I add 1 - 2 cups of bleach to the 25 gal fresh tank, you can top it off to mix it up in the tank. Run all the faucets until you can smell the bleach, then let it sit for an hour or so. Drain the tank, add about 10 gal of fresh and flush the faucets. Drain the tank again and fill her up with fresh. Any residual bleach that may be left will dissipate/degrade within hours. BTW, I installed a 4" deck plate to the top of my tank a few years ago. Makes it very easy to add the bleach and mix it plus I can get a good visual look at the tanks interior.
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09-24-2018, 02:59 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Escape 21, behind an '02 F250 7.3 diesel tug
Mid Left Coast
Posts: 2,937
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when I'm using bleach for stuff, I usually predilute it partially... like if as Dave suggested you're adding 1 cup to the 16 gallon tank of the Casita 16 (the 17's have an optional 25G tank), I'll add a half cup to each of 2 gallon jugs of water, and mix them well, put a few gallons in the Casita tank, then pour in those two diluted bleach gallons, then fill the tank with the hose, this should nicely mix the prediluted bleach with the rest of the tank.
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09-24-2018, 05:17 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Ray
Trailer: 2017 Scamp 16 Deluxe
Missouri
Posts: 692
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fishbend
We have a 2011 16’ casita. We would like to clean out and sterilize the water system pipes. Has anyone done this? Thanks!
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Kari,
I usually think of “clean out” and “sterilize” as two separate processes.
For cleaning out dried up “pink stuff”/RV-antifreeze etc., the author of the Woodall’s column “Mark My Words” suggests cleaning strength white vinegar (6% acidic instead of the usual kitchen 5% acidic). You can probably find it at Walmart or higher-end grocery stores.
For the “sterilize” part, it is probably pretty hard to beat the previously mentioned bleach solution.
Just a thought. ..... YMMV.
Good luck!
Ray
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09-24-2018, 06:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fishbend
We have a 2011 16’ casita. We would like to clean out and sterilize the water system pipes. Has anyone done this?
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I certainly hope someone has!
Especially since it is a regular part of RV maintenance.
Although this is geared toward Scamps, the process is about the same:
Shurflo Sanitizing
Sanitizing a Casita specifically is listed in the TOC of this book. I have not seen it but it gets good reviews and maybe you could use it.
Now if you are winterizing, then its time for the "Pink Stuff." That is RV antifreeze and not Pepto-Bismol (although you might want to get some Pepto-Bismol if you don't sanitize the fresh water tank ) But don't dilute the RV antifreeze - use it full strength.
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09-24-2018, 07:31 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,136
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+10 To sterilize, I dilute bleach before adding it, maybe 4/1. A couple of cups full is about what I use.
If you haven't pulled the hot water heater anode, its a goner for sure.
+10 I don't dilute the pink antifreeze either.
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09-24-2018, 03:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Name: Jann
Trailer: Casita
Colorado
Posts: 1,307
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fishbend
We have a 2011 16’ casita. We would like to clean out and sterilize the water system pipes. Has anyone done this? Thanks!
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Use about 1 cup of bleach in something you can dilute it with to pour into the tank. Don't pour pure bleach into tank. Some people have had their inlets damaged with pure bleach. Fill tank and if possible drive around to slosh it. Bypass the hot water tank. Bleach is hard to get out of it. Run all faucets until you smell the bleach. Let it sit 3-4 hours or more to kill all bacteria. Drain, fill with water and run all faucets to run all the bleach water out. Let it sit for a while and drain. Your tank should be sterile. You may get a slight smell of bleach until it rinses out of all lines but it is not dangerous at that small level. I usually carry drinking water for my first couple of days until I refill my tank again. By then it is totally gone. I'm super sensitive to smells so you may never notice it. I've done this for 36 years and we drink the water from our tanks. We just taste the water before we fill our tank to make sure it is good to start with.
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