mids Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Hi still learing the ropes could anyone tell me, motorhome new from september only done a few weekends so water tank only been filled about 3 times, do i need to flush it through with a cleaner or will it be ok to fill up with fresh water .Also going away esater weather looks rough on friday so thought i might travell with full tank save messing about when i get there any problems with doing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 These are questions that have as many different answers as there are owners! I always travel with a full tank of water but as we don't use sites we can never be sure how far the next tap is, apart from which after a drive who really feels like faffing about with taps and hoses, and it might be raining! I would refill the tank with tap water which is chlorinated, let it stand for 15 mins then drain and refill. I would also flush out the waste tank and I would add a generous splash of bleach down the sinks and shower taking care to ensure all the bleach is washed down and does not remain before draining it out. You might also consider traveling with a quarter tank of fresh water in the waste tank and drain it immediately on arrival and before it settles if you can be faffed as that helps clear out any gunge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek500 Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 We've never cleaned our tank, just drained it and run a few gallons through before filling. We use a filter jug for drinking/cooking. Always set off with a full tank. One less thing to do on arrival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Everyone seems to have differing ideas, We don't clean the tank, but gf insists we cook and drink from disposable water bottles which we change every so often (say once a year). We usualy travel with full tanks unless we know the next place we will stay has easily assesable taps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artheytrate Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I always fill the tank with fresh water before every trip, we also use the water in the tank for drinking. I also drain tanks and boiler after every trip. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Gary, There are of course slightly varying tastes of water depending where you live, (hard or soft) plus overseas may be very different. I've never washed or rinsed the tank but if not using it for a spell its been drained dry and the taps all left open, and not forgetting to empty the traps in the sink and shower to allow a free flow of air. We always carry separate water for drinking either from our own tap at home or bought and never use any filters. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mids Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Hi thanks for rhe replies, feel happy about what i am going to do now.one other question about water heater,how do i know it is empty of water after empting fresh water tank can't see any visible knobs or levers to open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 If you intend drinking the water from the tank, then providing the water hasn't been left for more than say 4 days, you should be OK. It's a good idea to drain your tanks after every trip and never drink water that has been in your tank for more than 4 days - so says my manual. I've always cleaned out my tanks once a year using either Milton [don't spill neat Milton on stainless steel] or Pura Clean. Never had a problem drinking clean water from the tank. Filling up your tanks will increase you weight by 1kg for every litre so make sure you have enough loading margin. Better, as suggested, to put in 20l or so to tied you over until the sun shines for 5 minutes. Your manual may have guidance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 What make of van and water heater do you have? There should be a drain somewhere [my van has one for the heater and one for the fresh water]. Have a look in the manual to see if that gives a guide. You heater will probably dump its contents if the temperature falls below eight degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mids Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Hi its a autoquest with a whale mk11 heater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Sorry, Garry, can't help you with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 My MH (a Hymer) has two drain valves (for hot and cold water lines and the water heater is drained automatically as I open them providing I open the kitchen and wash basin taps to allow air in. I hae to switch off the water pump during draining of course. This procedure empties all but the last bit from the water tank (so presumably it siphons out through the pump body) and there is a plug on a chain (like a sink plug) inside the tank which I can get to via the tank inspection hole if I want to drain completely, which i don't normally bother to do. I often, but not always, drain down after a trip. We live in a soft water area so i like to set off with a fullish tank and we use it for tea/coffee as well as washing/cooking - but I use bottled water with my whisky. We're relocating to a hard water area so I'll have to rethink that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 We get ready for the new season by putting 2 Buckets full of steriliser mix into thefresh water tank: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/131155072455?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0 Then ran mixture through all the taps into the waste tank, not all of it, about half, so as to sterilise both tanks. Leave it for 24 hours Drain the Fresh water tank, Refill with Fresh. Let the waste mixture 'slosh about' to first Site, then drain that too. Then replaced the seperate Drinking water filter (has it's own tap). It is a 'General Ecology' one and not cheap, but this is the first change in 3 years, so not too expensive compared to buying and carrying bottled water. http://www.purewateronline.co.uk/400009-Nature-Pure-Ultrafine-Cartridge.html Beware of Milton, it is chlorine based, if you use it, flush through the system at least twice. I had to replace a Plastic Lined 'Carver' boiler cylinder, that Milton has eaten it's way through, over the winter, even though it had been drained and flushed (but only once !). It is strong stuff ! don't let the fact that it is used to sterilise babies bottles 'fool you', it destroys any bare metal, and even plastic covered bare metal eventually. (been there !) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 If you've had the motorhome from new then you know its history. If you haven't then a once over with diluted Milton should give it a clean bill of health. I always drain down after every trip then there's no chance of stagnant water smells forming. All utilities companies (water) have stringent rules to keep to regarding the water quality that arrives through your tap so that in itself will help to keep bugs at bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 If you've had the motorhome from new then you know its history. If you haven't then a once over with diluted Milton should give it a clean bill of health. I always drain down after every trip then there's no chance of stagnant water smells forming. All utilities companies (water) have stringent rules to keep to regarding the water quality that arrives through your tap so that in itself will help to keep bugs at bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Drain down after every trip is OK, if all you do is max four day trips, but quite frequently, or if you use a full tank of water about every four days. Then the throughput should be sufficient to keep the system reasonably clear of algae or other organisms. But, if you don't do one, or other, of the above, you really need to take a different approach - or nasty stomach upsets await! Most, if not all, mains water in Europe is chlorinated so, at the point you fill your tank, sterile. However, chlorine being a gas that is merely dissolved into the water during treatment, it gradually gasses off over time. Hence that four days reccomendation: after four days there will be little to no chlorine left, and the water will be open to contamination. Contamination will, eventually, be introduced via the air that is drawn into the tank each time you draw off water (if it didn't, you'd collapse the tank as you draw off water). Once contaminated, the chlorine in fresh water will be insufficient to re-sterilise the residue, and the contamination will persist, and possibly grow until it causes illness. Also bear in mind that, even if you drain down the system after each trip there will be a small amount of water left behind, in the tank, in pipes, and in the heater jacket. As the weather warms that residue is liable to become a quite potent source of contamination for the next fill of fresh water. To illustrate what I mean, we tend to travel for 8 - 10 weeks at a time. I travel with a full, 100 litre, tank, and re-fill it when it falls to about 50%. We don't drink the water except in hot drinks: it is otherwise mainly used in toiled flushing and vegetable cooking. We use sites (and so generally wash, wash up, and wash food in the site facilities) and our rate of consumption is quite low: I only need to top-up about every 7 - 10 days. I drain the tank after each trip, and before the next trip sterilise the whole system (including water heater) with Elsan "Fresh Water Tank Clean" (which is purpose formulated a chlorine free sterilising agent) and flush it, finally filling and adding "Elsil" (also by Elsan, which is a purpose formulated silver based preservative agent). We have travelled in this way for the past ten years, covering a large chunk of mainland Europe, and I have maintained broadly the same regime for sterilising and conserving the water - though the product has changed over that time. During that time, despite all the intermittent toppings-up in varying countries, our tanks have remained free of odour, and there has been no slimy algal deposit in the tank. So, if the "not over four days" advice represents one end of a spectrum, where trips are short and frequent, or where the van's facilities are fully exploited and the water turnover consequently high, our pattern of use represents the opposite end of that spectrum, with longer trips and a low rate of consumption. How you should approach the issue has to be informed by your pattern of use, in terms of where you go, for how long you travel, and how much you use the van's facilities. As with almost anything to do with motorhomes, unfortunately, there is no "one size fits all" answer. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Can't understand why a simple task is turned into something resembling quantum physics. :-S Blimey I can only imagine the OPs head is spinning now, mine certainly is. :D Brevity doesn't go amiss sometimes, stick a few gallons in your tank for a wash, and take or buy a couple of bottles of drinking water with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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