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Keeping the water tank clean

gkillmastergkillmaster Member Posts: 89
edited August 2017 in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
This is our first trip and we are just now refilling our water tank and have a few questions please:

What is the best way to sanitize the water tank?
Do we need to do this each time we fill it up?
Is there a need to clean the grey water tank? If so, how do we do that?

many thanks,

Greg K.
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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited June 2022
    gkillmaster said:
    This is our first trip and we are just now refilling our water tank and have a few questions please:

    What is the best way to sanitize the water tank?
    Do we need to do this each time we fill it up?
    Is there a need to clean the grey water tank? If so, how do we do that?

    many thanks,

    Greg K.
    Hi Greg,

    There is a lot of good information already posted on the forum regarding this topic and by using the search box in the upper right-hand corner and entering a 2-3 word search string corner you will be able to glean a lot of information on all subject matter in the forum area.  

    To answer your questions -  No, sanitizing the gray water tank isn't necessary after each use and no, you don't have to clean the gray water tank, other than to dump the gray water at a waste station when you leave a campsite or when you feel the need to dump it.  I normally dump my black & gray tanks to eliminate the added water weight load when traveling and I do keep a little fresh water on-board to allow for use of the toilet in my T@B Max S and for hand washing during travel, etc.  

    At the end of the camping season I do empty all 3 tanks and place a piece of plastic window screening (fastened with a bungy cord) over the gray & black tank openings and allow these tanks to breath and dry out.
    There are tips within the forum on the black tank and it is important to maintain it to avoid any waste clogging, etc. due to drying and for lack of water, etc.   

    Fresh water Tank - There should be a small gray valve located under the step of your T@B and when you open up the valve it will empty water from your fresh water tank.  Most people use filtered or bottled water and I do not drink fresh water stored in the tank just to be on the safe side.   It is also not recommended to use the hot water from the Alde hot water tank for drinking/cooking, and only recommend using it for bathing, hand washing, dishes, etc. 

    Here is some information on how to sanitize a water tank. https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/60/how-to-sanitize-an-rv-water-tank

    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    BertBert Member Posts: 87
    I camp a few times a year. I want the fresh water to be fresh. So I've begun emptying the fresh water tank after each trip and leaving all of the drains to the fresh water tank and the Alde open until I bring the trailer home for the next trip. I'm assuming that the water system gets a chance to dry out (or nearly dry out) between trips, reducing the chance of mold, etc. growing in the system.

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    lapowers57lapowers57 Member Posts: 186
    edited August 2017
    I'll bite, why is it not recommended to use the hot water for drinking?  I see lots of warnings in the Alde manual about scalding and carbon monoxide but nothing about drinking safety.  Is this an issue with the Alde or with the plastic plumbing?  I don't typically use the hot water at home or in the camper for drinking or cooking because it is usually more efficient to heat the water on the stove.  But if in a hurry a pot of hot water comes to a boil quicker then air temp water.  For me the downside of using hot water in the T@B is that there can be a quart or so of water at ambient temperature that you need to run out of the system before you get hot water.  Given the size of the fresh water and grey water tanks this is a waste of water unless you can capture it and use it.  
    2016 T@B M@X S grey/red 16 Foot Airstream, towed by 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 4x4, Central Connecticut



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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited August 2017
    It's a warning that is in their manual  and probably has something to do with the glycol it is used inside the system and the fact that they have copper coils in the heating tank, etc.  I believe that you will find the precautionary warning information on page 3 or 4 of the Alde manual  that says that the hot water from the tank is not to be used for cooking or human consumption.  If you don't have the PDF I believe it is here on the forum in the video and information discussion category and you can also find it online.


    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    lapowers57lapowers57 Member Posts: 186
    I pulled the current manual from the Alde website and could not find the text you included in your screen shot.  Any idea what year the manual you referenced was from?  The current manual states that the Alde is designed to provide both heat and domestic hot water.  I am not an engineer or a lawyer but my take on the Alde after reading what you provided and what I found is that there is a boiler and a heater.  The boiler is used to provide the used for the glycol system.  There is a separate hot water heater for supplying domestic hot water.  I can certainly understand why you would not want to use water that may have any chance of being contaminated by the glycol system.  Maybe changes to the design or new lawyers?  It would be interesting to hear from Alde on this.
    2016 T@B M@X S grey/red 16 Foot Airstream, towed by 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 4x4, Central Connecticut



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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,448
    @lapowers57, PLEASE do not drink from the hot water tanks or YOU WILL DIE. Maybe not immediately, but someday....

    Seriously, I believe you are correct about the configuration of the Alde. Under normal circumstances the glycol used in the cabin heat distribution system should not mix with the domestic hot water.

    I've heard the "don't drink me" caution applied to hot water tanks in general. I suspect it has something to do with the possibility (however small) of microbial contamination when warm water sits stagnant for some length of time. It seems there was a thread about this same topic a while back.

    Hot water is distributed by the same plastic PEX plumbing as cold. This is the same stuff commonly used in modern residential potable water systems and should not be leaching contaminates even when used with hot water.

    Resident microbiologist @Ratkity, care to shed some light here?
    2015 T@B S

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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
     And what are thoughts on when sanitizing the fresh water tank.  Flush the bleach through right away or let it sit for 3 hours. I have read both opinions.
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,509
    Better to let the dilute bleach solution remain in contact with the tank and plumbing for several hours.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    DalehelmanDalehelman Member Posts: 2,410
    We fill up at home with city water that is  chlorinated. As such I only  usually  sanitize at the end and beginning of the season. If you use  non-chlorinated well water it may be  necessary to  sanitize more often .
    1. Hash  T@B Fun
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    RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    You don't have to leave a diluted bleach solution in the fresh water tank for hours. You aren't going into the operating room with it. You will still flush that sucker 5x times with fresh water to get the bleach out. 

    Please by-pass your Alde if you are going to use bleach to clean out your system. The aluminum doesn't play nice with the bleach. There are gentler fresh water sanitizers out there that aren't as harsh as bleach to aluminum. 

    If my camper sits between camping, I just empty the water tank and let it dry. I'll flush it a few times before re-filling for the next campout with city water (it's heavily chlorinated). A drill-pump makes this process a quick chore.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    I don't drink the water from the trailer anyway as we drink bottled water.  
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    gkillmastergkillmaster Member Posts: 89
    We are only trying to sanitize the grey water tank and did use bleach. Will it be ok for that and not interfere with the Alde system stuff?
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
       What do you do to "let the water tank dry" ? Also if my ALde is in it's De-winterized state  then can I assume the bleach will by pass? If not  how do I by pass it ? I did find a gentler fresh water sanitizer ,but the reviews were not so good for it because the detergent part of the process  left   suds etc
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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,448
    gkillmaster said:
    We are only trying to sanitize the grey water tank and did use bleach. Will it be ok for that and not interfere with the Alde system stuff?
    The grey water tank is only connected to the sink and shower drains, and is entirely isolated from the Alde. Under normal conditions there is no compelling reason to sanitize it, but it shouldn't hurt anything if you do so.
    2015 T@B S

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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,448
    edited August 2017
    sbhtennis said:
       What do you do to "let the water tank dry" ? Also if my ALde is in it's De-winterized state  then can I assume the bleach will by pass? If not  how do I by pass it ? I did find a gentler fresh water sanitizer ,but the reviews were not so good for it because the detergent part of the process  left   suds etc
    There's no good way to open up the fresh water tank to the air so it can dry completely. (And that's probably a good thing, since the air is full of all manner of cooties...)

    If your camper is de-winterized than the Alde is NOT being bypassed. Bleach added to the freshwater tank will enter the Alde tank when you open the hot water tap.

    There should be printed instructions somewhere here for winterizing and de-winterizing. Those should cover the operation of the Alde bypass plumbing.
    2015 T@B S

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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
     Now I am more confused. :o You said "Please by-pass your Alde if you are going to use bleach to clean out your system." So  for this time of year when the Alde is not  winterized (  which = de- winterized)   then I have to by-pass it  per what you are saying originally. But  now you say NOT to bypass.  so confusing  yikes .. maybe I need to go back to the basics or ask the dealer??  sorry i  just don't seem to get it. :s  
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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,448
    edited August 2017
    Sorry, @sbhtennis. My wording was a little ambiguous. What I meant to say is that when the camper is in normal de-winterized mode, the Alde is not being bypassed.

    If you wish to sanitize the system once it is de-winterized, you should return the bypass valves to their winterized setting to ensure that bleach will not get into the Alde's stainless steel hot water tank.

    NOTE: I've edited my previous post to remove the ambiguity!
    2015 T@B S

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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited August 2017
    This is a shot of the valves in both camping mode and winterized mode.  Just opening up the bench with the Alde and viewing/studying the valve positions make this a worthwhile endeavor.  This should help out.  

    I keep a copy of this in my Photo Vault on my iPhone for reference and when others need a hand.


    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    It is finally starting to make sense... Last question ( I hope)... To simplify things and avoid messing with ALDE hot water heater could I not open the hot water  faucets  ( sink and shower)??  during the rinse and flushing process??? That means then if I am understanding this that the bleach etc would go thru fresh water tank and only the cold water lines.  I probably would only  be using hot water for some brief rinsing, showers  etc and not drinking or cooking.
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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,448
    edited August 2017
    sbhtennis said:
    It is finally starting to make sense... Last question ( I hope)... To simplify things and avoid messing with ALDE hot water heater could I not open the hot water  faucets  ( sink and shower)??  during the rinse and flushing process??? That means then if I am understanding this that the bleach etc would go thru fresh water tank and only the cold water lines.  I probably would only  be using hot water for some brief rinsing, showers  etc and not drinking or cooking.
    Doing this would inevitably force at least some bleach into the Alde, as parts of the cold water side have no outlet other than the hot water side.

    It's really a lot less hassle just to bypass. Using Michigan_Mike's photos for reference, just put the valves in winterizing mode. Run your bleach through, rinse well, and return the valves to camping mode. Done!

    One final note...  Don't fret about the the direction the valve handles are pointing; parallel to the line is open, perpendicular is closed. They will only move one-quarter turn, and yours may turn in the opposite direction of those shown in the photos!
    2015 T@B S

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    gkillmastergkillmaster Member Posts: 89
    Michigan_Mike said:
    gkillmaster said:
    This is our first trip and we are just now refilling our water tank and have a few questions please:

    What is the best way to sanitize the water tank?
    Do we need to do this each time we fill it up?
    Is there a need to clean the grey water tank? If so, how do we do that?

    many thanks,

    Greg K.
    Hi Greg,

    There is a lot of good information already posted on the forum regarding this topic and by using the search box in the upper right-hand corner and entering a 2-3 word search string corner you will be able to glean a lot of information on all subject matter in the forum area.  

    To answer your questions -  No, sanitizing the gray water tank isn't necessary after each use and no, you don't have to clean the gray water tank, other than to dump the gray water at a waste station when you leave a campsite or when you feel the need to dump it.  I normally dump my black & gray tanks to eliminate the added water weight load when traveling and I do keep a little fresh water on-board to allow for use of the toilet in my T@B Max S and for hand washing during travel, etc.  

    At the end of the camping season I do empty all 3 tanks and place a piece of plastic window screening (fastened with a bungy cord) over the gray & black tank openings and allow these tanks to breath and dry out.
    There are tips within the forum on the black tank and it is important to maintain it to avoid any waste clogging, etc. due to drying and for lack of water, etc.   

    Fresh water Tank - There should be a small gray valve located under the step of your T@B and when you open up the valve it will empty water from your fresh water tank.  Most people use filtered or bottled water and I do not drink fresh water stored in the tank just to be on the safe side.   It is also not recommended to use the hot water from the Alde hot water tank for drinking/cooking, and only recommend using it for bathing, hand washing, dishes, etc. 

    Here is some information on How to sanitize the Fresh water Tank 
    thank you for this! It is very helpful! Much appreciated.
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