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qhumberd
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Potential issues leaving bleach sanitizing mix in the lines for several days?

Jay_and_Kat
Jay_and_Kat Member Posts: 284
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
We're two weeks out from our next camping trip, the campers' been sitting in the storage lot for a couple weeks (and the weather's gone between hot and humid to LOTS of rain in a short amount of time to cooler and drier.)  The fresh tank / hot water tank / cold water lines were all drained before storage.

I'm thinking of going out to our camper this weekend and, if it won't potentially damage the lines / tank, suck in a sanitizing solution (1/2 cup bleach in a 1gal just, then fill tank the rest of the way with fresh, run water into all lines) to save a little time when we start preparing the camper for our trip.  Figure the solution would be in the system for a couple days, say Sunday to Wednesday evening / Thursday sometime.
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Jay and Kat
Tow vehicle:  2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S + tow package
Camper:  2022 T@B 400 Boondock w/Norcold 3-way fridge
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Comments

  • Slackers
    Slackers Member Posts: 491
    I'm not an expert but you need to by-pass the hot-water tank for sure. Perhaps the bleach is diluted enough, but it's not good for PVC (pipes) to have bleach (Clorox in particular) sitting in them for that long.
    2019 Tab 320 CSS, 2019 Ranger TV, OH
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  • Jay_and_Kat
    Jay_and_Kat Member Posts: 284
    @Slackers and that's why I'm glad I asked before going through with my plan!  We do know to keep the sanitize solution out of the hot-water tank, I hadn't thought about (or, honestly, knew about) bleach and PVC not getting along, so that's a very good to know.

    Guess we'll be putting the sanitize solution in the day we bring the camper home and flushing it out after an hour or so, as usual.

    Thank you!   B)
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    Jay and Kat
    Tow vehicle:  2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S + tow package
    Camper:  2022 T@B 400 Boondock w/Norcold 3-way fridge
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  • Maxcamp
    Maxcamp Member Posts: 352
    I've sanitized for days.  You'll be fine with a dilute solution.

    Codes requires sanitize and flush of all new lines, pex or otherwise, in all structures and underground lines.  Something Nucamp does not do based on the ubiquitous pex cutting debris found in everyone's water pump strainer.

    2021 T@B 320S Boondock/ 2012 Tacoma 4 cylinder truck / 2023 Tacoma 6 cyl. truck

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  • SLJ
    SLJ Member Posts: 644
    edited July 2024
    I also sanitize the hot water tank. The hot tank water usually won't get hot enough on it's own and can contaminate the rest of the system before it's heated. A diluted solution should be run through every hot/cold line, tank, faucet, and drain including out the low point drains and the yellow flapper valve. After it sets for a while I drain and refill with water until it comes out the overflow drain and flush everything again.
    2021 T@B 320 S Boondock
    2025 KZ Sportsmen 130RD
    2025 Ford Ranger
    The Finger Lakes of New York
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  • Horigan
    Horigan Member Posts: 863
    Just don't leave the bleach solution in the hot water tank for days.  Hours only.  Chlorine causes pitting corrosion in stainless steel.
    Rich
    2019 T@b 400
    2025 Toyota Highlander 2.4L Turbo
    Bellingham WA
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