# Fresh Water Tank



## letscamp

My question is how often should I sanitize my fresh water tank? After every trip I drain it completely than fill it half way in case of an emergency. We have a water softener so its good water being stored in there. We never winterize because.... and I'm sorry for some of you, but were lucky if night time temps drop to 38'. We did the dealership recommended bleach rinse when we first brought it home 11 months ago. Were going dry camping for 5 days so I just want to make sure I have covered everything.

What do you do? What should be done? Any tips? tricks? All are welcomed. Thanks.


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## thefulminator

I sanitize every spring when I'm getting rid of the antifreeze.


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## CamperAndy

Lots of variables, you can hear from each extreme, of never to before every trip. I do it once a year, in the spring or if I had to get water from a really questionable source.

It also helps that we only use the trailer water for cleaning/showers and toilet. All drinking water is from bottle so we could actually go with never need to sanitize if I wanted.


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## ED_RN

If your using it to drink I would do it more often. The avaiable chlorine level can drop quickly if anything gets in the tank like a bug for example. I also keep water in the tank most of the time in case of an emergency like an earthquake but we don't drink from it. I usually santize about twice a year.


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## thefulminator

Forgot to mention that we are normally on city water connections so the tank doesn't get used very often.


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## KTMRacer

letscamp said:


> My question is how often should I sanitize my fresh water tank? After every trip I drain it completely than fill it half way in case of an emergency. We have a water softener so its good water being stored in there. We never winterize because.... and I'm sorry for some of you, but were lucky if night time temps drop to 38'. We did the dealership recommended bleach rinse when we first brought it home 11 months ago. Were going dry camping for 5 days so I just want to make sure I have covered everything.
> 
> What do you do? What should be done? Any tips? tricks? All are welcomed. Thanks.


Here is what has worked for us.

We almost always use the fresh tank rather than city water connections. I use the camco water freshner whenever I fill the tank, (It's a disanfectant like bleach). Allways empty the tank when we are done. So far it has worked for us. Other than the initial disenfectant, haven't done anything else in this trailer or our previous one.

We often carry drinking water, but run water for cooking and sometimes drinking from the fresh tank through a culligan under sink charcoal filter to a dedicated spout.

I also have a "waterstick" water softener and use it whenever we come across water that isn't soft. Sure makes showering nicer and keeps buildup off the sink, shower etc.

One RV place indicated not sanitize with a strong bleach solution in the polyethelyne tanks, They claim you will have a hard time getting the bleach taste and smell out. Instead use some of the RV tank sanitizers.


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## letscamp

Thanks everyone. The bleach did leave a smell for a few months and even after filling the tank several times. It took a good six months for it to finally in smell. I think I will try that camco stuff. We use bottled water for drinking so I don't think its too vital to have the tank perfect.

Has or does anyone use those screw on sink water purifiers like Brita for drinking?


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## luverofpeanuts

I usually do it as part of the de-winterizing process. Once a year. I use a dilute bleach solution as commonly recommended. We rarely hookup to shore water.. most always fill the tank. If we know we'll be in an area where we don't like the water at the fillup... or are unsure of it's quality, we'll fill up at home, or manually fillup using 6 gallon water totes lugged to and from a trusted water source.

Personally, I like the faint bleach smell at the taps... I've spent all my life around swimming pools, so it makes me feel "at home". The smell doesn't last long enough for me ;-)


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## KTMRacer

letscamp said:


> Thanks everyone. The bleach did leave a smell for a few months and even after filling the tank several times. It took a good six months for it to finally in smell. I think I will try that camco stuff. We use bottled water for drinking so I don't think its too vital to have the tank perfect.
> 
> Has or does anyone use those screw on sink water purifiers like Brita for drinking?


I haven't used the brita, but what we did was install a dedicated culligan water tap dispenser, kinda looks like the instahot, has a long neck, with a good filter to use for drinking and cooking etc. Put it next to the kitchen sink faucet. Works real nice and was an easy install.


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## CamperAndy

To get rid of the smell after the chlorine, use a rinse of baking soda.


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## hautevue

Two things I've learned from these forums about overwinter storage:

1. Never put moth balls inside the TT-- the smell permeates the carpet, upholstery, the bed blankets and comforters, the shades if fabric, etc. And like the Everready batteries, the smell lasts, and lasts, and lasts....

2. Go really, really easy on bleach in the fresh tank if you absolutely positively want to freshen the tank. A few ounces in a gallon of water goes a long way, but you'll still have swimming pool chlorine smell in your water. I just flush the tank in the spring with fresh water to make sure no over-winter antifreeze got in there.

In a fit of enthusiasm, I paid to have the fresh water tested for bacteria. Clean as a whistle.


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## Nathan

I sanitize in the spring. I also have a very fine whole house filter. It's not technically rated to prevent all disease, but I've never had an issue with this procedure...


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## chuck&gail

Did our last TT when it got to be 7 years old. Neer did TT before that, as did not own it 7 years. New one also not 7 years old yet, so I'll wait.


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## Just Add Dirt

Hey "Letscamp"

Glad to see you are concerned about someone drinking non-potable water..from your camper...guardia is a big time killer.
I own a water treatment company and one of the services we specialize in, is potable water sterilization. The key to disinfecting water correctly is the right amount of disinfectant and what is called "retention time". You can sterilize most water holding tanks with 1 cup bleach (6% sodium hypochlorite) per 5 gallons of water (this should yeld ~ 100PPM) and a ~ 6 hour retention time. You can drop that to 1/4 - 1/2 cup if you increase the retention time to 12 - 24 hours respectively. If you use less bleach (~25PPM) and increase the retention time (X4) the chlorine odor won't be so strong and you'll get the same amount of disinfection. Durring sterilization try to keep air out of the tank. Public water supplies usually have about 1-2 PPM chlorine. Trying to store potable water is not a good idea in a holding tank because chlorine evaporates quickly and whats left is sodium chloride NACL or table salt. If you want to nutrilize the chlorine before dumping it, either pass the liquid thru carbon or add potassium sulfite (potato whitener/fruit fresh) to the water. Iodine tablets at a local camping store is another way to create potable water from suspicious water.

Eric


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## letscamp

Thank you all for your great responses. If you check back on here "Just add dirt" what do you think of that camco additives? Are they just fancy better smelling bleach?

Living in Southern California there is always a though of earthquake in the back of your mind, so I enjoy knowing that my family will be fine having a water tank filled to the top. However it sounds like the longer its stored the more chlorine evaporates off. So would it just be beneficial to empty and refill monthly weekly? I have a water softer so I don't know if that changes anything as far as storage time. Also our city has changed from chlorine to chloramines, any effect there?

Thanks again.


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## LaydBack

Totally new to RVing, so excuse the "ignorance" for lack of a better term. I assume from reading this that, when you are using your city water connection, that water never enters your holding tank. We haven't taken possession of our unit yet, and I'm sure this should be covered in the PDI, but is there somewhere in the unit where you switch from holding tank to city water? Thanks


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## CamperAndy

srwsr said:


> Totally new to RVing, so excuse the "ignorance" for lack of a better term. I assume from reading this that, when you are using your city water connection, that water never enters your holding tank. We haven't taken possession of our unit yet, and I'm sure this should be covered in the PDI, but is there somewhere in the unit where you switch from holding tank to city water? Thanks


There is a seperate fill connection on the outside of the trailer for the onboard storage tank.


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## letscamp

srwsr said:


> Totally new to RVing, so excuse the "ignorance" for lack of a better term. I assume from reading this that, when you are using your city water connection, that water never enters your holding tank. We haven't taken possession of our unit yet, and I'm sure this should be covered in the PDI, but is there somewhere in the unit where you switch from holding tank to city water? Thanks


Its not a bad question at all. I'm sure someone will answer it better but I will try. The city water connection is where you connect a hose to the rv. Its screwed directly on to a connector. Make sure you buy a water pressure regulator when you pick up your shiny new RV, connect that to the hose bib first than the hose, than connect the hose to the RV "city water connector." Once connected there is a bypass valve and your RV will not need the water pump to move water through you RV. The city connection has nothing to do with your fresh water tank. Your RV will have a separate spot to fill it.

Enjoy it and get the PDI checklist off this site its great and if you have kids leave them at home the check list takes a while, don't let the sales man pressure you into singing it until you are 100% sure everything is working flawlessly. Its amazing how fast the will fix something before you sign the PDI sheet. After you sign you go to the back of the line for repairs.


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## LaydBack

Thanks to the both of you. DW already printed off PDI. Regulator and other goodies are on the list of things to buy at the dealer store with 10% discount. Both water connections are at same spot, I'm having them make that a lockable cover. I was more interested in figuring out the bypass procedure so that I go into the PDI a little more acclaimated with what to look for. I figure the more time I spend on here getting better informed, the more retention and better questions I will have in the PDI. Expect to see me all over the place this week.


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## Just Add Dirt

letscamp said:


> Thank you all for your great responses. If you check back on here "Just add dirt" what do you think of that camco additives? Are they just fancy better smelling bleach?
> 
> Living in Southern California there is always a though of earthquake in the back of your mind, so I enjoy knowing that my family will be fine having a water tank filled to the top. However it sounds like the longer its stored the more chlorine evaporates off. So would it just be beneficial to empty and refill monthly weekly? I have a water softer so I don't know if that changes anything as far as storage time. Also our city has changed from chlorine to chloramines, any effect there?
> 
> Thanks again.


I am not familiar with camco additives..never used them...
I suggest you read this:

Chloramines


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## Scoutr2

There really is no "bypass" procedure for city water or fresh water tank. When you are not connected to city water (hose), you only need turn your water pump ON and the pump will supply water pressure throughout your trailer.

When you connect a hose to the city water fill, you won't need your pump, so it should stay OFF. The water pressure from the city water system will provide water pressure then. And as mentioned earlier, you'll need a water pressure regulator, to ensure that the water pressure entering your trailer's plumbing system is not too high, lest something burst and/or start leaking.

Now there are two different schools of thought on where you should place the water pressure regulator. I attach mine to the trailer, not the water spigot. My reasoning is this - the regulator can limit the pressure from upstream to downstream, but not downstream to upstream. A regulator attached to the spigot cannot control the pressure in the hose when it sits in the sun all day, which causes water pressure to rise as the water warms and expands. (Just let your garden hose sit in the sun, dead-headed for a couple hours and you'll see what I mean when you crack open the nozzle.)

When you are not running water - which is most of the time - the water pressure can build in the hose when it sits in the sun. If the regulator is attached to the trailer, the pressure buildup in the hose cannot be transmitted into the trailer's water system.

Just my opinion.

Mike


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## Nathan

I like the Camco additives since I don't have to hear about the bleach smell/taste then....


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## LaydBack

Scoutr2 said:


> There really is no "bypass" procedure for city water or fresh water tank. When you are not connected to city water (hose), you only need turn your water pump ON and the pump will supply water pressure throughout your trailer.
> 
> When you connect a hose to the city water fill, you won't need your pump, so it should stay OFF. The water pressure from the city water system will provide water pressure then. And as mentioned earlier, you'll need a water pressure regulator, to ensure that the water pressure entering your trailer's plumbing system is not too high, lest something burst and/or start leaking.
> 
> Now there are two different schools of thought on where you should place the water pressure regulator. I attach mine to the trailer, not the water spigot. My reasoning is this - the regulator can limit the pressure from upstream to downstream, but not downstream to upstream. A regulator attached to the spigot cannot control the pressure in the hose when it sits in the sun all day, which causes water pressure to rise as the water warms and expands. (Just let your garden hose sit in the sun, dead-headed for a couple hours and you'll see what I mean when you crack open the nozzle.)
> 
> When you are not running water - which is most of the time - the water pressure can build in the hose when it sits in the sun. If the regulator is attached to the trailer, the pressure buildup in the hose cannot be transmitted into the trailer's water system.
> 
> Just my opinion.
> 
> Mike


Thanks for the explaination. I agree with locating the regulator at the trailer, I'd rather purchase a water hose vs. trailer plumbing components. I wasn't sure whether the pump needed to be monitored or how it cycles. It appears, you just fill the fresh water tank and turn the pump on when you get setup. Is there something that cycles it or shuts it down when the tank gets low?


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## TwoElkhounds

I must be weird, I sterilized my tank once, when I brought it home from the dealer. I have never sterilized it again in the five years I have owned the trailer. I use trusted water sources and I drain the tank any time I know the trailer will sit for a while. Other than that, I do not worry about it. We don't get sick and somehow we manage to survive in our germ infested environment. I would personally be more concerned about the chemicals and the bleach in the tank used to "disinfect" it.

IMHO - way too much germophobia out there. A couple years ago we took my sister's family camping in a State campground in New York. There were no paper towels in the men's room at the campground. My sister's son entered a state of panic when he realized he could not open the bathroom door using a paper towel like he had been taught, he would have to actually "touch" the doorknob!! Imagine that! He freaked out and started to say he was going to get sick and die. This type of crazy overreaction is over the top. We are exposed to germs every time we take a breath, eat food, drink, hug our kids, kiss our wives, etc.

In any event, what good does it do to sterilize the tank in the beginning of the year? The danger is in the sources you use to fill the tank later in the season, not in the residue left in an empty tank over the winter.

DAN


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## Just Add Dirt

TwoElkhounds said:


> I must be weird, I sterilized my tank once, when I brought it home from the dealer. I have never sterilized it again in the five years I have owned the trailer. I use trusted water sources and I drain the tank any time I know the trailer will sit for a while. Other than that, I do not worry about it. We don't get sick and somehow we manage to survive in our germ infested environment. I would personally be more concerned about the chemicals and the bleach in the tank used to "disinfect" it.
> 
> IMHO - way too much germophobia out there. A couple years ago we took my sister's family camping in a State campground in New York. There were no paper towels in the men's room at the campground. My sister's son entered a state of panic when he realized he could not open the bathroom door using a paper towel like he had been taught, he would have to actually "touch" the doorknob!! Imagine that! He freaked out and started to say he was going to get sick and die. This type of crazy overreaction is over the top. We are exposed to germs every time we take a breath, eat food, drink, hug our kids, kiss our wives, etc.
> 
> In any event, what good does it do to sterilize the tank in the beginning of the year? The danger is in the sources you use to fill the tank later in the season, not in the residue left in an empty tank over the winter.
> 
> DAN


*Giardia lamblia,* Legionella and a whole host of other critters love warm stagnent water. It really is hard to drain all the water each Fall, therefore It doesn't hurt to sterilize once each Spring as part of the de-winterizing/un-storing procedure. Just rinse the system well and your good to go... please read this:

Giardia


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## letscamp

Its not at all that I have germophobia. Its the fact that I like keeping our tank full when in storage behind our house in case of earth quake or what not. We didn't have water for a week and a half during the Northridge quake. Being in Southern California and winter temp might go down to high thirty's for an hour or two in the morning, and the rest of the day its in the 80's yesterday it was 82'. The rest of the year the temps wont get below 65' at night (Sorry to all you covered in snow right now) My main concern is over all the stuff that can grow quickly in a nice warn dark environment. After reading all the great responses on here I'm just going to stick with emptying and refilling more often and give that camco stuff a try.

So just a clarification, as for the paper towels that must be used to exit a restroom you got me there? That's over kill. However there is a reason behind why we don't get sick drinking tap water and in a LOT of other countries you end up sicker than well







yeash after drinking tap... once that happens to you, you too would ask a question on here like the one I did.


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## TwoElkhounds

Just Add Dirt said:


> I must be weird, I sterilized my tank once, when I brought it home from the dealer. I have never sterilized it again in the five years I have owned the trailer. I use trusted water sources and I drain the tank any time I know the trailer will sit for a while. Other than that, I do not worry about it. We don't get sick and somehow we manage to survive in our germ infested environment. I would personally be more concerned about the chemicals and the bleach in the tank used to "disinfect" it.
> 
> IMHO - way too much germophobia out there. A couple years ago we took my sister's family camping in a State campground in New York. There were no paper towels in the men's room at the campground. My sister's son entered a state of panic when he realized he could not open the bathroom door using a paper towel like he had been taught, he would have to actually "touch" the doorknob!! Imagine that! He freaked out and started to say he was going to get sick and die. This type of crazy overreaction is over the top. We are exposed to germs every time we take a breath, eat food, drink, hug our kids, kiss our wives, etc.
> 
> In any event, what good does it do to sterilize the tank in the beginning of the year? The danger is in the sources you use to fill the tank later in the season, not in the residue left in an empty tank over the winter.
> 
> DAN


*Giardia lamblia,* Legionella and a whole host of other critters love warm stagnent water. It really is hard to drain all the water each Fall, therefore It doesn't hurt to sterilize once each Spring as part of the de-winterizing/un-storing procedure. Just rinse the system well and your good to go... please read this:

Giardia
[/quote]

Tank is empty, dry, and sealed off. It is also pretty cold out, so little chance of stagnant water. During the season, it gets used continuously and is drained when it sits for any period of time. We normally do not drink the water from the tank anyway, it is used mostly for bathing and cleaning.

I worry more about the sources of my water rather than whether I need to bleach the tank at the beginning of the year. I use my house municipal water source as much as I can, I avoid well water as much as possible. If you fill up the tank and introduce some parasite into the system in April, the fact that you bleached the tank back in March is pretty meaningless. You will still have contaminated water the rest of the season. Unless of course you bleach it again later in the season, but then you still have a period where the water is contaminated. So, if you want to take this to the illogical extreme, we should sterilize our tanks each time we fill up. That is not very practical, of course.

DAN


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## CamperAndy

TwoElkhounds said:


> So, if you want to take this to the illogical extreme, we should sterilize our tanks each time we fill up. That is not very practical, of course.
> 
> DAN


Actually you can do this to a point by the use of active charcoal filters and other add on purification systems if you really feel the need. Where there is a market there will be someone there to fill that market with something to address the issue.


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## TwoElkhounds

letscamp said:


> Its not at all that I have germophobia. Its the fact that I like keeping our tank full when in storage behind our house in case of earth quake or what not. We didn't have water for a week and a half during the Northridge quake. Being in Southern California and winter temp might go down to high thirty's for an hour or two in the morning, and the rest of the day its in the 80's yesterday it was 82'. The rest of the year the temps wont get below 65' at night (Sorry to all you covered in snow right now) My main concern is over all the stuff that can grow quickly in a nice warn dark environment. After reading all the great responses on here I'm just going to stick with emptying and refilling more often and give that camco stuff a try.
> 
> So just a clarification, as for the paper towels that must be used to exit a restroom you got me there? That's over kill. However there is a reason behind why we don't get sick drinking tap water and in a LOT of other countries you end up sicker than well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeash after drinking tap... once that happens to you, you too would ask a question on here like the one I did.


Hey, I use my pinky to open the door to the restroom! I don't have an issue with this stuff if it makes people feel safer. The thing that kills me is that the same sister and her kids who are afraid to touch a door knob or a hand rail because it is covered in germs are the same people that let their dogs lick their faces after the dogs have been outside eating and licking who knows what. Actually, I know what the dogs have been eating and licking and that is what makes the whole thing really silly. The dog is cute so I guess that makes it OK? Just don't understand the logic here.

For me, I am far more concerned about the water sources I use rather than whether I need to bleach the tank on some predetermined schedule. It won't matter that you bleached the tank at the beginining of the year if you fill up the tank with well water tainted with e coli (this actually happened at the New York fair a few years back). You will know you have bad water long before the next bleach cycle comes around.

Anyway, maybe I'll throw some bleach in the tank this year, just in case.









DAN


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## Scoutr2

I added an undersink water filter that feeds a drinking water dispenser beside the small sink. I don't care so much about the water that I flush down the toilet or wash may hands with. And I use soap and hot water with the dishes. But I want filtered water for coffee, cooking, etc. The filter works for water in the tank or city water, whichever comes to the sink.

I sterilize our water system each spring. I add a half cup of bleach to a tank of water, circulate it through every circuit - hot and cold - then let it sit a couple hours. Then I drain the tank and flush the system with clean water, with a baking soda solution added. It sweetens the system and helps get rid of the chlorine odor. Then drain and flush again with clean water. (And the chlorine water sloshing around in the gray and black tanks will kill a lot of bugs there, too, which helps with odors.)

When we get done camping - and if we won't be going out again for a few weeks - I drain the water heater, open the low point drains, and open all faucets, to drain the water system. Bugs won't grow before the system dries out. When we go camping again, I just replace the drain plug and caps, then fill the system again. (Just be sure to fill all lines and the HW heater before you leave or you'll lose 7-8 gallons there.)

Just my experience. And there's a lot of folks that have similar but different ideas. Mine works for me.









Mike


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## WWH

Since we generally go camping every other weekend (excluding January) I sanitize the tank with bleach four times per year. Three of the four are during the warm Texas summer months (from March to November). I also filter the water I am putting in the tank with a culligan filter and use the same filter when on city water.

I use three cups per tank and let it sit for the five days I am on the road working. Upon my return I drain and fill the tank three times before using it.


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## LaydBack

letscamp said:


> There really is no "bypass" procedure for city water or fresh water tank. When you are not connected to city water (hose), you only need turn your water pump ON and the pump will supply water pressure throughout your trailer.
> 
> When you connect a hose to the city water fill, you won't need your pump, so it should stay OFF. The water pressure from the city water system will provide water pressure then. And as mentioned earlier, you'll need a water pressure regulator, to ensure that the water pressure entering your trailer's plumbing system is not too high, lest something burst and/or start leaking.
> 
> Now there are two different schools of thought on where you should place the water pressure regulator. I attach mine to the trailer, not the water spigot. My reasoning is this - the regulator can limit the pressure from upstream to downstream, but not downstream to upstream. A regulator attached to the spigot cannot control the pressure in the hose when it sits in the sun all day, which causes water pressure to rise as the water warms and expands. (Just let your garden hose sit in the sun, dead-headed for a couple hours and you'll see what I mean when you crack open the nozzle.)
> 
> When you are not running water - which is most of the time - the water pressure can build in the hose when it sits in the sun. If the regulator is attached to the trailer, the pressure buildup in the hose cannot be transmitted into the trailer's water system.
> 
> Just my opinion.
> 
> Mike


I tell ya', a picture's worth a thousand words. I installed a winterizing kit on the 312BH today and de-winterized it. It all makes sense now, after the hands-on, and I found my way around pretty well. I figured I'd revisit this thread to get ready to flush and sanitize the system. Getting ever so close to the "maiden voyage".


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## MrTurtle1949

Have a 2018 Super Lite Outback. The City/Fresh water switch is allowing leakage into the fresh tank. Looking for some 'fix' advice. Is a grain of sand causing the problem or does the gasket need to be replaced?

Richard

(MrTurtle1949)


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