# Freshwater System



## Papatractor (Jul 14, 2004)

During our last trip the water coming from all spigots in the OB smelled liked mildew. After washing hands our hands actually smelled like we had been handling a towel or washcloth that had "soured". Water coming directly from the campground system did not have this awful smell. I tried purging all lines with plenty of water, but the smell continued. We also had the smell of rotten eggs coming from the hot water heater. After being unable to solve the problem, we stopped using the water for anything but flushing the commode. We usually don't drink water from the system, but we shower, brush teeth, and wash dishes using it. After reading some posts here, I'm concerned that I have not kept the system safe. Could someone give me a 101 lesson on the best way to keep my OB clean water system safe and clean? Also, what about the hose used to run water from the campground spigot to my fresh water intake? How do I keep it from getting musty or sour - could that have been where the offending smell was coming from?


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

You can clean the fresh tank with bleach. Add a cup of bleach and fill the tank, run through all faucets, let sit overnight. Drain water from tank. Mix a cup of baking soda with some water to make a slurry, pour into fresh tank and fill tank - run faucets again. Let sit - drain and you should be good to go. To keep the water heater from smelling I usually pop the drain on the heater to empty between uses. I always drink for the system and never have a problem.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Just do like Not Yet said. Also, there is a similar procedure outlined in the factory "model generic" manual that should have been included with your Outback.

Run the faucet farthest from the fresh tank first, and run it until you can smell the bleach in the water. Then run the next closer faucet, and so on until you have run bleached water through each of them. Don't forget the outside shower/kitchen sink if you have one.

I do this every spring, and sometimes mid season it is a while between trips.

Tim


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## texaskeys (Aug 30, 2006)

We had the same problem, asked a camping buddy of ours (81 and still camping!) he said try the hose. Sure enough that was the problem. We had a white camper water hose and it was causing the smell. My husband was using the same hose the other day on the lawn with other hoses attached and the water coming out still smelled like rotten eggs. Our camping buddy told us he bought a new white hose at one town used it a couple of days and had the same problem, returned it in another town for the same brand hose and didn't have the problem. Didn't think it would solve the problem but put on a different hose and smell was gone as soon as we got the infected water out, hope this helps.


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Great advice has already been given, so I'll just add that you can, and maybe should do the same thing to the water hose once in awhile. Just connect the ends together so that the solution doesn't leak out. Then flush it and you're done.

Of course if it's really bad you could just throw it out and get another.


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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

In addition to the great ideas already given make sure you hang the white hose up when you get home and let it dry out completely. Also be carefull putting bleach into the hose. We see people every so often in our ER who have splashed bleach in their eyes when the hose moved. Wear eye protection and again let it dry well after you sanitize it.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Papatractor,

I do the same as Jared and Tim suggested. Bleach (just use plain 'unscented' Clorox) atthe start, middle and end of every season. Be sure to flush really well. You are just using a little bleach, but it is nasty stuff.

As far as the hose, you should use a hose that is designed for potable water, and it should be dedicated to the Outback only. When you do your chlorine bleach treatment, fill the hose most of the way with water, add a little bleach, then hook it up to the spigot and fill your TT tank. That will circulate some bleach through the hose.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## JimBo (Oct 20, 2003)

I might also add make sure you buy a water filter each season or so. We bought one for under $20 @ walmart that hooks up easily to your hose near your CG spigot. I used to walk around CG's and wonder what that was on peoples hoses...Make sure you let some water rinse thru it before you hook your hose up. Nasty black carbon particles rinse out of it in the first 20 seconds or so.


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## Papatractor (Jul 14, 2004)

As always, thanks everyone for good, down to earth suggestions.


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