cleaning FILTHY trailer PART II

[wanderin.pat]

I started cleaning my inherited Aluma-lite trailer back around March.  
With help from my friends and neighbors, and an extremely wonderful cleaning lady, I'm living in it. 

ONE LAST THING. (I hope)

I would like to sterilize the plumbing from the outside where the hose comes in, to the water faucet in the kitchen.  I'd like to be able to provide drinking water from the tap.  

Does anyone have any input on a good method to do that?  

Thanks in advance,

Pat 


Pointer to original post:

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=36302

 

[highdesertranger]

do you mean the tank and all the plumbing?
or the hose and the city water part?

highdesertranger

 

[wanderin.pat]

do you mean the tank and all the plumbing?
or the hose and the city water part?

highdesertranger

No, I mean just the part from the city water to the kitchen water faucet.  I got the gray and black water parts clean; the "output" so to speak. 
This TT is pretty old, and I just want to belts and suspenders.  

Thanks,
Pat

 

[highdesertranger]

ok you only have a short part of the plumbing that is not on the tank side. look at this pic it's a generic RV water system.



see you only have the inlet,  a pressure regulator,  and a check valve.  the rest is the same as if you were running off the tank.

so this is what I would do,

1.sanitize the tank and all the plumbing in the normal fashion.
2. sanitize the hose.  I do this twice a year no matter what.  fill a 5 gallon bucket with a water and bleach solution  put the hose under water,  burb all the air out and let it sit for an hour or so in the shade.
3.  flush the hose
4,  hook the hose to the RV a carefully pour a little bleach in the hose I am talking a couple of tablespoons.  then hook the other end of the hose to the bib and turn it on.  then go in the RV and crack open the farthest faucet just for a second until you get water.  you are just trying to get the bleach in that short run.
5.  let it sit for about an hour then flush until there is no more bleach that you can smell or taste.

you must remember that the city water is already treated so it should be fairly clean.  most problems occur with water sitting in the tank for months on end.

highdesertranger

 

[Cajunwolf]

@wanderin.pat

I'd mix some water and bleach, pump it in from lowest point to faucet, and let it sit for about a half-hour, drain and flush.

 

[wanderin.pat]

ok you only have a short part of the plumbing that is not on the tank side. look at this pic it's a generic RV water system.
.......
highdesertranger

Thanks, HDR.... that was very helpful!  As always!
Oh, and the city water here is very good quality (Southern NM).  
Pat

 

[highdesertranger]

I should have added,

flush everything, every faucet, the toilet, the shower, the water heater, everywhere water comes out.

do the smell test first don't do the taste test until you can smell no more chlorine. and don't use the scented bleach.

if you want to get really clean take a shower when doing the flush. LOL just kidding, really don't do that.

highdesertranger

 

[routeforty]

highdesertranger, glad u put that warning about the shower in. I did that to save a little water. My eyes were burning so badly I could hardly see. Guess some of us needed to learn the hard way. ?