How to drain fresh water tank of Roadtrek

[Nature]

Hello All,

I have a new Roadtrek simplicity and can not find any place do dump the freshwater.

I am trying to sanitize my fresh water tank and have put bleach in the tank.

I can not find a valve to dump the tank.

I have opened the Drivers side black door on the bottom of the rig. I can see valves to open black tank, grey tank, but I do not see any fresh water drain.

Help would be very much appreciated.

DickB

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Nature

Hello All,

I have a new Roadtrek simplicity and can not find any place do dump the freshwater.

I am trying to sanitize my fresh water tank and have put bleach in the tank.

I can not find a valve to dump the tank.

I have opened the Drivers side black door on the bottom of the rig. I can see valves to open black tank, grey tank, but I do not see any fresh water drain.

Help would be very much appreciated.

DickB

Get this product.... it works.....Purogene... You can purchase it in smaller quantities as well.... Amazon.

Just search Purogene.....

No need to drain the entire tank.

https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/H0027.htm

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

Get this product.... it works.....Purogene... You can purchase it in smaller quantities as well.... Amazon.

Just search Purogene.....

No need to drain the entire tank.

Please DO NOT follow this advice. The poster is confusing two different processes: (1) the sanitization of drinking water, and (2) shock sanitization of the water SYSTEM.

Water sanitization can indeed be done by adding chlorine-based chemicals to a tank without draining it first. The referenced product can be used for this, but (a) it is pointless if you are filling your tank from a chlorinated source; and (b) a bit of bleach will do the job just as well at much lower cost than such specialty products.

Shock-sanitization of the system CANNOT be done properly without draining the system first: (a) It requires a much higher concentration of chlorine than one would want in drinking water, and (b) there are areas of your system (such as air vent tubes) that drinking water does not normally contact. These areas need to be sanitized via a proper shock treatment. The RVIA recommends that you shock-treat your system once a year using bleach. You can use expensive chemicals for this if you like, but I know of no evidence (beyond the manufacturers' unsupported claims) that they work any better than bleach.

Here is an intelligent discussion on this topic:
Purogene for Potable Water Systems? - Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - Escapees Discussion Forum

[Nature]

Thanks all. I was asking for the location of the fresh water dump valve. I found it by putting my cheek on the asphalt. I did yesterday dump the tank, and added a little bleach and dumped several times.

So now my wife and are off to a high elevation camp. We are also going to take a 5 gallon bottle of tap water.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by avanti

Please DO NOT follow this advice. The poster is confusing two different processes: (1) the sanitization of drinking water, and (2) shock sanitization of the water SYSTEM.

Water sanitization can indeed be done by adding chlorine-based chemicals to a tank without draining it first. The referenced product can be used for this, but (a) it is pointless if you are filling your tank from a chlorinated source; and (b) a bit of bleach will do the job just as well at much lower cost than such specialty products.

Shock-sanitization of the system CANNOT be done properly without draining the system first: (a) It requires a much higher concentration of chlorine than one would want in drinking water, and (b) there are areas of your system (such as air vent tubes) that drinking water does not normally contact. These areas need to be sanitized via a proper shock treatment. The RVIA recommends that you shock-treat your system once a year using bleach. You can use expensive chemicals for this if you like, but I know of no evidence (beyond the manufacturers' unsupported claims) that they work any better than bleach.

Here is an intelligent discussion on this topic:
Purogene for Potable Water Systems? - Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - Escapees Discussion Forum

Show me the RIVA quote on this... I want to see it and read it.

Yes, I read the discussion about Purogene and bleach on the above link.... and people had different views.....

By the way, Purogene has been widely used in commercial aircraft applications for years. Purogene is an extremely effective, broad-spectrum microbiocide for uses in airline water storage systems, potable water tanks, RV water tank systems and off-shore water storage systems.

https://aerosafe.com/about/

Couple of quick things; I don't drink the water on board my coach, I drink bottled water.... and there's plenty of discussion of bleach causing damage to the "O" rings on RV plumbing systems.

I'm always flushing water through my system by adding new water and circulating fresh water so it doesn't get too stale.....

You mentioned water might not be flowing through certain air tubes? I don't know how that is since it's all connected and flowing through the system?

Purogene came highly recommended ....it is perfectly safe if used as directed.

Lastly, you know that RIVA's strict definition of an RV is a "TEMPORARY" living quarters .... they never mention anything about living in RVs full time.....See this link... and except below...

"An RV is a vehicle designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use. RVs may be motorized (motorhomes) or towable (travel trailers, folding camping trailers, truck campers, and park models). Off-road vehicles are not included in the RV definition."


https://www.rvia.org/about-us#

[GeorgeRa]

No reason to use any other chlorine source than bleach. In some sense Purogene and Bleach are similar, both have sodium, chlorine and oxygen but formulas are different, Purogene contains NaClO2 – sodium chlorite and bleach NaClO – sodium hypochlorite. Bleach is instant source of chlorine and Purogene needs additional reactant to release chlorine.

So, to summarize the above mumbo jumbo for some folks just use bleach.

https://p11.secure.hostingprod.com/@...gallon-jug.pdf
https://www.discovermms.com/scs_vs_bleach.php

[Davydd]

Nature just wanted to find the dump valve on the freshwater tank. Most every fresh water tank has one or how else can you easily winterize in cold weather? He found it himself. If you can't answer the question why do you chime in and advise otherwise?

But to add to the off topic question now that it is started, fresh water tanks are a closed system and as long as you use a chlorinated municipal water system source you shouldn't need to worry about it. I know many do, drink bottled water and flush the tank for peace of mind mostly. You might want to sample the water first if you are filling from a well water source. If it is drinkable source it is good most likely but you might not like the clarity, color and taste, and it is not chlorinated. Also, some filters also take out the chlorination. In 13 years of Class B RVing, I have only added bleach once a long time ago and here I am alive with no stomach aches or diarrhea on the road.

[GeorgeRa]

Filling water tank with chlorinated water will work for as long chlorine will stay in water, but this time is limited. So, water quality has its lifecycle closely linked to chlorine being there. Even a complete drain after trips is never complete, there is going to be some residual water left over.

In RV world it is common to chlorinate water tanks as a precautionary step. Statistically, a point of not getting sick is meaningless because water quality will depend on many variables like water fill up frequency or time in storage or ambient storage temperature.

Interesting how OP question – “where is that valve?” turned to “use Purogene”, “don’t use Purogene” to “no need to use bleach”.

https://aquanswers.com/how-long-does...ater-entirely/

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Davydd

But to add to the off topic question now that it is started, fresh water tanks are a closed system and as long as you use a chlorinated municipal water system source you shouldn't need to worry about it. I know many do, drink bottled water and flush the tank for peace of mind mostly. You might want to sample the water first if you are filling from a well water source. If it is drinkable source it is good most likely but you might not like the clarity, color and taste, and it is not chlorinated. Also, some filters also take out the chlorination. In 13 years of Class B RVing, I have only added bleach once a long time ago and here I am alive with no stomach aches or diarrhea on the road.

I agree with the spirit of this post--the folks who are afraid to drink water from properly-maintained fresh tanks are being needlessly conservative IMO. I also agree that if we always used chlorinated city water, all would likely be well.

However, I do not agree that the fresh tank is a "closed system" in the same way that a municipal water system (or even a well) is closed. First of all, contaminants can be introduced whenever the system is filled, through contamination on and in the fill hose and the hydrant spigot. Also, the fresh tank is necessarily open to the atmosphere via an unprotected vent. Ambient air and associated organisms are pumped into the tank as it empties. Thirdly, these systems are not continuously pressurized, which is an important part of protecting municipal systems from contamination. These sources of potential contamination are fairly de minimis, and are very unlikely to cause issues during normal use. However, they are significant enough to account for the need for periodic shock treatments, which are not needed in truly closed systems. This is even more true after long periods of storage. Like any other public health issue, ignoring this regimen is unlikely to affect any individual, but across the population of RVers, the recommended annual sanitization procedure is well-justified.

[timshannon]

The fresh water dump is a small valve in the front under the bottom skirt of the van, behind the driver's side tire . it is accessed by getting down on the ground, looking up under and turning the valve 90 degrees so it is in line with the water line, turn back to close. there is one on the back corner at the hose connection for city h20.