flushing fresh water tank

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   Hi! This is my first time dewinterizing my r-pod 177, and I'm told that I'm supposed to flush the fresh water tank. I'm wondering how I'm supposed to do that. Any help is much appreciated! 

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
totallystirring Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 29 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Topic: flushing fresh water tank Posted: 31 May 2012 at 7:08pm
	Hi! This is my first time dewinterizing my r-pod 177, and I'm told that I'm supposed to flush the fresh water tank. I'm wondering how I'm supposed to do that. Any help is much appreciated!

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 31 May 2012 at 8:14pm
	Welcome. Usually nothing goes in the fresh water tank during winterization, so there is nothing to flush out. However, most people will flush out the rest of the water system (using the city water connection), add bleach to the fresh water tank, fill the tank, and then run the bleach water through the rest of the water system to let it sit overnight. The amount of bleach to add is about 1/2 cup. Finally you need to fill and flush the fresh water tank several times, via the water pump, to get rid of the bleach smell.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

totallystirring Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 29 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Posted: 31 May 2012 at 9:53pm
	Thank you! That answered my question! :)

TIDALWAVE Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 315	Posted: 01 Jun 2012 at 9:42am
	My fresh water tank is filled via a capped inlet. I use a flexible fill hose (available most RV stores) to fill the tank. I connect my 'white' RV-hose to a clean water supply and gently run the water through the flexible fill hose. The 'city water' connection does not connect to the fresh water tank. When flushing the tank, I fill it nearly full, then drain it via the bottom drain pipe. After the disinfectant has done its work in the water tank, I turn on the interior faucets to flush any RV antifreeze out of the pipes and allow the disinfectant water to flow into the sink, etc. However, using the pump to completely drain the tank would take a long time and I don't like to run the pump for long periods of time. I installed a simple 1/4 turn hose valve on the tank drain. I connect a drain hose to the valve and dump the remaining tank water away from the Pod. Don't dump the 'bleach-disinfectant' load on any vegetation you want to keep. After the tank is emptied, I usually fill just enough water to get me to my first campground that has potable water available. I don't want to haul excess weight if I don't have to.
	TIDALWAVE

greynomad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 20 May 2012 Online Status: Offline Posts: 22	Posted: 05 Jun 2012 at 7:10am
	Thanks for the info. Its too bad that all of this good data is not in booklet form for members to purchase instead of that crap Forest River puts out.

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 05 Jun 2012 at 9:21am
	Here is the sanitization procedure straight from FR: Sanitize the System: • Prepare a chlorine solution using a gallon of water and ¼ cup of liquid household bleach, (5% sodium hypochlorinate solution.) Use one gallon of solution for each 15 gallons of tank capacity. • With an empty tank and all faucets and drains closed, pour the solution into the fresh water tank. • Completely fill the tank with fresh water. • Switch on the water pump. Open all faucets one at a time until all air is purged and the water flows freely. • Again, add fresh water to the tank until the water level reaches the fill spout. • Allow the solution to stand in the tank, undisturbed, for at least 3 (three) hours. • Drain the system by opening all faucets and the fresh water tank drain valve, while flushing the system with fresh water of drinking quality. • Continue flushing the system, allowing the water to flow for several minutes. • Close the tank drain valve and all faucets. Refill the system with water of known drinking quality

Footslogger03 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Location: Laramie, WY Online Status: Offline Posts: 362	Posted: 05 Jun 2012 at 6:10pm
	"De-Winterized" today. Left all valves in their "Winter" position so that my flushing maneuver would by-pass the hot water heater. Filled the fresh water holding tank and added the requistite amount of bleach. Turned on the pump and openned all faucets. Flushed the toilet a few times. Topped off the fresh water holding tank one more time and let it sit for several hours. Then I removed the drain plug from the fresh water tank and took the caps off of the blue/red low level line drains. While fresh water tank was draining I wrapped the threads of the anode and screwed it into place. Once fresh water tank had essentially emptied I re-inserted the drain plug and replaced the caps on the low level red/blue lines. Turned the 3 knobs under the bed to their "Summer" positions so that the hot water heater will fill when there is a water supply connected (from fresh water holding tank or city water). Ready for our shakedown trip next weekend. Of course, we plan on using the city water side of the system, which kind of obviates the need for flushing of the fresh water tank et al - - but at least it's done !! If anyone sees anything I did that was grossly wrong please let me know. Thanks in advance. MJ
	Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger

geelse Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 10 Jan 2013 Location: California Online Status: Offline Posts: 65	Posted: 29 Jan 2013 at 2:01pm
	I could not agree more. What FR gives in the book is not worth the time it takes to read. I love the trailer, but they really fall short with supporting literature.
	See America First 2013 R-POD 177 HRE 2005 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab George and Linda

TerryM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950	Posted: 30 Jan 2013 at 4:27am
	I agree 100% on the camper info from FR. You can bet it was one of their penny pinchers that came up with the idea of a generic pamphlet to cover a bunch of campers. Terry
	RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565

tsunami123 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Location: MINNESOTA Online Status: Offline Posts: 21	Posted: 30 Jan 2013 at 1:30pm
	If you can still taste the rv antifreeze or disinfectant bleach solution after draining and rinsing the fresh water tank, you can mix up a baking soda solution and add it to the water tank. Usually the soda will remove the remaining taste.