Drinking water tank - cleaning tank

[Lambeth Cali]

We use the van tank water for cooking, hot drinks and washing. We drink from a separate portable 15 litre water container. Works for us. Ours was bought at 9 years old, so no idea of use before that.

I imagine they kept water in it.

 

[DavidofHook]

We used to clean our tank with Milton just prior to use. However as we always camp on sites with electricity & water we no longer use the water tank at all. It avoids having to clean it & also reduces weight whilst travelling. (A gallon of water weighs 10lbs) When we need water for cooking I just go to the nearest tap. We keep a plastic bottle of water in the fridge for drinking. We do wash but on the campsite!. I suppose we have refined things down to suit ourselves after having a California for 22 years now.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

We are going to a site later today where there are often queues for the bathrooms. Just outside the men’s loo there is a tap with a foot long hose over a grate. I often see chaps brushing their teeth using the water from the hose. They are not frequent campers and don’t seem to understand the chemical toilet sign.

 

[DavidofHook]

We are going to a site later today where there are often queues for the bathrooms. Just outside the men’s loo there is a tap with a foot long hose over a grate. I often see chaps brushing their teeth using the water from the hose. They are not frequent campers and don’t seem to understand the chemical toilet sign.

Oops! That hose could have been inside someone’s loo! Aagh!

 

[edocali]

I was going to ask the question…
Do people actually drink from the fresh water tank?

Yes. I too do the Puriclean wash once or twice a year, easy.

 

[HectorPascal]

Hi,
Would it be recommended to add some sort of cleaning agent to the clean water tank / system to ensure water is safe to drink - if so, please can you recommend what to use?

As the van is not new and hasn't been used for a while (not sure how long TBH, poss 18 months or so) thinking of taking steps to clean the tank & system - any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[HectorPascal]

Quarter fill, chuck in some Milton, drive around for a bit, drain into the waste tank rather than via the drain valve and let it do its thing in there too. Then flush and refill.
Seems to work fine.

 

[2cvhound]

I seem to have got the Puriclean method wrong. Instead of mixing it with the water beforehand I added to an almost empty tank and then filled it with a hose jet thinking it would dissolve as the water was racing around the tank. Four flushes and 300 miles of sloshing around and the water is still undrinkable. Looking to see if I can undo the sensor and access the tank through the wardrobe to hose out or suck up any residue as the water isn't good suitable for the kettle or pasta yet!

 

[Hawthorn37]

I once tried, just for the hell of it (and because I’m an engineer) to take the top off the water tank. It was on good and tight, and not wanting to break something for no gain I gave up. Good luck

 

[DavidofHook]

We are going to a site later today where there are often queues for the bathrooms. Just outside the men’s loo there is a tap with a foot long hose over a grate. I often see chaps brushing their teeth using the water from the hose. They are not frequent campers and don’t seem to understand the chemical toilet sign.

Sounds like somewhere to avoid!

 

[Baldrick]

I put a silver sponge in the tank - recommended on the forum by someone some time ago. A gentle squeeze to get it in the tank as I remember.
Rinse through between each protracted absence of use and have never had any issues. From what I’ve read on here I think that’s the consensus, be more wary of chemical solutions.

 

[sbmcd]

I put a silver sponge in the tank - recommended on the forum by someone some time ago. A gentle squeeze to get it in the tank as I remember.
Rinse through between each protracted absence of use and have never had any issues. From what I’ve read on here I think that’s the consensus, be more wary of chemical solutions.

I'm on my second California, 11 years of very regular use, never used any chemicals in my tank and I've always drank the water without any issues.
I believe if you filling mostly with main chlorinated water you won't have a problem.

 

[Herman]

We use supermarket baby bottle steriliser for the annual tank clean.

My tap pump has stopped working again (2nd time in 10 years)

Our pump stopped working after about three years, and we used to put Milton (a chloride) into the tank to disinfect it. The pump shaft - stainless steel - was corroded and water had leaked past the bearing. Chloride solution in the water tank would seem to be bad news. We now use the tank water for washing etc. and fill a separate bottle for drinking water.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

I was always told that as long as the dead sheep in the stream is at least 25 metres upstream of where your drinking you'll be fine. I have put it to the test a couple of times and I'm still here.
Given the water from your tap at home comes unfiltered from the local reservoir where little johnny peed while swimming and was piped to you in miles and miles of Victorian lead lined pipes, are you all not giving this far too much thought!

 

[jeff]

17 years with only putting water in the tank still here and never been ill from drinking it.
Drained out when I get home then filled before we go.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Our pump stopped working after about three years, and we used to put Milton (a chloride) into the tank to disinfect it. The pump shaft - stainless steel - was corroded and water had leaked past the bearing. Chloride solution in the water tank would seem to be bad news. We now use the tank water for washing etc. and fill a separate bottle for drinking water.

Yes my pump broke years ago after using the Puriclean powder. I suspected the powder not dissolving bunged it up.
I now do a liquid rinse out every 4 years or so.

 

[orbital]

Hi,
Would it be recommended to add some sort of cleaning agent to the clean water tank / system to ensure water is safe to drink - if so, please can you recommend what to use?

As the van is not new and hasn't been used for a while (not sure how long TBH, poss 18 months or so) thinking of taking steps to clean the tank & system - any recommendations?

Thanks

Milton fluid (it’s what’s used to clean babies bottles). I almost fill the tank, add the fluid, pour some more water in until it’s full, and leave for 30 mins. Then I run the water tap until the tank is empty. This cleans the pipes and sterilises the waste tank too. I then fill and empty the water tank at least once and usually twice.

 

[orbital]

I do that in the spring and autumn.

 

[Johnny Rocket]

I suggest doing exactly what you do with your domestic* drinking water system, so:

Put water in tank (automatic*), drink water, fill when empty (automatic*), repeat.

Drain and refill the van freshwater tank 3x or so if you like after leaving the van standing for some months, but even that’s not necessary.

The rest, in my humble and very respectful opinion, is paranoid non-necessity.

Do be aware that I’ll probably regret this and take it down after the firestorm of dissent - but none of us has ever had the slightest issue with this approach, either in our house or the van !

Enjoy the extra touring time this gives you

 

[AdyP]

Johnny Rocket…. Aka… “The Cholera Kid” …..

 

[AdyP]

Johnny Rocket…. Aka… “The Cholera Kid” …..

 

[Johnny Rocket]

Johnny Rocket…. Aka… “The Cholera Kid” …..

Anyone would think he knew me !

 

[Hawthorn37]

Milton fluid (it’s what’s used to clean babies bottles). I almost fill the tank, add the fluid, pour some more water in until it’s full, and leave for 30 mins. Then I run the water tap until the tank is empty. This cleans the pipes and sterilises the waste tank too. I then fill and empty the water tank at least once and usually twice.

That’s pretty much what we do. When the fresh tanks full I give the van a little drive to move the sanitised water around. Empty in the waste tank and flush twice. Between trips we empty the tank. We only sanitise twice a year, before first use and late summer, or when we remember.

It’s probably overkill - with chorinated water there’s not much chance of harmful bacteria growing. I worked in food and pharma so I’m on the cautious spectrum!

 

[Herman]

I suggest doing exactly what you do with your domestic* drinking water system, so:

Put water in tank (automatic*), drink water, fill when empty (automatic*), repeat.

At last! Some common sense.

 

[FredFlintstone]

I'm on my second California, 11 years of very regular use, never used any chemicals in my tank and I've always drank the water without any issues.
I believe if you filling mostly with main chlorinated water you won't have a problem.

Seems a common sense approach TBH.