first trip prep? - R-pod Owners Forum

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cgarb

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Joined: 27 Mar 2011
Location: California
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Posts: 95

Topic: first trip prep?
Posted: 21 Apr 2011 at 8:58pm

OK, we've got our new pod, dreaming about our first trip and getting things ready. The dealer said we need to flush all the water a couple of times before filling the tank for its first use. We are wondering how others have done this kind of prep before your first trip.

Since it has never been used, can we just do this in the driveway and let the flushed water run down the street, or do we need to find a dump station? Do we need to flush out the water heater, as well? Do we need to put anything in to sanitize the water tank? If we are just going out for weekends, for a while, should we empty the tank after each trip and refill it before the next or leave the water in and do we sanitize it each time? How long can the water be left in the tank before draining and refilling? The tank indicator says there is about 1/4 tank of water at this point.
Anything else we should know/do?

As you can tell we have never done this before! We are learning how much we don't know!! Shocked

Thanks!

techntrek

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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
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Posted: 21 Apr 2011 at 9:18pm

Officially you should use a beach solution to sanitize the water system, you can search around here for the right proportion of bleach to water, I'm not sure what it is right now. Once that sits in the water tank and water lines for a few hours you will need to rinse the whole system several times before the slight bleach smell is gone - or you can just rinse it once and deal with it. The sink and shower empty into your gray water tank and since its brand new you could just dump it onto your lawn. But in the future if you need to dump your tanks at home you won't be able to do that so you should find a way to dump it the correct way. In my case I can pull my 'pod right next to my septic cleanout and use the sewer hose as usual.

I would not leave water in the tank all the time. If you will be camping with hookups you won't need much water in the tank anyway (maybe a few gallons if you need to use the bathroom on the way so you can flush and wash up). If you are dry camping often you can fill up when you get there. Most state parks have a faucet for that. Water is very heavy so you'll use less gas that way.

Don't rely on the tank sensors too much, they usually aren't that accurate.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Outbound

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posted: 21 Apr 2011 at 10:51pm

To sanitize your fresh tank and lines, use 1/2 cup of basic household bleach (like Clorox) with no weird additives or "spashproof" formulas or anything. I suggest that you use the following approach:

Before starting, make sure that your water heater is turned off (preferably cold).
Half fill your fresh water tank with water. Use a white potable RV hose (not a green garden hose)
In a good-sized jug, mix 1/2 cup bleach with a 5-6 cups of water. Carefully pour this mixture into your fresh water tank.
Using your white potable RV hose, continue filling the fresh tank to the top.
Open your taps, shower and toilet one at a time until you smell the bleach mixture coming through. If you feel like being really thorough, turn off the pump and also open the low point drains; turn the pump on again afterwards and then open the sink taps to pressurize the system and get any air out.
Wait for four hours.
Drain your fresh tank (either by opening the drain at the bottom of the tank or by running a tap and draining it into your grey tank).

The above will leave a strong smell of bleach in your lines. To remove the bleach smell, you'll need a gallon jug of vinegar and some time:

Using your white potable RV hose, half fill your fresh tank.
Carefully pour the gallon jug of vinegar into your fresh tank.
Using your white potable RV hose, continue filling the fresh tank to the top.
Open your taps, shower and toilet one at a time until you smell the vinegar mixture coming through.
Wait overnight (10-12 hours).
Drain the fresh tank. Fill it again with fresh water and run it through the pipes.

How long can the water be left in the tank

If you head out camping and use the fresh tank every 2-3 weeks, I wouldn't worry about it. If you mostly use pressurised city water as opposed to the fresh tank, then drain the fresh tank. If the time between trips is going to be much longer than 3 weeks, I'd suggest draining the fresh tank.

Like techntrek, I have facilities at home to dump the tanks. In my case, I have a FloJet macerator that pumps directly into our sewer stack.

Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

cgarb

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Joined: 27 Mar 2011
Location: California
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Posts: 95

Posted: 21 Apr 2011 at 11:08pm

Thank you, both, for your very useful information. We will get our bleach and vinegar and get to work. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the detailed information you guys provide for all of us. Thank you!