– RV manufacturers generally recommend a sanitizing solution of 1/4 cup household bleach per 15 gallons of water (1 part bleach per 960 parts water) or approximately 1,042 ppm (parts per million). This solution would remain in the plumbing system for a minimum of three hours to sanitize the system.
You can super-chlorinate the water heater to a chlorine residual above 50 mg/L. For a 40 gallon heater, you'd need about 4-5 cups of household unscented bleach. Run the taps so the chlorinated water gets through the hot lines. Let that sit overnight. Flush until chlorine residual is back down to normal levels.
The way I use it is to drain the fresh water tank and fill the hose with 1 pint of hydrogen peroxide and then hook it up to the faucet. Fill the tank with about 15 gallons. Run all the faucets cold and hot more on the hot (to flush the hot water heater) and let it sit for about an hour.
Unless you're raising baby harp seals in your black tank or own an RV made with ``PB'' (polybutylene) plumbing from the late 90's, then bleach won't hurt anything.
– RV manufacturers generally recommend a sanitizing solution of 1/4 cup household bleach per 15 gallons of water (1 part bleach per 960 parts water) or approximately 1,042 ppm (parts per million). This solution would remain in the plumbing system for a minimum of three hours to sanitize the system.
Table 1: Amount of Bleach Needed to Disinfect Water Heaters of Specific Sizes, with Associated Household Plumbing: 40 Gallon Tank= 3.25 cups of bleach. 50 Gallon Tank = 4 cups of bleach.
Leave the peroxide mixture in the heater for 1 to 3 hours. 10. After a few hours, open the cold valve again, open all the hot water faucets and allow the peroxide mixture to clean the hot water supply pipes. Drain the remaining peroxide solution from the tank through the heater drain valve.
Flushing with Hydrogen Peroxide or Vinegar: To begin, it's recommended to have at least one 16-ounce bottle of hydrogen peroxide, preferably two. Alternatively, you can use household vinegar as a substitute. Start by turning off the water heater and allowing it to cool.
If you want to extend the life of your hot water heater and ensure it is running efficiently, you can flush it with vinegar. Vinegar is a natural and safe alternative to harsh chemicals that can damage your water heater.
Add a vinegar water mixture to the RV's fresh water tank then pump it in. (Some RVs don't have a gravity fill port, though) Remove the pressure relief valve at the top of the water heater and pour the vinegar mix using a funnel. (Can be a pain to remove)
Pour a ½ to 1 gallon of bleach into the water heater through the hot water outlet opening. Install the A420 anode rod. Re-connect the hot water supply line to the hot water outlet on the water heater. Turn on water supply and draw water at each hot water faucet in the residence until a Chlorine odor is noticed.
Use 4 gallons (15.1 liters) of undiluted white vinegar to clean your tankless water heater. Never use chemical solutions of any kind. Since your home's drinking and bathing water mostly likely flows through your tankless water heater, using chemical cleaning solutions could be extremely harmful to your health.
Using a hydrogen peroxide solution of 2 pints 3% peroxide to 40 gallons of water, treat tank and run some of the solution into water lines. Let the peroxide solution set in tank and pipes for 2 hours. Solution is not toxic and requires no rinsing It kills off the bacteria.
- This is most typically caused by bacteria in the gray tank or hot water heater. Why Does My RV Suddenly Smell Like Sewer? - This is usually indicative of a faulty ASTVD, or issue with the gray tank.
The tried and true way to remove the “rotten eggs smell” from your hot water tank is to replace your water heater's anode rod with a zinc-aluminum rod. While the aluminum will fight against corrosion, the zinc will combat the reaction that creates the rotten egg smell.
Also, make sure to rinse thoroughly every time you use hydrogen peroxide. Mouthwash at the same time every day to get the most benefit.
Anaerobic bacteria reacts with magnesium or aluminum anode rods to produce a rotten egg smell. That's why peroxide, which is a germicide, is commonly used for flushing water heaters. Yes, the same stuff some folks gargle with, and others use to clean wounds, works wonders to eliminate the egg smell from water heaters.
As noted in “Shock Chlorination: Estimating the Amount of Bleach Needed (FS-06-69)” hot water heaters are part of household plumbing that can be treated during general shock chlori- nation accomplished by adding chlorine bleach.
Using the RVs or trailers winterizing kit, put in 3 to 5 gallons, depending on water heater capacity, of white vinegar. Fill the rest of the water heater with water. Turn on the water heater electric element to heat the mixture and leave for a minimum of 8 hours.
Proper tank sanitization doesn't happen immediately. Let your mixture of clean water and bleach sit in your tank and plumbing lines for 12-24 hours before draining it. If you start this process in the afternoon, just let it sit overnight and come back in the morning.
A: Since chlorides are extremely small, they are able to pass through any heat exchanger's passivated or protective layer and cause defects in the metal. Over time, high levels of chlorides can significantly weaken the material and lead to mechanical failure by stress corrosion cracking (SCC).