Purchased a 1999 Wildwood TT that had been used as a live in for five years, I bought it for the same purpose for my Daughter. Have it all set up & plumbed for sewer, water, & electricity. The water taste terrible! When cooking with it, food taste terrible! The unit has no filteration system that I can find. I'm looking for a way to sanitize the system. I know how to sanitize the holding tank for self contained water supply, but is there a way to do it for constant water supply? Or should I buy one of those filteration systems that just hook right on to the kitchen faucet? Any answers would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Foul Water
- Thread starter mrt57mrk
- Start date
Foul Water
First of all, taste the water going into the unit. Does that have the bad taste? If not, then there is something in the lines which needs to be cleaned out. Not sure how you'd do that though.
If the water is just bad, first thing is to put a good filter on the water coming in. This won't purify it, cause you don't want to cut down the flow for showers, etc. However, it will keep out particulates and the one I use (from camping world) claims to filter out bacteria as well.
Next, put a 'purifier' on your kitchen faucet. A good one of these won't flow very fast, but will take care of most bad taste (if it has a charcoal filter), any remaining bacteria, and even viruses. I've got a good one, and it won't do anything for 'softened' water; I can still can taste the 'salts' it added to the water.
If the combination of these 2 filters doesn't give you water you like, don't drink it. Get a 3 to 5 gallon jug or 2 (depending on your strength), and keep them filled with the 'good stuff' for drinking and cooking only.
I get my water from a vending machine outside the grocery store. Only .15 a gallon and tastes great. I've seen similar machines around and in grocery stores here and other places around the country, generally in the .25 to .50 a gallon price range.
There are often services which will deliver water, but they cost more.
And if bottled water is not an option in your area, you may need to go for a real fancy water purification setup, probably using Reverse Osmosis or Distillation. These cost though, both up front and to use (RO seems to discard 4 or more gallons down the drain for each purified gallon you get, and Distillers suck power or gas).
First of all, taste the water going into the unit. Does that have the bad taste? If not, then there is something in the lines which needs to be cleaned out. Not sure how you'd do that though.
If the water is just bad, first thing is to put a good filter on the water coming in. This won't purify it, cause you don't want to cut down the flow for showers, etc. However, it will keep out particulates and the one I use (from camping world) claims to filter out bacteria as well.
Next, put a 'purifier' on your kitchen faucet. A good one of these won't flow very fast, but will take care of most bad taste (if it has a charcoal filter), any remaining bacteria, and even viruses. I've got a good one, and it won't do anything for 'softened' water; I can still can taste the 'salts' it added to the water.
If the combination of these 2 filters doesn't give you water you like, don't drink it. Get a 3 to 5 gallon jug or 2 (depending on your strength), and keep them filled with the 'good stuff' for drinking and cooking only.
I get my water from a vending machine outside the grocery store. Only .15 a gallon and tastes great. I've seen similar machines around and in grocery stores here and other places around the country, generally in the .25 to .50 a gallon price range.
There are often services which will deliver water, but they cost more.
And if bottled water is not an option in your area, you may need to go for a real fancy water purification setup, probably using Reverse Osmosis or Distillation. These cost though, both up front and to use (RO seems to discard 4 or more gallons down the drain for each purified gallon you get, and Distillers suck power or gas).
Foul Water
As hertig said check incoming supply. We had a 21ft dolphin motorhome with a nasty taste (I think wrong anti-freeze) anyway we drained the system H20 heater and all. Added a pint of bleech to the holding tank refilled it, then filled the system again. Let it stand for a few hours, run all the faucets to flush then let it set again. Drain everything again refill flush, then add a pint of "real lemon" juice to the tank refill run through system and flush. The lemon will clean the system by it self but it sounds like maybe some Bacteria in there. Oh! don't leave the lemon in the waterheater, lemon and the liner make a black juice :sleepy:
As hertig said check incoming supply. We had a 21ft dolphin motorhome with a nasty taste (I think wrong anti-freeze) anyway we drained the system H20 heater and all. Added a pint of bleech to the holding tank refilled it, then filled the system again. Let it stand for a few hours, run all the faucets to flush then let it set again. Drain everything again refill flush, then add a pint of "real lemon" juice to the tank refill run through system and flush. The lemon will clean the system by it self but it sounds like maybe some Bacteria in there. Oh! don't leave the lemon in the waterheater, lemon and the liner make a black juice :sleepy:
Foul Water
John, Curt,
Thanks for the quick response. I appreciate it. I'll try them right away. It never even occurred to me that by flushing the holding tank, I would still be cleaning the same water lines. Guess I was looking at it as two completely seperate systems, lol (don't I feel stupid now)!
I will isolate the problem today , flush as curt described, then install the filters at the water pressure regulator going in to the trailer, as well as one on the faucet. Thanks again Guys, have a great day1
Curt, any special trick to draining the water heater without making a big mess?
John, Curt,
Thanks for the quick response. I appreciate it. I'll try them right away. It never even occurred to me that by flushing the holding tank, I would still be cleaning the same water lines. Guess I was looking at it as two completely seperate systems, lol (don't I feel stupid now)!
I will isolate the problem today , flush as curt described, then install the filters at the water pressure regulator going in to the trailer, as well as one on the faucet. Thanks again Guys, have a great day1
Curt, any special trick to draining the water heater without making a big mess?Foul Water
Well Guys,
Thanks again! Flushed as you prescribed, found a nice inline filter set-up at Wally-World for 17$ they also had the a faucet filter by Pur, same thing as the Britta only a few dollars cheaper.About 40$ total and the foul water is now freah & clean!! No odor and it taste great. If my Daughter's macaroni & cheese as well as her spaghetti taste bad now, she can't blame it on foul water. :laugh:
So thanks again Guys, It worked like a charm!
Well Guys,
Thanks again! Flushed as you prescribed, found a nice inline filter set-up at Wally-World for 17$ they also had the a faucet filter by Pur, same thing as the Britta only a few dollars cheaper.About 40$ total and the foul water is now freah & clean!! No odor and it taste great. If my Daughter's macaroni & cheese as well as her spaghetti taste bad now, she can't blame it on foul water. :laugh:
So thanks again Guys, It worked like a charm!
Foul Water
if you have a drain connection...like a garden hose connection, make up a short hose with male end on it and "quickly" connect it after you remove the existing plug....that is if your hot water tank is like mine....Atwood, RV-class a type with side access to drain and lp controls.
Good luck. :laugh:
if you have a drain connection...like a garden hose connection, make up a short hose with male end on it and "quickly" connect it after you remove the existing plug....that is if your hot water tank is like mine....Atwood, RV-class a type with side access to drain and lp controls.
Good luck.
:laugh: Foul Water
Also, the tanks can collect crud (rust, sediment, etc) which collects in the bottom of the tank. Either through the exhaust port, or through the anode port, it can help to stick in a special hot water cleaning wand (got mine from Camping World) to get out much of this.
Also, the tanks can collect crud (rust, sediment, etc) which collects in the bottom of the tank. Either through the exhaust port, or through the anode port, it can help to stick in a special hot water cleaning wand (got mine from Camping World) to get out much of this.