Really slow to drain fresh tank, help!eful,!

[Timtomxf]

hi all and thanks for the welcomes

I have had a classic bow camper and have now moved up to a pretty old Moho (Rapido 772F 2001), which I am getting to grips with, and this site is Sooooo useful!

My current issue is draining the fresh water tank, I’ve found the valve (I think) in the wardrobe floor, but it is painfully slow to empty

I am doing this right? Or is there a way to do this faster ( on our first trip I noticed a fellow MH’er empty theirs and it gushed out, different and newer van though)

Thanks all

Tim

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

I didn't realise that we had so much surplus water we could just chuck it away!

Don’t worry, every drop of water I used was subsequently recycled.

 

[gus-lopez]

Would my fresh water tank look like this I asked the MH fitter. Yes definitely, he replied.

Don't really see that ?
My 100 l tank is inside under a seat. It is clear & Has a screw on lid & supplies everything. I never drain it down & just top up as & when. Lift the seat & look through the plastic & the tank is spotless. Unscrew the lid & inside is as new.
Could be that it is never exposed to any light ?

 

[Riverbankannie]

Don't really see that ?
My 100 l tank is inside under a seat. It is clear & Has a screw on lid & supplies everything. I never drain it down & just top up as & when. Lift the seat & look through the plastic & the tank is spotless. Unscrew the lid & inside is as new.
Could be that it is never exposed to any light ?

I don’t understand it either. The toilet flush tank is not exposed to light. One explanation could be that there was some bacteria in there to start with or I picked up some contaminated water at an aire or campsite.
I only know that the experienced fitter was not surprised and that, in his experience, the fresh tank likely to be the same.
I’m with @Mr Chrysalis in that sterilising the fresh tank too much effort so that’s why we always drink from a 5 litre freshly filled container. I don’t like to keep buying bottled water.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

I don’t understand it either. The toilet flush tank is not exposed to light. One explanation could be that there was some bacteria in there to start with or I picked up some contaminated water at an aire or campsite.
I only know that the experienced fitter was not surprised and that, in his experience, the fresh tank likely to be the same.
I’m with @Mr Chrysalis in that sterilising the fresh tank too much effort so that’s why we always drink from a 5 litre freshly filled container. I don’t like to keep buying bottled water.

Having spent a good part of yesterday sterilising the tank, we will be trying it as drinking water now, but via a Britax filter

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[two]

In my caravanning days, I used to fill an Aquaroll with a short piece of clear plastic hose. That hose would become progressively discoloured, acquiring green then black blotches inside, during the year. Keeping it out of sunlight would delay the process.
The grey Aquaroll was fine for many year's use (as far as I could tell).

 

[two]

Does anyone know ho long you can safely continuously run the water pump without damage?

It depends on which Shurflo pump you have. Even the better ones (4 cylinder/valve) should not be run continuously, but will run for 15-20 minutes. That may be long enough to empty most tanks. Remember to switch the pump off when it's not in use.

 

[Reallyretired]

Just finished the soak-empty-fill-empty-fill-empty-fill sequence with 120 litres each time. The Rapido flip up drain valve is really slow, even with taps open and water pump off. So I alternated between draining through the drain valve, and ten clisingbthat and turning the pump on to pump water through the taps and into the waste tank. I was running the water pump for only 5 minutes st a time, as I have no idea if the pump is continuous rated. This way it didn’t take too long. Does anyone know ho long you can safely continuously run the water pump without damage?

On one occasion I left the water pump switched on by mistake in storage. The thermostatic safety valve on the boiler opened and the pump ran dry for two weeks without adverse effects. You can run it as long as needed. (shurflo pump on Rapido)

 

[Badknee]

If our Moho had been purchased new I might have used the fw tank for drinking but as it wasn't I don't know what's gone on with it. When bought it was nine years old with 25k on the kms clock so it's been sat around somewhere for a long long time.
Did the same as @Mr Chrysalis then use Puritabs every third fill and tap water through a Brita jug.
But everyone to their own eh.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Having spent a good part of yesterday sterilising the tank, we will be trying it as drinking water now, but via a Britax filter

I an sure you are aware that Brita filters dont remove bacteria but they do make chlorinated water taste nicer. I would sterilise your tank perhaps once a year.

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[two]

On one occasion I left the water pump switched on by mistake in storage. The thermostatic safety valve on the boiler opened and the pump ran dry for two weeks without adverse effects. You can run it as long as needed. (shurflo pump on Rapido)

I don't think the manufacturer recommends long term running (even if they might survive). I'd not like to run one dry continuously, which is why it's a good idea to turn the pump off when you leave the van. A new pump is not cheap (and some not easily accessible).

 

[two]

Brita filters make bad water taste palatable. Put the jug in the fridge and it's nice & cool, too.
Chlorinated tablets are supposed to kill the germs so, if used in combination, seem to be a good idea.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

Brita filters make bad water taste palatable. Put the jug in the fridge and it's nice & cool, too.
Chlorinated tablets are supposed to kill the germs so, if used in combination, seem to be a good idea.

Yes, now I’ve sterilised, I’ve added Aquapure tablets to the tank and plan on using the Brita filter. If it tastes odd we will go back to the 5 litre bottle

 

[pappajohn]

I bought a 5 litre bottle of water somewhere in Spain, and just refill it directly from the site drinking water supply tap as required.

Ever wondered why bottled water has a use by date?
Chemical leach out of the plastics used for the bottle and contaminate the water.
Now you may say, "but I fill it with fresh water" ....
What about the chemicals which have already leached and are lining the inside of the bottle.???

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Before I left the site at Aberaeron today I thought it may be a good idea to empty the fresh water tank (as the pitch was perfectly flat) as I know it will be 3 or 4 weeks before we can get out in our 'van again. I normally do this at home on our drive which sits on a fairly steep slope but was concerned we may get a heavy frost before we use it again and the tank wouldn't be empty. Once I got home I opened the fresh water dump valve and low and behold fresh water started to flow out and kept going for 20 minutes Got me thinking when is your 'empty' tank really empty? We've only had our mh since June and it's a little concerning approaching our first winter.

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[AXO66]

120 litre tank for washing up , washing , toilet and showering.
3 yes 3 5 litre bottles of “fresh” H2O. Keeps us wild or 3 to 4 days.

Puitan ? main tank every strat of the season. So far all ok.

 

[Ridgeway]

Like others we just turn the taps on and drink what comes out, the water is left in there several weeks at a time and only gets drained down for Winter.

Most of the bacteria we're referring to is fine for us to drink there are of course several that are quite nasty.....

I think if most of us cut open our mains supply pipes or had a look inside our taps then we'd be pretty surprised.

Most of the Chlorine and Fluoride will evaporate off if water is left exposed to air for 24hrs or more but in a closed system it should remain there much longer, not sure how long though.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

120 litre tank for washing up , washing , toilet and showering.
3 yes 3 5 litre bottles of “fresh” H2O. Keeps us wild or 3 to 4 days.

Puitan ? main tank every strat of the season. So far all ok.

Probably this??