If you are like most of us, when finished using the RV it goes into storage until the next trip. In order to protect the plumbing and filters from contaminant invasion and/or microbial growth, your RV water system should be “pickled” during storage. This is not difficult to do and will certainly be a benefit to your RV.

One of the worst things one can do is leave unprotected water in the RV during storage. Any contaminant that may be present then has a great place to grow. Drain all of the water from the RV, including the hot water tank. Your owner’s manual should show you where the low point drains are located. If there are any point-of-use filters in the RV, they should be removed prior to performing the following.

To protect the systems, place 10 or 15 gallons of fresh water (using the RVF-1 filter system) back in the supply tank to which you have added one and a half cups of bleach. Use the siphon to add bleach as explained in “Cleaning The RV Water System”. As a reminder, the siphon has to be between the filters and the RV water inlet. Using the water pump, run this water through every faucet (hot water too) and toilet. There should be a strong bleach odor evident in the water. The high concentration of bleach will protect the systems during storage. Do not drain the RV plumbing. We want to trap the chlorinated water in the plumbing.

The RVF-1 filters also need to be bleach treated. When the RV is not in use and there is no water flow through the filters, an environment may be created for bacteria, algae and other contaminants to multiply and colonize. We recommend that 7 drops of bleach be added to each filter sump before storage. This small amount of bleach will not harm the filters but it will assist in inhibiting growth of contaminants. First, insure that the inlet and outlet valves are fully closed to “seal” in the bleach and prevent contaminant entry. The filter housings should be full of water. Remove the screw located on the top of each filter housing. In the filter kit you received there is an eyedropper and vial. The dropper is graduated in milliliter increments. ¼ of a milliliter equals about 7 drops. Add the bleach, re-install the screws, and gently shake to mix. Store the filters in an upright position and out of direct sun light. Remember, no more than 7 drops of bleach should be used.

Feed hoses are another great place for contaminants to live and prosper. Drain the hoses and coil for storage. Before connecting the hose ends, pour three or four tablespoons of bleach into the hose. The supplied eye dropper is handy for this. A turkey baster will work also. Connect the hose ends and rotate the coiled hose to distribute the bleach. Store the hoses out of direct sun light.

When it’s time to prepare the RV for use it is a simple process to flush the water system. First drain the water tank of any residual super bleached water. Flush the hoses of bleach. Set up and attach the filters and hoses. You do not need to remove the pickling solution from the filters. Place 10 to 15 gallons of filtered water in the tank.

Drain this water from the tank. Do not pump this water through the RV. Add another 15 to 20 gallons to the tank. Now purge the bleach from each water faucet in the RV. Run the water until the bleach odor is no longer detectable. You may have to do this more than once. Reinstall any point-of-use filters. At this point the system is ready for use.

If you are going to travel with water onboard, remember to add bleach to the tank to protect the stored water. For each 10 gallons of water you intend to carry, add one teaspoon of bleach. According to EPA guidelines, the bleach concentration should be about 3 ppm (parts per million). If the procedure has been done correctly, there should be a very slight odor of bleach in the tap water. If in doubt, it is an easy matter to test using a test kit.

You may also want to bottle and store potable water for the trip. Instructions for this procedure can be found on the “Bottling And Storing Drinking Water” page. Of course when you are hooked up to a water supply, just bypass the fresh water tank and feed your RV directly from the RVF-1 system.