Can you add anything to the water tank to get rid of the pink RV antifreeze taste? I've flushed the system several times and still have the smell and taste. Any helpful tips appreciated.

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"Miss Maggie"
Sequoyah Marina, Norris lake,TN

Maybe a cup or less of bleach?

Fresh water systems should be recommissioned every spring...the following explains why, and how to do it...and yes, it does get rid of the antifreeze taste/smell completely

.There are all kinds of products sold that claim to keep onboard water fresh, but all that’s really necessary is an annual or in especially warm climates, semi-annual recommissioning of the entire system—tank and plumbing. The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated.

Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded.

Prepare a chlorine solution using one quart Clorox or Purex household bleach (5-7% sodium Hypochlorite solution)/50 gallons water tank capacity. With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank.Complete filling of tank with fresh water.

Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines

Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.

Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them).

Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.

To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by fill the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.

Remember: cleaning out the tank addresses only the least of the problem...most of the problem occurs in the lines, so it's very important to leave the system pressurized while the bleach solution is in the tank to keep the solution in the lines too.

To keep the water system cleaner longer, use your fresh water...keep water flowing  through system. The molds, fungi, and bacteria only start to grow in hoses that aren't being used. Before filling the tank each time, always let the dock water run for at least 15 minutes first...the same critters that like the lines on your boat LOVE the dock supply line and your hose that sit in the warm sun, and you don't want to transfer water that's been sitting in the dock supply line to your boat's system. So let the water run long enough to flush out all the water that's been standing in them so that what goes into your boat is coming straight from the water main.

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Peggie Hall, Moderator
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987, Author: "Get Rid of Boat Odors--A Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor."
[L=http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books/detail-books.htm?sku=66438&cat=1304[/L]

Thanks Peggy! That's exactly what I was looking for. Hope this helped a few others as well.

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"Miss Maggie"
Sequoyah Marina, Norris lake,TN

peghall is an expert. The has given me advice on my blackwater in the past. Very informed.

One thing I learned is that when you winterize is to bypass the waterheater and just drain it. The first year of owning our boat I ran antifreeze through it and it took about 6 full tanks (100 gals.) to remove the taste/smell from the water.

Bleach does help.

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1990 36' Gibson
Lake Monroe
Bloomington, IN

Good tip on the bypass. I was a little pinched for time this past fall so I didn't bypass anything. My boat has the grey crimped style plumbing and I'll have to get familiar with it.I'll be building in a quick bypass for the tank as well as the hotwater heater very soon. I'll split , checkvalve and run the lines through the floor and into a closet so I can blow them out and/or fill with antifreeze from above the floor. Thanks for the tips everyone!

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"Miss Maggie"
Sequoyah Marina, Norris lake,TN