Removing fresh water tank

[Jose Rita]

Hi all, I have an 02 Patriot with a fresh water tank issue.  This being the first time using the RV this year, I noticed that there is some black discoloration inside the tank.  Also while filling I could see some things floating around.  This is most likely my fault.  While winterizing it, the tank filled about 1/4 with RV antifreeze and it’s probably residual that didnt get cleaned out.  I have been trying to sanitize the tank with hopes of removal but it is stubborn. Has anyone ever removed these tanks.  From what I read its probably 100 gallon tank. I am thinking by removing the tank I can use a wand inside to clean it. 

Thank you,

[Carl Boger]

I have never tried to remove the FW tank,  but I would probably try to fill and sanitize it a few times before I even considered removing it. 

i would put in about a cup or so of bleach each time and drive it around a few miles to let the bleach and water slosh around.  In a day or two I would drain the tank until empty and flush the water again.  If it still wasn't clean I would do everything over again until it was.   

I don't actually drink or cook with water from the FW tank, but instead take a 5 gallon Coleman water jug with me for those purposes.  It has lasted us 10 days with 2 adults and 2 dogs drinking it.

[Jose Rita]

Carl thank you.  I haven’t tried driving it around.  I will do that.

[Scott Shearer]

Caution If you have an Aqua-Hot or Hydra-Hot system.

Excerpt from a 2013 Aqua-Hot TSB.
https://www.aquahot.com/files/faq/Water%20System%20Disinfection.pdf

Aqua-Hot systems contain copper tubing and are not compatible with prolonged exposure to sodium hypochlorite (bleach, or bleach products.) Exposing the domestic water coil to products which contain sodium hypochlorite for extended periods of time can lead to corrosion of the domestic water coil and eventually catastrophic failure of the Aqua-Hot unit.

These products can, however, be used as a short term disinfectant. If bleach products are used to disinfect the water system, it is crucial that the system be purged of these products until there is no evidence of chlorine left in the water system. Damage resulting from a failure to purge the domestic water coil of sodium hypochlorite solutions is NOT covered by the Aqua-Hot warranty. In addition, Aqua-Hot Heating Systems disadvises the use of water fresheners containing sodium hypochlorite in its units. If a water freshener is required, take special care to ensure that the product does NOT contain sodium hypochlorite.

-Scott

[Eric Maclean Co-Admin]

Jose
Its possible you have a mold growth in your fresh water tank it's not uncommon.
My suggestion is leave the tank installed and buy your self a new (Clean) sewer jetter from amazon.com
Use it with your pressure washer to blast all of the debris out of the tank and then use the bleach sanitation method
To make it suitable for portable water.

1) start by draining the fresh water tank completely.
2) with the large freshwater dump valve open insert the sewer jetter into the tank through the dump valve drain under the coach.
3 turn on your pressure washer and allow the jetter to pull it's way to the far end of the tank
4) pull the jetter back and forth the length of the tank for at least 10 to 20 minutes or until not more debris comes out.
5) then close the dump valve and fill the tank full and dump it several times to flush out anything left behind
6) at this point the tank should be clean not you just sanitize it with a bleach and water solution .
7 ) don't forget to check and clean your water pumps inlet screen filter of debris .


https://www.amazon.com/Twinkle-Star-Pressure-Connect-Tensile/dp/B0C7ZVQ8RN/ref=sr_1_8?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zQLk-OfV9JqCs9cTsiOS1R0iRLLEJk6Psn2lbj4bnxVp_IRElNw9BfoZL4-j1VUIxPd3MnPr6HcNKpjbHZv0LsRQtP6G96Yx6u47ou83qt_zbBQ5K-FdMpvAdVSTDOjohFO_nXolwXi3AM4zcZWDkGBN961ttgcx81k3eouzB7sPQ-cHv-1CsZG860HKM9QysoWojG6eC_NIcCLkfPMNPct8tSDoUO-9tgavi1InvJg.Y75E88IyPOjU7UHI18KQz_ZmSHCaX8U5rBn1dJVCXmo&dib_tag=se&keywords=sewer%2Bjetter%2Bkit&qid=1755181155&sr=8-8&th=1

When your done getting your fresh water tank cleaned you can use the same method on you black and grey water tanks but of course you won't want to reuse the jetter again in the fresh water tank after that.


Hope this helps
Eric

[Zeb Severson]

Hi,

I have a 2003 Patriot and this past march had to drop the fresh tank to replace my hydraulic slide hoses. I would think that your tank is very similar if not identical to mine. Here is the issue, if you get the tank out, you cant clean it. The 1 1/2 bung for the drain is the biggest access port and it is not sufficient to do much. My first recommendation is to take the drain plumbing off and see what the residue consists of. if it comes off fairly easily, its possible you could get two strong magnets (one on the inside and one on the outside to move a rag or scotchbrite around) to break up the debris and then rinse it out.

If that doesn't suffice then contact someone (marine shop?) that can modify and weld the tank to add an inspection hole to you can clean it. Come to think of it its possible there are some marine shops that can clean it without modifying it. I just posted a link to a pdf guide to removing the water tank in the technical forum.

Its also here.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AeXKcHqlUVdo2RO15cUF_39gT_-Xf1oW/view?usp=share_link

[Jose Rita]

Thank you all for the suggestions.  I haven’t followed up on this post since other things have happened with our coach.  Hopefully I will be getting it back soon and be able to clean the tank out.  At this point it looks like it will be a late fall project.  Thank you for the write up and photos as well as how to clean the tank.