Bob of KAOS replied:

Stop using the urinal on the side of the camper for a while and see if that helps (the one with the screw cap).

Member - Darryl replied:

Greg r
I had a similar probwith our camper ,picked up some bad bore water .I filled up with scheme water and added some viniger and left for a few days then flushed out.It worked for us.
cheers
darryl

gregr replied:

thank you darry
butl have tried viniger, vanilla and bicarb of soda and about 10,000 litres of water to flush out - no joy so far unfortunately

Member - Karl replied:

I would look at using about a cup full and fill your tank and let it sit for a few days. Then drain and flush and see if it needs to be done again. Remember that lemon juice is an acid and the more you can use the stronger it will be and the better it will work.

Just be sure to use food grade (light blue hoses - I think) for filling your tank and only fill with water that you know is good quality. You can buy these hoses from Bunnings and other major Hardware Stores - get one and kept it with your camper and only use it to fill.

Hope this helps.

gregr replied:

bob
why waste your and my time by being a half smart total DH

most 4wd aussies are really good people who will help a mate out and do what they can for you if or when your in trouble

but then there is the 5 to 10% of total DHs who stuff it up for all

i have been doing this as a labour of love for over 35 yrears and when i first drove fraser island ocean beach in 4 wd in a series 11 short wb landy with a holden red motor in it there were 7 other 4 wds on the beach for that whole week and what great people they all were

unfortunately in thoes 35 years i have watched an influx of total dh s continue to appear in the 4wd scene and so where do you sit bob - in the 90 to 95 % of decent people or in the 5 to 10 % of total DH's

just do yourself a favour and try to grow up hey!

Pedirka replied:

Careful mate! You may fall into the 10 to 15% club.
To me it was a clever harmless joke. To give a laugh.

Hope that bad water taste gets resolved.
Sincerely
Pedirka. (Qld)

gregr replied:

hey jim
i have as good a sense of humour as any 2001 3.0 litre TD patrol owner
most of whom are not apparently noted for their sense of humour on this site after looking at a very quick search of the archives

but what i really was hoping for was some sensible comments, suggestions and a bit of experienced assistance to solve a real pain in the ar*e problem for me with what is a very expensive camper - and one that kimberley kampers cant seem to resolve themselves to date with my particular unit

if you had a laugh at my expense then thats ok
but it did not really help me solve my very frustrating problem
which is all i am really about and why i am in here for now
i did not really come in for a chat
but i wish you all the best in 05
so see you gregr

crusa replied:

Hi Greg

When we travel in the caravan, we carry less than full tank of water in one of the two water tanks. When we arrive on a site and need to top up our tank/s we establish that the water is reasonably ok, we use a portable double filter unit when we put water slowly into the caravan tank/s. Using the blue water food grade hose from park tap we use brass fittings all along the line from tap through twin filter and into the caravan water tank inlet/s. Most Qld parks have clorine and the twin filter cartridge unit provides very good clean non smelling water. I am pretty fussy with my coffee! (LOL) Our water tanks are ALWAYS only filled through the twin filter unit and we change the filters annually.

Regards

Graeme

Bob Y. - Qld replied:

Gregr.

From Whitworths(whitworths.com.au), you can buy, Tank Cleen, Water Conditioner, Micropur Water Disinfectant, Aquatabs Purification Tablets and Sudbury Aquafresh. All 5 products suggest they will condition and purify contents of your water tanks.

Hooroo...

Member - JohnR (Vic) replied:

Greg, the black poly tanks seem pretty good for potable quality, but the potable quality hoses should make a difference. They are clear with a yellow and blue stripe that I have, with a nylon weave.

Friends used bi-carb to get the chemical taste out of their bladder system. We actually keep the drinking water separate in clear containers 10-20 litres at a time, keeping lower quality water for washing and showering in the tanks.

Nudenut replied:

Is it a metalic taste or plastic taste? get some others to test and write down the answers...every body has differnt concept of what metal and plastic taste like.....could even be organic...algae dead or alive...a bacterium of some sort? Some tastebuds might shine a light on what it could be and this might give a hint where to start looking?

kesh replied:

Gregr If you have been "doing this for 35 years" can afford a KC, have flushed "10,000 l. of water through it" seem to have the attitude of a cut snake, but you dont seem to have asked anyone else to taste this "crook" water for a second opinion - jeez mate, wat do you want? I just dont believe you've ever been thirsty. My suggestion is try the lemon essence (drinking it!) its about 45% alc. might help you get a better perspective. Could be your best chance!

Banjo (SA) replied:

We bought a new Campomatic Ranger M3 a few months back and it does the same, but not badly - just noticeable. We are fussy about water and don't drink it when it tastes funny though ! Not a lot of point in carrying 120 L of water just for washing up - creek water will do for that ! Our emerging habit is to keep the tank full of tap water when not in use (Adelaide tap has about 30 ppm of Chlorine in it - not a bad preservative) - this load takes some of the smell prior to trips - we run that onto the garden and fill with fresh just prior to departure. We still have about 25L of rainwater in a SS tank in the car anyway - we can reduce the quantity in the trailer accordingly. One ill considered aspect of the single tank design, is if you have to top up with inferior water (for safety) when bush, you have to contaminate what might have been better water ! Two tanks would be the best. Maybe keeping the tank full with a small does of chemistry would be the go - flush and fill just prior to the trip.

ev700 replied:

gregr
The two best products for deodorising are Miltons (see baby products at Woolworths) and baking soda. Do not use together of course.

Miltons has the dilution rate on the bottle. For baking soda just dissolve a packet full in warm water and then fill tank. Empty tank and re-fill, no extended flushing necessary.

Maybe some people notice 'chemical' tastes more.
EV700

Member - Mark W (VIC) replied:

gregr
Is it the tank or the hoses that are putting the taste into the water ??
Maybe a new tank may be requried after all you've done to flush out the taste?
Mark

Rick Blaine replied:

The ultimate solution is to install a water filter from Bunnings....did this on my new van.. fits onto the tap and by switching a lever gives you the best water you'll ever taste or unfiltered to wash with....costs around $80-90. Now when the chaps drop round for high tea ( scones compulsory ) it is superb and could even be by "appointment" to EIIR. It also solves the problem of getting a tankfull of "off" water...

pjd replied:

put in about 25 ltrs of your favorite cordial first then top up with water its no good for dishes but it tastes alot better. ps no it is not a joke

Member - big bo (NSW) replied:

Gregr,
All the advise sounds great, but what are Kimberley doing about it?.I am due to pick up my Camper at the end of January and believe me if the water tastes as bad as what you say yours is I will stick it right up them, I see it as their problem, get them to fill it with water and see how it tastes, if still no good get them to drink it. Tell them to replace the tank or complain like hell to all the resources available to you.We the customer always seem to get the raw deal. Gee I get P...sed off when I hear things like this.
Up to now I have had a fairly good understanding with Kimberley, we will see.You spend big money and are intitled to a good product

Member - Lindsay S (Int) replied:

Hi Gregr
I have never had the brains to stay out of a stoush..........................
The problem you are having with water should not be occurring. The days are long gone when potable water storage was a black art. With the proviso that the water going in is good, something is wrong with the tank or lines, and as you paid for a potable water system, this makes it unfit for purpose and the responsibility of the Manufacturer. Unfortunately they often need a little more than polite requests or subtile hints to see it this way.
Having said that there are plenty of good small charcoal filters on the market which, if fitted close to point of use will take the tastes out of the water. Flow rates on the small ones is low and the big ones are expensive so it is worth having a separate drinking water tap. After putting your current problem to rest they are a good solution to the tastes you will invariably encounter when filling your tank from sources outside the metropolitan area. The locals in Thargominda for instance think anyone drinking less than 3% sulphur should be wearing a skirt. These should not be used for filling tanks as they remove chlorine from the water which leaves it vulnerable to bacterial contamination in the tank.

ev700 replied:

This might be a bit way out......

We used to get well water tested.

Any labs in your State that could test? Might resolve a fight or find the source that way.

Member - Anni M (SA) replied:

Hi Gregr,

It was my post that suggested using lemon essence, as recommended by the manufacturer of our CT. You use one bottle of lemon essence in your water tank, fill it with water and leave it for about 24 hours, drain the tank and refill it with good water. You may still have a very slight lemon taste, but that is much better than the awful chemical taste. The suggestions of vinegar etc were all tried by us but nothing worked except the lemon essence. I now keep a bottle in the food box and if the tank has been tainted in some way we just repeat the treatment with effect. Mind you if the water is clean but just awful tasting the lemon essence won't work!

Hope this works for you too.
Happy travels
Anni

gforse replied:

hi bud i have used milton baby sol it is great.had a bad bore water problem poured a bottle down it and no more problem best of luck garry

Nudenut replied:

I am wondering if gregr is watching these replies
I believe he is really peeved off with a reply to this post earlier ....hope not but if he is .....too bad! hehehe

Member - David 0 replied:

Bleach it!!!
Put a couple of caps full of bleach in the water. Leave for an hour or two. Drain and refill.

gregr replied:

thanks to those of you who replied to me with useful suggestion and helpful comments

i have tried the lemon essence which worked ok for a day or so but the bad taste is now back

i have decided to give the camper back to kimberely kampers ( manufacturer) and qld camper trailers (their agents) to fix under warranty and firmly suggested by email they now replace the ss tank plus both pumps and all hoses and sort the bl**dy prob out - and thanks big bo for you comments

also i will fit the small charcoal filter in the hoses in the future which seems like a great idea to me and thanks lindsay and rick for that suggestion

in summary
the problem appears to be in the hoses
as the water from the ss tank taste ok
and we always fill the tank using blue type food grade hoses
the water from the hand tap always taste like crap
and from the electric pump sometimes a bad taste but other times not so bad

we will see if kimberley can fix it this time

once again thanks to those who responded with useful suggestion
see you and all the best in 05
my regards greg