Janset replied:

Hi Truckster.
As you may have noticed, I have an opinion on most things :)

My belly tank is a s/s and is next to my muffler so it get quite warm at times. What I do by way of maintenance is that I always leave it about half full, this stops it expanding and contracting all the time and causing that popping noise as the panels move, can't be good for it. Just before a trip I drain it all out and top it up with fresh water.

Now this may be more to your liking. When I had my yacht, (ah... those were the days) my water tanks consisted of 3x20 litre black plastic detergent containers, the one with the moulded handles, these were interconnected.

Again I used to leave water in them because I found that if I did not, the next time I filled them and used them there was a plastic taste there. I do not think the taste came from the containers but rather the clear re-enforced hosing.

As these were harder to access I only used to change the water about every 6 months. A point to note here. If I used rain water to top up with, usually when I was camping on it over a longer period, I would add about an egg cup full of bleach to the water so it didn't go off. I can't every remember having the taste of bleach in the water. If you do, then cut it back a bit.

Last but not least, the cheating way out of it. Go to a caravan parts outlet and there they sell produces to treat water tanks, but this alternative is for pussies only, not real butch men! LOL.

Regards

Kelly Green replied:

Truckster,

I have an oppositelock bladder and they suggest firstly rinsing it with bleach and water, then flushing with a bi carb and water mix. I have done this several times and have not any problems, the water doesn't taste funny. Best to do straight after emptying and then again before refilling and reusing. Hope the GQ is running well.
WKR
Kelly

OziExplorer replied:

Just put some UN-scented White King Bleach in the tank for 24 hours and then flush it out. From memory the recomended solution is 60:1.
If you do not use treated water in the tank, I clean mine at least annually. If I get a load of water that did not taste the best, I then just put a little White King in again and then drain and re-fill.

The important thing is that light does not get to the water, and the hoses are rated as 'drink water safe' or food grade polyethylene, or black poly pipe. Food grade polyethylene pipe I have only ever seen as clear, so when I have used it, I have always covered it well with black insulation tape. In my new Triton I have just fitted a 63 litre water tank on the opposite side to the fuel tank, and used food grade polyethylene pipe for the very short connection for filling to the tank, which I covered with black insulation tape. I then used the straight run of black poly pipe with a ¾" Nylex click fitting and tap in one unit to seal off after fitting. Whatever you do, do not use hoses to fill the tank that are not 'Drink Water Safe'. Nylex market a (from memory) Supreme hose which is marked with a logo and staing it is drink water safe, and they also have a lightish blue drink water safe hose sold in shorter coils and an inflated price.

You can add UN-scented bleach to creek water as a steriliser and you will not taste it. We used to use White King in the dairy and for washing the beans so they did not get mouldy on the way to the markets and supermarkets.

rojac replied:

vanilla essence diluted, the amount ..well it's trial and error for whatever you are trying to eliminate. non toxic and works well.

Michael replied:

Hi there, you can buy special tablets from caravan accessories mobs for that job . Just pop them in the filler neck and then flush it out.
Michael

Truckster replied:

Thanks everyone that posted an idea!

Take care.
Me.