olddog22202 Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Next month I begin my adventure in slowly bringing a '93 Sea Breeze from Nova Scotia to the west coast. I know the MH and it seems to have been well taken care of and I believe is mechanically sound. The owner commented she used to drink the water from the tank but after being in Mexico no longer did. Is there a way to ensure a clean tank? I've heard some bleach in tank, traveling for a day, draining and refill will do it. Will it? How much bleach? How full the tank? The trip should take several months and there will be times having a usable tank may be important. This rig has been winterized and in covered storage for 2 years. Besides a fresh oil change any other suggestions? Thanks MikeMc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Check the tires closely. Not good for them to be sitting in one spot for two years. Look for cracking on the sidewalls. Check all fluid levels. That includes the rear axle, and the transmission. Honestly if it were me and I wasn't at least a decent shade-tree mechanic, I would bring it in to some local shop when you pick it up, even a tire shop who does some mechanical work, and just have it looked over. Make sure the brakes are good, wheel bearings are good, steering components. Basically just make sure it's safe for a long trip. Bleach would definitely work. That's what I did with mine, but I don't plan on using my tank for drinking water. I know a lot of people who do. I know a lot of people who don't...I do brush my teeth with mine and sometimes use it for cooking, so I figured I should clean it out a bit. I just poured what I thought was about a half cup of bleach into my 10 gallon tank. However much I put in, it was too much. I mean it probably sanitized everything really well, but water was really bleachy for two whole tanks before it finally cleared up. What I find online when I google this is that you use about 1/2 cup of bleach for each 1 gallon of water. That seems like a lot to me but if you're just going to drive around a bit and let it slosh, it's probably fine. I wanted the bleach to go through the entire system, tank, lines, faucet, down the sink and into the grey water tank. So I just used the full tank of water with bleach in it like I always use my water. Doing dishes, brushing my teeth. Like I said, the first tank was really bad, second tank still really smelled like bleach (and had that slippery feel to it), but by the third tank it was gone. Would sure be convenient to drink the water, I'll admit...I carry two 3-gallon water jugs with me to fill with drinking water, in addition to my camper's tank. Kind of a lot of stuff to haul, and a lot of weight. My problem is that I don't trust the 35 year old plastic to be healthy to drink out of. I don't trust brand new plastic to be healthy to drink out of...I should look into what chemicals they were using back then. It may be safer than modern plastic for all I know. If I had an opportunity, I'd replace my water tank with a stainless steel one. Then just replace all the lines. Then I'd feel fine drinking out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 We find it easier to use a 5 gallon insulated tote-tank for our drinking water. Very easy to clean and takes up little room. We use the main storage tank for everything but drinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bufbooth Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 I drain the tank, then put a cup of bleach in and fill it up. Leave alone for 24 hours, then drain and fill three times. If you still have concerns about the tank, you can always install a water filter on the water line. Dennis... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Check the tires closely. Not good for them to be sitting in one spot for two years. Look for cracking on the sidewalls. Check all fluid levels. That includes the rear axle, and the transmission. Honestly if it were me and I wasn't at least a decent shade-tree mechanic, I would bring it in to some local shop when you pick it up, even a tire shop who does some mechanical work, and just have it looked over. Make sure the brakes are good, wheel bearings are good, steering components. Basically just make sure it's safe for a long trip. Bleach would definitely work. That's what I did with mine, but I don't plan on using my tank for drinking water. I know a lot of people who do. I know a lot of people who don't...I do brush my teeth with mine and sometimes use it for cooking, so I figured I should clean it out a bit. I just poured what I thought was about a half cup of bleach into my 10 gallon tank. However much I put in, it was too much. I mean it probably sanitized everything really well, but water was really bleachy for two whole tanks before it finally cleared up. What I find online when I google this is that you use about 1/2 cup of bleach for each 1 gallon of water. That seems like a lot to me but if you're just going to drive around a bit and let it slosh, it's probably fine. I wanted the bleach to go through the entire system, tank, lines, faucet, down the sink and into the grey water tank. So I just used the full tank of water with bleach in it like I always use my water. Doing dishes, brushing my teeth. Like I said, the first tank was really bad, second tank still really smelled like bleach (and had that slippery feel to it), but by the third tank it was gone. Would sure be convenient to drink the water, I'll admit...I carry two 3-gallon water jugs with me to fill with drinking water, in addition to my camper's tank. Kind of a lot of stuff to haul, and a lot of weight. My problem is that I don't trust the 35 year old plastic to be healthy to drink out of. I don't trust brand new plastic to be healthy to drink out of...I should look into what chemicals they were using back then. It may be safer than modern plastic for all I know. If I had an opportunity, I'd replace my water tank with a stainless steel one. Then just replace all the lines. Then I'd feel fine drinking out of it. The plastic they make the water tanks out of is not the BPA stuff. Never have heard of any health problems with it. For my motorhome I bought a Pur water filter container with a spigot that I run all my drinking water through. Its small enough to carry into kitchens to refill but holds enough drinking water for several days. It fit on the shelf of my RV fridge, inside a cabinet or on a countertop. Easy to dispense from. Also I can carry a smaller jug to a faucet and top it up that way while on the road. Easy to get new cartridges for as it is a fairly common brand. http://www.target.com/p/pur-2-stage-dispenser/-/A-70323?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&LNM=70323&CPNG=Appliances&kpid=70323&LID=3pgs&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=70323&gclid=CJj7oL7n-r4CFYhafgodRBwARw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I probably shouldn't worry, I know. No actual health problems have been found with any of them, BPA included. It's the studies of what it can do that scares people (and me). There's a newer study which shows that many chemicals in plastics do the exact same thing as BPA, BPA just got singled out for some reason. They all mimic estrogen in the body, which is not good. It's not a matter of getting sick...it's the long term consequences to me and my genes that I'm concerned with, though it's impossible to avoid all this stuff. It's in the water, air, food... Whether or not you trust the source is up to you... http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe?page=2 http://news.discovery.com/human/health/bpa-plastic-food-hormones-chemicals-110715.htm http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f122/thirty-year-old-plastic-water-tank-38573.html Someone studied BPA, and found it was dangerous. So they banned BPA. But there are all the other chemicals which go into plastics, and as the article mentions, in the USA, any chemical is "safe until proven dangerous", rather than tested to see if it's safe before being put into consumer products. I'm not consistent with what I avoid and worry about...but I really think about with my water containers. But my 3 gallon drinking water jugs are plastic...I'm just not sure if what they were using in the 70s was better or worse than what they use today, and whether it's older or newer plastics that are putting off more of that crap into the water they store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddog22202 Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Thanks for the water purifying advice and also on the pre-trek preps. I am not a mechanic of any type so ..... Making a list of just in case. Am I correct the rig takes a 185 R 14 load range D tire and Bilstein Heavy duty shocks? What does one get to make it easy to check tire pressure in both inboard and outboard tires? My new knees dont squat and bend like the old ones did. Thanks MikeMc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 185R14 LR 'C' or 'D' will do it. However, LR 'C' are harder to find and only (maybe) a couple of $$ less/tire, so why bother?? You'll need a pressure gauge with a 'dual foot' to check your tire pressures unless valve stem extensions are fitted. http://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Wheel-Masters/WM8216-6.html My old knees still bend and squat like the old ones. It's the unbending and unsquatting that isn't the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I probably shouldn't worry, I know. No actual health problems have been found with any of them, BPA included. It's the studies of what it can do that scares people (and me). There's a newer study which shows that many chemicals in plastics do the exact same thing as BPA, BPA just got singled out for some reason. They all mimic estrogen in the body, which is not good. It's not a matter of getting sick...it's the long term consequences to me and my genes that I'm concerned with, though it's impossible to avoid all this stuff. It's in the water, air, food... Whether or not you trust the source is up to you... http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/03/tritan-certichem-eastman-bpa-free-plastic-safe?page=2 http://news.discovery.com/human/health/bpa-plastic-food-hormones-chemicals-110715.htm http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f122/thirty-year-old-plastic-water-tank-38573.html Someone studied BPA, and found it was dangerous. So they banned BPA. But there are all the other chemicals which go into plastics, and as the article mentions, in the USA, any chemical is "safe until proven dangerous", rather than tested to see if it's safe before being put into consumer products. I'm not consistent with what I avoid and worry about...but I really think about with my water containers. But my 3 gallon drinking water jugs are plastic...I'm just not sure if what they were using in the 70s was better or worse than what they use today, and whether it's older or newer plastics that are putting off more of that crap into the water they store. The plastic they used for water tanks in the 70s is the same stuff they use now. But if you are worried then get your estrogen levels tested once in a while. The test should be part of the standard blood work done on a physical for both men and women as you get older. Men also get osteoporosis if their normal estrogen levels get too low. If it gets too high you will be figuring it out pretty quick anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Am I correct the rig takes ... Bilstein Heavy duty shocks? There are those who are also happy with shocks from Monroe and KYB. But get their HD versions, not the cheapies. I'm not sure anyone has had the luxury of being able to compare the different brands back to back. Most are comparing new with worn out. That's generally 'no contest'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Here is a list of shocks just for Toyota motorhomes. Not the same part numbers as regular trucks. Of course the Airlift is the air bag suspension but the other ones are shocks. Might not be the cheapest place to find them but you can take the part number and search around knowing they will be the right shocks for your rig. These do not fit on older than a certain age Toyota. Don't remember what year it changed but 82 or 83? Will fit all other years I think https://www.shockwarehouse.com/index.cfm?mode=results&selected_model=4485&selected_year=1988 Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddog22202 Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 As usual - THANKS everybody. Am set for now. Hope someday I can be a resource like many on this site. MikeMc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 The plastic they used for water tanks in the 70s is the same stuff they use now. But if you are worried then get your estrogen levels tested once in a while. The test should be part of the standard blood work done on a physical for both men and women as you get older. Men also get osteoporosis if their normal estrogen levels get too low. If it gets too high you will be figuring it out pretty quick anyway Are you saying "you'll know because you'll start growing breasts?" Yeah when I had a job I got yearly testing done, and I'm sure I will again when I start looking for work. I don't think the blood tests I had looked at hormones, but I don't remember. Mostly cholesterol and vitamins, iron and looking for elevated levels of different things that indicate disease. Either way...nothing going on with me, yet. What I've been trying to research is whether 30 year old plastic is leaching more stuff into my water as it breaks down, or if it's pretty much done doing that and is maybe safer now, and the new stuff is worse? Like with a new home how all the paint, carpet and everything is off-gassing a bunch of nasty stuff, but then stabilizes (a bit). Every now and then this stuff gets on my radar and I re-assess my stuff. Then I forget about it for a while... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 As usual - THANKS everybody. Am set for now. Hope someday I can be a resource like many on this site. MikeMc Let us know how the trip home goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Are you saying "you'll know because you'll start growing breasts?" Yeah when I had a job I got yearly testing done, and I'm sure I will again when I start looking for work. I don't think the blood tests I had looked at hormones, but I don't remember. Mostly cholesterol and vitamins, iron and looking for elevated levels of different things that indicate disease. Either way...nothing going on with me, yet. What I've been trying to research is whether 30 year old plastic is leaching more stuff into my water as it breaks down, or if it's pretty much done doing that and is maybe safer now, and the new stuff is worse? Like with a new home how all the paint, carpet and everything is off-gassing a bunch of nasty stuff, but then stabilizes (a bit). Every now and then this stuff gets on my radar and I re-assess my stuff. Then I forget about it for a while... Research away. The drinking water tanks were and still are made from FDA approved, food grade, PETG plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 FDA approved doesn't mean much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 FDA approved doesn't mean much... You are right about that. However in this instance there is more than one type of PETG and the "FDA approved" means that particular version of PETG differs in its physical and chemical characteristics versus PETG that is used to manufacture goods that don't come into contact with foods. You know the stuff like hydrospic properties, chemical resistance, etc. In other words will it abosorb other chemicals or will it resist doing so. You see it is not just about the chemicals in the plastic leaching out into the water, it is also about does the plastic take up chemicals, such as those from the antifreeze or even lead, that can leach back out over time. This issue of is the container going to take up and then release contaminants over time is not one you are going to see addressed on the internet as most people don't get involved in the concept that what you put into a reusable drinking water container counts too. That is because most people don't put so called "safe" antifreeze into their drinking bottles but RV people do. Of course if you go on a tour of Old New Orleans you will hear all about how the old lead lined water tank cisterns literally drove people crazy and killed them. When you travel in an RV you are filling up your tank from an unknown quality of water lines. Of course you are also using those white plastic hoses that are supposed to be safe for potable water. But are you rinsing your hose out with bleach now and again? How do you know if all the previous owner's used white hoses versus using the plastic hoses that contain toxins such as lead? So many ifs.... So filter your drinking water to be on the safe side .One other safety note, don't leave trasparent water jugs out in the light, it can turn them into an algea factory. I have a water cooler at the office that has a refillable filter tank on the top. It would grow algea from being in the sunlight that comes in through the skylight. But we no longer have that problem now that we slide a pillow case over the clear water tank. Guess I really should put making a slip cover for my Pur water filter tank on my to-do list for RV projects as the place it sits gets sunlight on it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 If you have a newer home it is likely you have plastic pipes distributing water to all of your faucets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Yes, it is inescapable. You just have to do what you can, to whatever level you're willing to go. I have a filter on my filler hose for my water tank and drinking water containers, and that's as much as I've done so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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