how to clean old water tank

[mthill25]

Hello all! I just purchased a 2002 Coleman Westlake. The old owner must not have ever cleaned or used the clean water tank because there is some really bad looking stuff coming out of there, not to mention the smell. I have bleached and rinsed the tank twice now and the screen filter at the 12v water pump keeps clogging with a white film. Considering what it smells like and knowing what was in there, I am starting to wonder if I should just forget about using the water system, but thats is half the reason I upgraded from a tent.

Short of replacing the tank and all of the lines, does anyone out there have any ideas of what I could do? We are leaving tomorrow for the first time in the "new" camper but won't be able to use the water system  :mad:

Thanks in advance.

[popupcop]

I use vanilla dripped on a paper towel in all of my ice chests and in my refrigerator when they are not in use.  I believe you could mix a vanilla solution in water and let it stand in the tank and lines for a while to let it kill some of the smell.  Also a baking soda solution might take some of the smell out.  I don't know what the white powder might be resulting from.

[tlhdoc]

I am guessing that the white stuff is coming from the water heater.  I get some white stuff out of mine when I clean it.  Try flushing the water heater and make sure you bleach it.  The white stuff comes from the anode rod in the water heater.

[rccs]

I would think that the white stuff is most likely from the minerals left in the tank from water used in it or left in it to evaporate away. Most likely you could get read of it with vinegar.

[flyfisherman]

Right ... a white vinegar solution will clean out all that hard water scale, maybe mixing 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water. Slosh it around a bit, rinse out and to kill the vinegar aroma, another slosh around with another mixture of a little baking soda and water solution, followed by another good rinse and that water tank will be sparkling clean and freash smellig.



Fly

[AustinBoston]

I would also have suggested using vinegar.  Cheaper, safer, and more effective than over-the-counter scale removers.  Letting it sit in the tank and sloshing it around will make it more effective.

As others have said, following up with a rinse of baking soda and water, then just water will finish the job.  Putting a small amount of lemon juice (a few teaspoons will do) in that last rince will eliminate any traces of baking soda flavor.

Austin

[mthill25]

Thanks everyone, I will give that a try. The white film actually was coming out of the tank drain hole. Is this scaling? We are leaving tonight for a weekend of camping so I will throw some white vinegar in before I leave. Maybe the sloshing around from the road will do the trick.

[flyfisherman]

Thanks everyone, I will give that a try. The white film actually was coming out of the tank drain hole. Is this scaling? We are leaving tonight for a weekend of camping so I will throw some white vinegar in before I leave. Maybe the sloshing around from the road will do the trick.

That's the best sloshing method I know of ...!



Fly

[Loboto-Me]

Adding a few bags of ice cubes along with the baking soda or vinegar will also help "scrub" the inside of the tank.  Take it on a ride behind you with that concoction and ice for a while and let it do the scrubbing.

[AustinBoston]

Adding a few bags of ice cubes along with the baking soda or vinegar will also help "scrub" the inside of the tank.  Take it on a ride behind you with that concoction and ice for a while and let it do the scrubbing.

I'd never thought of that before, but it makes sense.  It would be important to not over-fill the tank so that the water/ice mix can freely slosh around.

There may be a debris screen in my filler (I'd have to check) that could prevent adding ice cubes.

Austin

[mthill25]

I don't think I would be able to get that many ice cubes through the fill hose. The hose actually has an upward slant before it goes down to the tank. I have filled-sloshed-drained at least 5 times (the neighborhood is starting to give me funny looks  :confused: ) Even after all of that, I still get the white and even brown sheets of slime coming out the drain hole. After I run about 1/2 of a gallon through the water pump, it still clogs the screen filter. I suspect the lines are also lined with this stuff.

I have seen some 20 gallon water tanks on eBay that were not that expensive. Has anyone ever used one of these?

Has anyone out there swapped a water tank before?

[AustinBoston]

Any chance your home is on your own well?

Austin