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Review of Caravans Plus Service
Dear CaravansPlus Team, Received items as ordered quickly, well packaged and in good condition. I can only describe your service as excellent. Thanking you, Alan.
8th order by Alan from NSW
Help With Bad Tasting Drinking Water.
Article by Rob Smith - Caravans PlusRead Time: 4 mins
Plastic water tanks used in caravans are made from Food Grade Plastic (usually polyethylene). They are capable of storing water for long periods of time. If your water just doesn't taste right there could be a number of problems, from mould or algae built up in the tank, to chemical transfer from incorrect hose choice or just high levels of minerals in the water.
There are many ways of combating this but they all have their down sides. Bottled water is expensive, additives can be time consuming and complicated, and filler filters are wasted on filtering all your water rather than just what you drink. You can tackle these problems one at a time but it can be frustrating when you do not get the desired result.
For touring vans
With the Shurflo filtration kit you remove the guessing and hard work. Your water is filtered as required so there is no chance of recontamination and you are guaranteed to have effortlessly clean, crisp tasting water at all your favourite holiday locations no matter how remote.
Shurflo has been an industry leader for over 50 years, with a reputation for producing high quality products in the RV and marine industries. This commitment is backed by a 12 month warranty.
Onsite van connection
The B.E.S.T. Filter easily connects between mains hose and your van, offering continuous great tasting filtered water to your onsite van or motorhome. It can also be use to filter water as you fill up your water tank. With its larger capacity filter (5000 litre usage) it reduces the need to swap filters with the extended use when connected to mains pressure. Proudly Australian made with over 20 years experience they were one of the first Australian filter companies in the market. This product also comes with a 12 month warranty.
How to clean your tank
If your water has a bad taste and you have isolated the problem down to the tank and piping then it is a good idea to give the whole system a flush. A good low-tech method is to add about 1/2 cup bi-carb soda to your half full water tank and then add some vinegar and take the van for a bumpy ride. This produces a chemical reaction creating a bubbling effect, which is great for dislodging any built up sediment and biofilm in your tank.
Note: Make sure you turn off you water pump and turn tap on to allow any pressure to be released.
Some other common alternatives are:
All products must be diluted then the tank flushed with clean water.
Below are some products we sell.
How to the get plastic taste out of water tanks
Another common source of introducing impurities and a bad taste to your tank is the filling hose. General garden hoses are not food grade and the constant exposure to sunlight degrades them.
The slight transfer of chemicals from your plastic tank and pipes is very common and hard to avoid. This is not dangerous as long as you have food grade plastic. The plastic taste is the only issue, it is most noticed on new tanks or if the water has been sitting for a while in the heat.
Another low-tech method to fix to this - red cordial. Thats right, red cordial! (green might work too, I have always used red). Simply go buy the cheapest one you can find pour the whole bottle into tank and fill up. Run your tap till red cordial comes out then allow it to sit over night. The next day, drain the tank and flush. Job done.
Some people also add lemon juice or a water freshener. A commercial option is shown below.
Prevention - its better than a cure.
Mould and algae can grow in your water tank under certain situations. It is important to minimise light and air contact with your water. Most plastic tanks are dark in colour, you should also avoid using clear tubing on your filling, breather and outlet pipes. Black food grade tubing is best.
To minimise contact with air you should fill the tank completely when storing. A dry tank is also good but is harder to achieve as the outlets on most tanks are raised slightly from the bottom. Another cause of algae is storing impure water.
Sometimes it is necessary to fill your tanks from a river or other dubious source. The products below will treat your water (and help avoid an upset tummy) as well as reduce algae development.
If you are using non-chlorinated water then it is recommended to flush your tank and lines before storage.
6 Comments
Maarten
Hi, You did not forget anything but it would be a great space saver if we could buy an 8mm drinking water hose complete with fittings on a reel. This size hose is available for patio use but not drinking water. Here is an idea for you that every RV owner would appreciate.
Michelle
We bought 2 plastic water tanks from bunnings and when filled they tasted very plastic so we bought 2 x2 bottles of cheap red cordial put them into our tanks left for a couple of days and it really works and not expensive
John
I tried the red cordial trick, put 2 litre bottle in an empty 85L tank and flushed through the lines using the van water pump and cycled back to the tank (via an external tap on the drawbar). Left for the afternoon, night and next morning. Cycled water again, then empties tank and flushed tank and all lines. Refilled tank with fresh water and left over night. Next day plastic taste was still there, no change. I also used food grade hose and flushed the cordial mix through that as well as let that sit overnight with the cordial mix in it. This 'trick' just does not work unfortunately.
Chris
We experienced plastic taste in water and had to buy bottled water. We tried the red cordial and it worked perfectly. This is what we did. Filled both tanks with water and added 1 bottle of cordial to each tank. Left it for 24 hours, drained and flushed out the tanks. Refilled the tanks and the bad taste had gone. We used cheap red cordial. Hope this helps!
Beverley
We are on town water directly into van, not through holing tanks,,cold water Tap water is nice but when we use hot water tap the water is awe full
John
To get rid of plastic or other tastes add 4L (per 80L) of white vinegar to full tank. Drive vehicle, let sit over night, then run through all lines, dump then rinse. Repeat if needed.