Brown/tan flakes in the fresh water

[TDH]

Hey All - 

We have a new to us 2008 Northern Lite 10-2 in the PNW. A month in to using it, we just discovered tan, brown flakes in the fresh water. It is coming out of all taps. The hot water heater is currently off and isolated. The crawl space where the tanks are is ~32-50 degrees. The particles/flakes began 10 days into a ski road trip, so lots of tank sloshing. 

What we know:

- Just did a bleach and flush of the tank (bleach + drive for 1 hr + drain + fill)  flakes are still there

- We have PE tanks and PEX plumbing

- The particles are most frequent after the water system has been stagnant for a few hours

- We used the camper in December on great local water, no issue

- We have a brand new Camco fresh hose

- We use an inline filter when filling at public sites

- There's no sign of the sediment in the hose or filter

- The particles/flakes feel organic

- There's no smell or taste

 

This leads us to believe there's an algae like substance growing in the tanks/lines. Has anyone experienced this? Solutions? Any other culprits to consider?

 

Many thanks!

 

 

[Kirk W]

7 minutes ago, TDH said:

Has anyone experienced this? Solutions?

While our algae was not brown but rather a gray/green, it was mostly in the fresh water hose and some of the fresh water lines. The solution was to use a chlorine bleach mix of 1/4 cup per 10 gallons of water, pump it completely through the system and then flush it repeatedly until all gone. 

[agesilaus]

Probably better to add a cup or so of bleach, fill the tank, and let it sit over night. Then drain and flush. This is superchlorinating the system and it can take awhile to do in biological films. Hydrogen peroxide works well too, but you probably don't have access to the 30% peroxide. Which is hazardous anyway.

I generally dump half a bottle of bleach down the shower, and the same for the kitchen sink. Give it overnight in a fill gray tank, then drain. Do this every six months of so to kill odors.

[Deezl Smoke]

 "New to us" in the PNW. Likely, you purchased a rig that has had well water in the tanks for long periods of time.

 

[JimK]

To be more than obvious, the flakes could be organic due to lack of maintenance; i.e., a long period without sterilizing the water system that allowed growth of organic growths.  Or the flakes could be inorganic due to hard and/or sediment laddened water being used over a long period.

Organics are easiest to deal with.  A quarter cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of water and a soak of an hour or two is normally enough to sterilize a tank.  That would typically kill the organic growth but a longer soak might be needed to help remove the residue.  I would not up the amount of bleach but try an overnight soak and a couple of rinses.

Inorganics can be harder to deal with.  Fortunately, gallon jugs of vinegar are pretty cheap ($3-$4/gallon).  I would dump in about 10 gallons and pump into the HW tank and all of the supply lines.  Driving to slush the main tank would help.  Typically I would let the vinegar soak for a day but in cold temps perhaps a couple of days would help.  Odds are when you drain and clear the lines there will be a lot of sediment.  Make sure you have a filter before the water pump and also remove all the faucet aerators so they do not plug.  If there is a lot of contamination, sadly you may need to do this treatment than once.

[jbh]

Algae/mold can certainly grow in the water hose. Replace the hose just to be sure. The water filter should be last in line before the RV inlet.

[Wrknrvr]

   Try draining the hot water heater. 

  Do not do this under pressure. As bad things would happen.

 

    But I am thinking that it is mineral buildup that has came loose in the fresh tank.     If you remove the drain plug, get a sample of what comes out. If there are minerals in the tank. I bet they are the same as in your tank.     

    For a quick test, take some of the chips that you have from the faucets. Put them in a cup of vinegar. Time this even. See if they dissolve over say 12 hours.

   I would do  this vinegar test as soon as possible.    This can be happening while you are thinking of what else to do. The vinegar is a acid base. So it should dissolve iron, calcium and more.

   If you find it dissolves this material, then the rank needs cleaned, chemically, as in using vinegar.

   I will be traveling for a few days, but will check in when I can.

 

   Vern 

[LovinRVing]

This is a very common problem discussed on the Forest River Forum that affected prior Georgetown motorhome. The culprit was the anode rod for the hot water tank. So how as the rod wore the particles which for us appeared more grainy or almost like gravel back flowed into the fresh water line. Once I started to change the anode rods yearly, buying them on Amazon saved from the local RV dealer, I never saw any particle matter again in my water supple.

OP, if you have a hot water tank with an anode rod, drain the tank, flush it out with fresh water (Amazon also has hot water tank flushers, cheap) and change your rods yearly.

[Ray,IN]

3 hours ago, LovinRVing said:

This is a very common problem discussed on the Forest River Forum that affected prior Georgetown motorhome. The culprit was the anode rod for the hot water tank. So how as the rod wore the particles which for us appeared more grainy or almost like gravel back flowed into the fresh water line. Once I started to change the anode rods yearly, buying them on Amazon saved from the local RV dealer, I never saw any particle matter again in my water supple.

OP, if you have a hot water tank with an anode rod, drain the tank, flush it out with fresh water (Amazon also has hot water tank flushers, cheap) and change your rods yearly.

Replace the water heater intake check valve if hot water is backflowing into the cold water plumbing.

[Anawilliam850]

It's possible that the particles/flakes in your fresh water system are due to the growth of algae or other microorganisms in your tanks and/or plumbing. This can be a common issue in RVs, especially if the tanks are not regularly flushed and cleaned.

Here are some potential solutions:

Consider using a water treatment product specifically designed to control algae and other microorganisms in your fresh water system. There are a variety of products available on the market, such as RV water tank treatments or water purifying tablets.

Flush your tanks and plumbing more frequently, especially after extended periods of non-use or when traveling in areas with questionable water quality. You can try using a high-pressure water jet to dislodge any buildup inside the tanks and pipes.

Install an additional in-line water filter to your fresh water system, to further remove any sediment or other particles that may be present in the water source.

Consider upgrading to a stainless steel fresh water tank, as these are less likely to harbor microorganisms compared to plastic tanks.

It's also possible that the flakes are not due to algae or microorganisms, but are instead caused by rust or other debris from the water source or plumbing system. If the issue persists after trying the above solutions, you may want to have a professional inspect your system to determine the root cause and recommend further action.