greenscombe
New Member
We have recently purchased a second hand sailing yacht and would like to know what is the most effective way of cleaning out/ sterilizing the drinking water tanks and associated plumbing.
Many thanks.
Many thanks.
Cleaning water tanks and pipes
- Thread starter greenscombe
- Start date
HinewaisMan
Well-Known Member
Google something like "Peggy Hall Fresh Water".
PH is a great authority on heads and plumbing - and how to keep things sweet.
PH is a great authority on heads and plumbing - and how to keep things sweet.
sarabande
Well-Known Member
In the same process with the current boat and her flexible tanks.
If there is solid contamination (black mould) on the pipes and tanks, there's no real alternative to taking them out, or flushing through with a biocide and hot water to dislodge the crud. Brushing or wrapping a hunk of cloth onto a piece of line and pulling it through may help. You can go on doing this for a long long time
We had to junk one flexible tank, and replace a transparent plastic pipe. Any new pipework or tanks get treated with Milton tablets (as recommended by the Forum chemist VicS).
Choice of biocide is a bit difficult, as getting rid of the flushings should really be treated as Contaminated Waste.
Prevention of foreign bodies in incoming fresh water is essential. You can fit a fine wound polypropylene filter (from e.g. Jewsons, or Plumb Centre) to prevent the ingress of 'bits' when you fill up, but biologically active material must also be excluded.
We had an O ring failure in the filler cap, allowing sea and rainwater, and general marina dust and bird carp to enter the system over a long period. This was Good News for the bugs in the tanks, but not for us.
Ideally, I'd like a General Ecology filter system for cold drinking water out of one tap, and another unfiltered tap from the same source for cooking/ washing up.
If there is solid contamination (black mould) on the pipes and tanks, there's no real alternative to taking them out, or flushing through with a biocide and hot water to dislodge the crud. Brushing or wrapping a hunk of cloth onto a piece of line and pulling it through may help. You can go on doing this for a long long time
We had to junk one flexible tank, and replace a transparent plastic pipe. Any new pipework or tanks get treated with Milton tablets (as recommended by the Forum chemist VicS).
Choice of biocide is a bit difficult, as getting rid of the flushings should really be treated as Contaminated Waste.
Prevention of foreign bodies in incoming fresh water is essential. You can fit a fine wound polypropylene filter (from e.g. Jewsons, or Plumb Centre) to prevent the ingress of 'bits' when you fill up, but biologically active material must also be excluded.
We had an O ring failure in the filler cap, allowing sea and rainwater, and general marina dust and bird carp to enter the system over a long period. This was Good News for the bugs in the tanks, but not for us.
Ideally, I'd like a General Ecology filter system for cold drinking water out of one tap, and another unfiltered tap from the same source for cooking/ washing up.
rudolph_hart
Well-Known Member
There was a thread on just this subject late last year, and 'The Headmistress' provided an excellent detailed post on how to do this and keep it sweet therafter. I followed her instructions this spring and the resulting crud that came out was quite startling. I quote the main points as follows:
" 1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/2 cup (4 oz) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity.
2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines
3. Allow to stand for at least 3 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
4. Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them).
5. Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.
6. To remove excess chlorine taste/ odour which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water (20:1) and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion.
7. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filling the tank ¼ to 1/2 full, to again flushing with potable water."
This will now be an annual task for us from now on.
Hope this helps
" 1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/2 cup (4 oz) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity.
2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines
3. Allow to stand for at least 3 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
4. Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them).
5. Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.
6. To remove excess chlorine taste/ odour which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water (20:1) and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion.
7. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filling the tank ¼ to 1/2 full, to again flushing with potable water."
This will now be an annual task for us from now on.
Hope this helps
chuzzlewit
Well-Known Member
Water in boat and caravan systems is pretty suspect
unless boiled. I have a separate small (about 10 litre) container for drinking water and empty it when I leave the boat.
unless boiled. I have a separate small (about 10 litre) container for drinking water and empty it when I leave the boat.
Boomshanka
Well-Known Member
Milton 'fizzy' sterilising tablets (used for baby's bottles etc) work well.
greenscombe
New Member
Thank you!
Thank you all so much for your helpful advice.
Now I have no excuse for not cleaning up our water tanks and pipes.
Thank you all so much for your helpful advice.
Now I have no excuse for not cleaning up our water tanks and pipes.
VicS
Well-Known Member
Milton solution at the concentration specified on the bottle or in more detail on the website.
If you use domestic bleach use the thin supermarket own branded stuff and rinse thoroughly afterwards No recommendations on concentration though!
Worth dosing water subsequently added to the tank at the rate specified by Milton for treating drinking water
If you use domestic bleach use the thin supermarket own branded stuff and rinse thoroughly afterwards No recommendations on concentration though!
Worth dosing water subsequently added to the tank at the rate specified by Milton for treating drinking water
oldfatgit
Well-Known Member
I asked a simlar question here http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219815 the treatment worked er... a treat.
mikehibb
Well-Known Member
I have a very good friend, he calls himself Dr Sludge (Polite version) He does have a doctorate in all things about water, how to treat it, use it, dispose of it.
I can confirm as posted above and frequently on other threads on this subject.
Sodium Hypochlorite is the way to go, as per Rudolfs post above for that deep clean.
Cheap bleach is best.(Vics)
Then a couple of milton tabs each time you refill during the season.
I can confirm as posted above and frequently on other threads on this subject.
Sodium Hypochlorite is the way to go, as per Rudolfs post above for that deep clean.
Cheap bleach is best.(Vics)
Then a couple of milton tabs each time you refill during the season.
Danny Jo
Well-Known Member
Once treated, prevent further growth of algae by ensuring that no light can penetrate the tanks.