Flushing the heads with neat hydrochloric acid

Not with neat ie 100% acid. Far too strong / dangerous.

I would do it on my own boat with brick cleaner ( ie dilute HCl ) but the issue would be making sure the acid stayed in contact with just the pipes for long enough to dissolve the crud during which time it will produce gas - mostly CO2 but likely some chlorine gas as well. And you dont want it dissolving bronze sea cocks either.
 
We use white spirit vinegar - a splash daily keeps the pipes fur-free and the toilet just doesn't smell. (Any other vinegar will do, but the clear sort seems sort of less culinary.)
 
Cleaning your heads

Hello.
I've used Hydrochloric acid in the form of brick cleaner quite a few times to clean out my heads. Never had any problems. The brick cleaner is concentrated enough to give off noxious fumes, so I take extra care with this when using.
Good Luck.
 
wotayottie said:
Not with neat ie 100% acid. Far too strong / dangerous.

I would do it on my own boat with brick cleaner ( ie dilute HCl ) but the issue would be making sure the acid stayed in contact with just the pipes for long enough to dissolve the crud during which time it will produce gas - mostly CO2 but likely some chlorine gas as well. And you dont want it dissolving bronze sea cocks either.
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Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water. The most concentrated available is about 36% IIRC.

You cannot have 100% hydrochloric acid because HCl is a gas !

Hydrochloric acid is classed as a "strong acid" whatever its concentration or dilution because it is, to all intents and purposes, completely ionised in aqueous solution. Dont muddle the words strong and concentrated ... they have different meanings

You will only get chlorine produced by the action of a strong oxidising agent, such as potassium permanganate, on near concentrated hydrochloric acid or by the action of the acid ( any acid) on a hypochlorite bleach.

.
 
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No problems if you are just going to flush it through, it does deal with scale assorted in fairly short order.

However do not introduce it into a closed system, ie fill outlet pipe and then close seacock, results could be interesting, nay explosive.

Oh and buy it in France, it's cheaper, but don't store it long term on the boat, use and remove.
 
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snorkmaiden said:
We use white spirit vinegar - a splash daily keeps the pipes fur-free and the toilet just doesn't smell. (Any other vinegar will do, but the clear sort seems sort of less culinary.)
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I'm interested in your claim that it stops the toilet smelling - I'm under the impression that the main source of smell in marine toilets is reactions in the seawater inlet hose, not the outlet. Your vinegar isn't going to get there - do you really not get the hydrogen sulphide smell after the toilet has sat unflushed for a day or two?
 
I normally fire a time expired flare round the system. Soon shifts the crud and if you do it on a 3 monthly basis you don't even have to flush between uses. You can clear it by firing either way, down into the pan or up via the outlet through hull fitting. If you use the latter method, make sure no ones sitting on the loo first, i forgot to do this once which is why SWMBO now walks with a pronounced limp.

Cheers, Brian.
 
Martin_J said:
Jimi

This previous post has a few examples from others who have used Hydrochloric Acid (Spirits of Salts) directly in the outlet hose...

How to dissolve the deposits - ybw Sept 2011

Spectacular but be careful are the words that I remember...
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Saves me from writing it all again! It seems the HCl sold throughout Europe in supermarkets and hardware shops varies in concentration between about 10% and 20%. It is well known that mainland Europeans are far more sensible about strong chemicals than British folk, who drink every liquid they can lay their hands on.:eek:

My experience is that dosing with HCl is best carried out on a regular preventive basis, rather than to cure a serious blockage. When the encrustation reaches serious proportions only mechanical methods will work.
 
snorkmaiden said:
We use white spirit vinegar - a splash daily keeps the pipes fur-free and the toilet just doesn't smell. (Any other vinegar will do, but the clear sort seems sort of less culinary.)
Click to expand...

Round here I've tried Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, ASDA, everyone I can think of, and can only find white vinegar in little bottles that undoubtedly work out dearer than B&Q brick cleaner relative to the potency! Gallon cans of spiced brown pickling vinegar yes, but no clear. Am I missing a bulk source somewhere obvious?
 
Far less anxiety-generation if you use non-foaming marine toilet cleaner. It contains a proportion of phosphoric acid.
Also very good for removing heavy patination from bronze and brass.
 
Much of the lime scale like crud in my sea toilet was easily shifted in seconds with hot water (being mostly salt it just dissolves).

Nothing else short of a hammer and chisel worked.

Otherwise a drop of Detol keeps the smells at bay.

Not keen on strong acids or alkalis due to possible effects on the plastic hoses and valves, as well as sea cock.
 
Acids, including hydrochloric, are well known swelling agent for rubber (oft used in the printing industry on printing blankets). Do not leave the acid to soak as the manual pump in/out flap will swell, not seat corectly and you will be much worse off than when you atarted.

A way to remove calcium depostion in rubber pipe work is to remove the pipe, gently (or rigorously crush, depends on rigidity of pipe) - you will feel the calcium 'crush' and then simply wash out the residue.

Jonathan.
 
Adequate flushing is the best preventative measure. I recently renewed an outlet hose which was about 20 years old, and there was minimal build-up of crud inside it.
 
I have no idea what rubber the printing industry uses, but the seals in toilets are either nitrile or neoprene, neither of which is swelled by hydrochloric acid, particularly in the five minutes that it will remain active. Neither will hoses or seacocks be the slightest bit affected.
 
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