Limescale in Toilet Pipe

[Dino]

Hi, my mobo has a Jabsco manual toilet. During the summer I replace the full pump assembly. Shortly after I had issues with back pressure when trying to pump the bowl out.
I removed the pipe up to the diverter valve and it was full of a limescale type substance lining the inside of the pipe. It was a bit like concrete. A bit of beating the pipe off the edge of the pontoon released all the crud.
I now have the back pressure again so it appears that the pipe further along is blocked.
Would something like white vinegar or an industrial grade limescale remove dissolve this or am I better off removing or even replacing the pipe.

 

[PlanB]

You may be able to clear it with white vinegar or agua fuerte (hydrochloric acid solution), but for a big blockage I'd replace the pipe and then concentrate on keeping it clear in future.
You can also take the hose off and give it a good beating on the ground to loosen the limescle.

There are lots of posts on here on this subject.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I had the same issue some years ago and I used hydrochloric acid to remove which it did, but flakes of the line scale come off the inside of the pipe and blocked further down.

The trick in preventing is to flush all urine out of the pipe once you have it cleared.

To clear it I have found beating all the pipe to remove the lime scale

 

[Simon 420]

At the Southampton boat show I was persuaded to buy a packet of these in a moment of weakness. Yet to get to the boat to try them but has anybody any experience?

Head Maintainer - Season Treatment of 15 Sachets - Marine Hygiene

 

[lustyd]

The trick in preventing is to flush all urine out of the pipe once you have it cleared.

Which means (on a Jabsco) approximately one pump stroke per 6-8" of pipe (after the bowl is empty) between the head and the through hull every time the toilet is used.

On our boat, that means switch to empty and pump until empty, then switch to water and pump until water comes in them do 15 full strokes, then switch to empty and pump until empty.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Which means (on a Jabsco) approximately one pump stroke per 6-8" of pipe (after the bowl is empty) between the head and the through hull every time the toilet is used.

On our boat, that means switch to empty and pump until empty, then switch to water and pump until water comes in them do 15 full strokes, then switch to empty and pump until empty.

Thats why my main head id a Lavac with both a hand pump and an electric pump driven by a delay off timer. You press the button then walk away just like a domestic loo.

My Jabsco I also converted to electric pump in and out again with a delay off timer, so no more scale / smell build up

 

[MontyMariner]

Before leaving boat pump some Brick Cleaner (Sodium Hypochlorite 10% -11%) through the pipes to dissolve the lime scale.

 

[lustyd]

Before leaving boat pump some Brick Cleaner (Sodium Hypochlorite 10% -11%) through the pipes to dissolve the lime scale.

And then what, close the seacocks while it's fizzing and building pressure? Seems like something best done as you arrive to me, with the seacocks open

 

[Roberto]

Before leaving boat pump some Brick Cleaner (Sodium Hypochlorite 10% -11%) through the pipes to dissolve the lime scale.

Aren't bricks cleaned with HCl ?

 

[Roberto]

Thats why my main head id a Lavac with both a hand pump and an electric pump driven by a delay off timer. You press the button then walk away just like a domestic loo.

When we had a Lavac, we quickly came to the decision that nobody would "press the button and walk away": first flush, then wait the vacuum to be filled, open the lid and check the bowl surface has no unpleasant remains -in case brush it and flush a second time.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Before leaving boat pump some Brick Cleaner (Sodium Hypochlorite 10% -11%) through the pipes to dissolve the lime scale.

And then what, close the seacocks while it's fizzing and building pressure? Seems like something best done as you arrive to me, with the seacocks open

I did that some time ago and it blew my Henderson pump

apart hence the change

I used pool acid which is HCI

 

[rogerthebodger]

When we had a Lavac, we quickly came to the decision that nobody would "press the button and walk away": first flush, then wait the vacuum to be filled, open the lid and check the bowl surface has no unpleasant remains -in case brush it and flush a second time.

It's all about the length of time the pump flushes for and unlike a domestic loo the time can be as long as you like

 

[vyv_cox]

Hydrochloric acid (brick cleaner) is by a long way the best reactant for toilet limescale. However, it takes a considerable volume of it to clean a mostly blocked length of toilet hose. Mechanical cleaning (the traditional method is banging it on a dock wall) or replacement with new is far more effective.

 

[jwilson]

Don't think sodium hypochlorite (aka bleach) will do much to dissolve limescale buildup on toilet pipes. Brick acid which is a solution of hydrochloric acid will do so, but the real cure is to replace at least the sanitation hose pipe, and make sure the seacock is also scraped clear. Lots of pumping keegs the buildup down, but doesn't seem to eliminate it.

 

[VicS]

At the Southampton boat show I was persuaded to buy a packet of these in a moment of weakness. Yet to get to the boat to try them but has anybody any experience?

Head Maintainer - Season Treatment of 15 Sachets - Marine Hygiene

I would ignore any product from suppliers who suggest that the problem is cause by uric acid crystal being deposited in the pipework.

The build up is, as others state, due to limescale ( calcium carbonate ) . Bacteria in the water or the waste act on nitrogen compounds in the urine releasing ammonia. This raises the pH which results in soluble calcium bicarbonate in the water forming insoluble calcium carbonate.

Having said that I note it contains sulfamic acid which may go some way to preventing the rise in pH and formation of calcium carbonate. I'm sure though you could find a less expensive source of sulfamic acid.

 

[lustyd]

It's all about the length of time the pump flushes for and unlike a domestic loo the time can be as long as you like

Thanks to the new style flush mechanisms, our domestic loo has occasionally flushed for several weeks while we were on holiday. I'm told the old reliable kind that "use a bit more water" are no longer allowed

 

[VicS]

Before leaving boat pump some Brick Cleaner (Sodium Hypochlorite 10% -11%) through the pipes to dissolve the lime scale.

Many, if not most, brick cleaners are hydrochloric acid based .

Small regular does of a hypochlorite bleach may help to prevent the scaling by preventing the bacterial action I mentioned above.

It is now becoming difficult to buy hydrochloric acid based brick cleaners. Only available click and collect or home delivery from B&Q

 

[rogerthebodger]

Thanks to the new style flush mechanisms, our domestic loo has occasionally flushed for several weeks while we were on holiday. I'm told the old reliable kind that "use a bit more water" are no longer allowed

When I lived in the UK the domestic loo flush was based on a different principal to ours where I live now.

Ours have a valve at the bottom of the tank that is lifted to discharge the water down the pan and sometimes the valve can stick open so flushing continuous. Our water is metered so we pay for the exact water used we make sure that no loos are stuck open when we go away.

So its only boat heads that have a similar way of operation depending on the exact design.

 

[lustyd]

When I lived in the UK the domestic loo flush was based on a different principal to ours where I live now.

Ours have a valve at the bottom of the tank that is lifted to discharge the water down the pan and sometimes the valve can stick open so flushing continuous. Our water is metered so we pay for the exact water used we make sure that no loos are stuck open when we go away.

So its only boat heads that have a similar way of operation depending on the exact design.

Yup, that's the ones we now mandate because when they work they use less water. Unfortunately they break very much more often than the older style UK ones, so overall have been shown to use considerably more water overall.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Yup, that's the ones we now mandate because when they work they use less water. Unfortunately they break very much more often than the older style UK ones, so overall have been shown to use considerably more water overall.

Interesting I think it's a backward step and the old type of operation could be used with a smaller tank to use less water without the fault conditions.

A week ago, I had to replace mine that was broken by a visitor