Smell from fresh water tank?

PEJ

PEJ

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I had a nasty smell in the boat but only in the saloon, like the smell when you unblock a sink or a washing machine. It went away after a while but came back today when I topped up the fresh water tank. Thinking back it occurred for the first time when I was filling the tank from empty.

Does this make sense or is it a coincidence? Can you get a build up of odourous gas in your water tank that gets pushed out and taken in to the saloon when you fill it?
 
If there is any smell, especially after a refill, it might be coming from the breather pipe or an overflow.

Have you sterilised the breather/overflow ?

Have a look at Endosan.com for details of their hydrogen peroxide and silver solutions used for potable water management. I have used their products (esp Endosan50) for drinking water and tank control, and for general on board sterilisation of heads and galley for > 3 years, and also on farm spraying equipment to prevent algal and other biofilm build-up. It is excellent stuff, but a bit technical.
 
PEJ said:
I had a nasty smell in the boat but only in the saloon, like the smell when you unblock a sink or a washing machine. It went away after a while but came back today when I topped up the fresh water tank. Thinking back it occurred for the first time when I was filling the tank from empty.

Does this make sense or is it a coincidence? Can you get a build up of odourous gas in your water tank that gets pushed out and taken in to the saloon when you fill it?
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With Cala Dor water I can indeed imagine that happening!

Sterliise with bleach, empty a few times and and refill.

How cala dor water is legal I have no idea.
 
Thanks for the replies. I reckon a chlorine tablet from my pool would probably do the trick. Shame I didn't bring any!
 
IIRC, some forumites use Milton to sterilise their water tanks.
But, as jrudge says, the water in Cala Dor is the worst we have ever seen.
If we berthed there permanently, I would fit a water maker.
 
PEJ said:
I had a nasty smell in the boat but only in the saloon, like the smell when you unblock a sink or a washing machine. It went away after a while but came back today when I topped up the fresh water tank. Thinking back it occurred for the first time when I was filling the tank from empty.

Does this make sense or is it a coincidence? Can you get a build up of odourous gas in your water tank that gets pushed out and taken in to the saloon when you fill it?
Click to expand...

We have been berthed in Cala d’Or for 10 years and have had a watermaker fitted for this period.

The water is not good for sure but is no where as bad as Jeremy says. It is heavily naturally calcium tainted
(
We have never drunk the water but use it for washing (including teeth brushing) and boat cleaning

The watermaker is never used in the marina and we use the shore supplied water which is passed through a 3 part basic filter before entering the boats tank. The result is clear softish water.

The filter elements are changed twice a season and it always amazes me just how heavy the first filter is as it is packed with calcium that it has been removed from the water.

The filters are 5 micron, charcoal and 1 micron in that order.

Once a month I use Acuatabs in the tank and at the end of the season pour a large mug full of bleach (yellow bottle) into the tank and fill the tank to the brim.

I suggest that you buy a three stage filter bank and only .use this when filling the water tank.
Then dose the tank with bleach (yellow bottle) through the normal deck filler and fill the tank.

After a couple of hours run the water through the pipe work system (all of it) and repeat the treatment once more. When the second treatment is emptied refill the tank again (using the filers) and put some ‘Acuatabs’ at the dose age stated on the packet.

If you shower when the Acuatabs are in the tanks .you will smell the product but is will not harm you as it can be used to refine water to make it suitable for drinking.

After 2 or 3 Acuatabs treatments you can go over just filling the tank with dockside water but always though the filters.

For drinking water use bottled water as whilst some people use dockside water for cooking you will not like it in tea or coffee.

The whole of Cala d’Or uses the same water as the marina including the restaurants, they just pass it through filters. ( they will claim to use bottled water)

Before you get pressing the keys Jeremy I know you claim it is salt water, and as you have stated previously ‘Just Taste It’ but I do not agree with you. I really do not wish to enter a forum argument on the subject and can we just agree to differ.

I have the filters permantely plumbed in under the bunk in the crew cabin and if anyone would like to see the system they are most welcome to come onto the boat and peruse the simplicity of it all.
Boat name ‘ACUARELA’ berth N8 near the Yacht Club.

FINALLY MY FILTER SYSTEM WOULD COST ABOUT £50.00 to £75.00 TO PUT IN AGAINST £7 TO £10000.00 FO A WATERMAKER. A WATERMAKER NEEDS TO BE COMMISSIONED AT THE START OF THE SEASON AND DECOMMISIONED AT THE END OF THE SEASON. THE COST IS NOT CHEAP.
 
Hurricane said:
IIRC, some forumites use Milton to sterilise their water tanks.
But, as jrudge says, the water in Cala Dor is the worst we have ever seen.
If we berthed there permanently, I would fit a water maker.
Click to expand...

:encouragement: Yes, we do at least. Never had a problem yet but then to be honest never had a problem full stop. I'm just wary about clean drinking water from tanks that otherwise would never get a clean. We do dilute the dose quite heavily though. 2 tablets for our 400l tank on refill as opposed to one 1tablet for 5 litres but give it a good going over on the hard just prior to putting back into the water each season.
 
:disgust:
BruceK said:
:encouragement: Yes, we do at least. Never had a problem yet but then to be honest never had a problem full stop. I'm just wary about clean drinking water from tanks that otherwise would never get a clean. We do dilute the dose quite heavily though. 2 tablets for our 400l tank on refill as opposed to one 1tablet for 5 litres but give it a good going over on the hard just prior to putting back into the water each season.
Click to expand...

By using Miltons (excellent product) on a regular basis you have ensured clean water tanks and pipes and your actions should be applauded.:encouragement::encouragement:

It has always worried me to see how people abuse the use of fitted hose pipes in marinas.

I once saw a women clean the ‘rearend’ of small dog and rubbed the ‘ar.se’ of the dog with the end of the hose to remove some stubborn poo. When she was finished she merely put the hose back on the hook.:disgust:

I have never used a supplied hose.
 
DougH said:
I have the filters permantely plumbed in under the bunk in the crew cabin and if anyone would like to see the system they are most welcome to come onto the boat and peruse the simplicity of it all.
Boat name ‘ACUARELA’ berth N8 near the Yacht Club.

.
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Thanks for this Doug.

I only wish I had logged in to the forum while I was still out in CD instead of just now back at home! I would have come and said hello and had a look, I am just up the road on M8.

Can you post a link to the filters you use?
 
DougH said:
FINALLY MY FILTER SYSTEM WOULD COST ABOUT £50.00 to £75.00 TO PUT IN AGAINST £7 TO £10000.00 FO A WATERMAKER. A WATERMAKER NEEDS TO BE COMMISSIONED AT THE START OF THE SEASON AND DECOMMISIONED AT THE END OF THE SEASON. THE COST IS NOT CHEAP.
Click to expand...

What are the running costs of your system?
 
I purchased my filters from Mike Parkin when he installed my Seafari Water Maker.

He is based near Portals and his mobile is 0034 630 613 245.

A very similar system is available from the UK at www.waterfiltershop.co.uk and is listed as ' Watts 4.5inch Triple Full Flow Housing' and is complete with mounting bracket and connections but you could just buy the 3 filter housings and interconnections and assemble the unit yourself.

Filter cartridges I get from the same place and these are 'Ecosoft Reverse Osmosis Pre-Filter set'
and consist of 1 x 5 micron filter, 1 x Carbon Filter and 1 x 1 micron.

I use 2 sets of filters a season and it only takes 10 mins to swop the elements.

WaterFilterShop are very easy to deal with and are reliable.

Due to the very high water pressure in Cala d'Or I only fill the water tank with the dock side tap at one third pressure as at full bore I imagine it could act as a paint stripper!!!!:eek:
 
mersey said:
What are the running costs of your system?
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Hi Meresy,

Just 2 sets of filter elements at £25.00 a set.

Depending on the time you stay on the boat you may be able to reduce this to 1 set per season.

We do use a lot of water and the boat is used a great deal so I do not take any chances.
 
DougH said:
A very similar system is available from the UK at www.waterfiltershop.co.uk and is listed as ' Watts 4.5inch Triple Full Flow Housing' and is complete with mounting bracket and connections but you could just buy the 3 filter housings and interconnections and assemble the unit yourself.
Click to expand...

Thanks Doug. I web chatted with someone at water filter shop. He seemed unsure about use on a boat, saying it was for a house but I guess he was just being cautious. I asked him if it softens the water and he said no. Yet you get a load of calcium in your filter? I soften my water to help to protect the water heater element. Have your water heater elements been ok since you used those filters?
 
PEJ said:
Thanks Doug. I web chatted with someone at water filter shop. He seemed unsure about use on a boat, saying it was for a house but I guess he was just being cautious. I asked him if it softens the water and he said no. Yet you get a load of calcium in your filter? I soften my water to help to protect the water heater element. Have your water heater elements been ok since you used those filters?
Click to expand...

When I change the filter elements the first one in line (5 micron) is very heavy with calcium even with the water drained.

Cannot understand the shops comments as you will see this filtration method on many boats. Usually the owners have them as 3 inter connected filters and leave them free standing on the bathing platform. I just went the extra yard as I got fed up with putting them away when leaving the berth.

This is not a water softening solution but just a water filtering system so I did suffer with immersions blowing each season.

Nowadays I replace both immersions at the start of the season whether they need changing or not.
 
I was also slightly concerned about having to replace heating elements and calcium build up in taps. So I fill my tanks via a wetspot. It does appear to soften the water quite a lot based on a simple test of a drop of soap in a test tube. Hard water equals no soap suds, soft water lots of soap suds. Water direct from the pontoon tap has no soap suds.

Although I might have tried the solutions mentioned above if I had known before.
 
I would be sceptical that a filter a opposed to a water softener will capture dissolved calcium. It could catch calcium solids that happened to be in the pipe ( along with other bits )

A wet spot is a dock side water softener. They are used a lot in the med when boats are washed so you either don’t have to leather it off or if gives you a better chance of a decent job when the sun is evaporating he water faster than you can leather it.

They need regeneration as does any softener.
 
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