Sterilising water system

B

brians

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
505
Visit site
What is quickest effective method of sterilising the water tank and pipework etc. after the winter layup?
 
The cheapest household bleach (eg Tesco Value bleach), followed by rinsing several times by filling with fresh water and emptying tank.
 
If the tank is in bad state then thin domestic bleach by all means. You will have to calculate the dose rate from a knowledge of the chlorine content of the bleach

If not all that bad use Milton at the rate recommended for caravan water tanks etc.
Dosing the water going into the tank now and then at the rate recommended for dosing drinking water will help to keep the system clean

http://www.milton-tm.com/caravanning_and_camping.html
 
I use Aquatabs start of season and maybe once or twice during the year. Slight taste and smell but not enough that you need to flush and by the second tank full it's gone.
 
neale said:
I use Aquatabs start of season and maybe once or twice during the year. Slight taste and smell but not enough that you need to flush and by the second tank full it's gone.
Click to expand...

Aquatabs contain sodium dichloroisocyanurate. A source of chlorine but in solid form.
 
I don't really understand this question. We've seen our boat through seven winters now and have never had to add anything to the tanks. The water is as drinkable as ever - why put chlorine in it?
 
ukmctc said:
++1 Milton fluid, empty a bottle of milton in a full tank and draw through until empty. when you want to use it again fill and empty then add a cap full of miltons every other tankful.
Click to expand...

30 cm³ per per 5 litres is the recommended dose rate for tank sterilising.
(about 12 cm³ / 5 litres if you are using domestic bleach)

2.5 cm³ per 5 litres is the recommended dose rate for treating water.
 
Tank Sterilising

The answer to cleaning a FW system and not having it taste foul afterwards is in following the advice of Peggy Hall, popularly known as "The Head Mistress" seen giving the appropriate advice here:

http://www.boatbanter.com/showthread.php?t=7403

I have followed her advice and used 5% mixture of household bleach and water and then followed up with the vinegar (white not brown) 'kill the chlorine' treatment.

It works.
 
Hoolie said:
I don't really understand this question. We've seen our boat through seven winters now and have never had to add anything to the tanks. The water is as drinkable as ever - why put chlorine in it?
Click to expand...

I cleaned mine (using chlorine) this year for the first time in several years. When flushing through there were an awful lot of black bits in the water. They grow on the inside of the pipes and tank. We use a carbon filter so the water always tastes OK.
I would be very surprised if your pipes and tank don't have a coating.
 
We use a quarter cup of bleach per 40 gallons. Make sure you run the taps a bit to get bleach in the pipes. Leave it for 12 hous and less than 24, empty the tank then fill the tank. Then empty the tank again and fill again.
 
Picking up on the topic, I've a 150l f/w tank which was not used for a while (1-2 years), its still disconnected so no hoses, just the tank....I did flush out with water, nothing bad appeared but want to clean out properly so would chlorine do the trick or is it better to buy Miltons or Puriclean?
 
tomdmx said:
Picking up on the topic, I've a 150l f/w tank which was not used for a while (1-2 years), its still disconnected so no hoses, just the tank....I did flush out with water, nothing bad appeared but want to clean out properly so would chlorine do the trick or is it better to buy Miltons or Puriclean?
Click to expand...

Milton and Puriclean are just other forms of chlorine, made specifically for sterilising food and drink related systems. Chlorine in its pure form is very nasty stuff - we and the Germans used to lob it at each other across the trenches in WW1. All these purifiers are chemicals of one kind or another that release some chlorine into water. Milton is just food grade laundry bleach - if you can find a plain, unadulterated bleach on sale with no special perfume and nothing to thicken it up, there is no reason why you should not use it.
 
tomdmx said:
Picking up on the topic, I've a 150l f/w tank which was not used for a while (1-2 years), its still disconnected so no hoses, just the tank....I did flush out with water, nothing bad appeared but want to clean out properly so would chlorine do the trick or is it better to buy Miltons or Puriclean?
Click to expand...

If you think it requires sterilising before use and have some thin domestic chlorine bleach use that , but rinse out well.

Milton is also chlorine based but only about 40% of the concentration of domestic bleach Aquatabs mentioned earlier in the thread are also a source of chlorine.

The link I gave earlier to Milton's website suggests a dose rate for caravan tank cleaning and also for dosing drinking water.

If you use domestic bleach use it at about 40% of the rate suggested for Milton

The rate which Kellyseye suggests is lower than the rate Milton suggest.

I have not done the arithmetic to see how the rate Peggy Hall suggests compares but I am sure you can trust her wisdom

I do not know for sure what Puriclean is. A chlorine source also I believe
 
Last edited:
I agree why put chemicals in.If you wash the tank out with fresh water, which contains chlorine, there shoudnt be a problem.We never drink water out the tap unless its boiled.If going away on boat I drain the tank and refill.Never had a problem.
 
maby said:
Milton and Puriclean are just other forms of chlorine, made specifically for sterilising food and drink related systems. Chlorine in its pure form is very nasty stuff - we and the Germans used to lob it at each other across the trenches in WW1. All these purifiers are chemicals of one kind or another that release some chlorine into water. Milton is just food grade laundry bleach - if you can find a plain, unadulterated bleach on sale with no special perfume and nothing to thicken it up, there is no reason why you should not use it.
Click to expand...
I dont think the Manufacturers will agree with that statement.
In fact it is not true.
Both contain sodium hypochlorite but apart from that the composition of Milton is quite different to that of domestic bleach.

The impurities that may be present in commercial sodium hypochlorite are the reason why you should not use it, or if you do to rinse it out thoroughly. Milton does not have to be rinsed out, merely drained. It is safe enough to use to treat drinking water.
 
nedmin said:
I agree why put chemicals in.If you wash the tank out with fresh water, which contains chlorine, there shoudnt be a problem.We never drink water out the tap unless its boiled.If going away on boat I drain the tank and refill.Never had a problem.
Click to expand...

Is Milton suitable for Plastimo flexi tanks, and how much would I use to clean out a 100 ltr tank?
C_W
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

O
One for the plumbers
Replies
9
Views
377
Overandunder
O

Share this page

Top