Water Tank Questions

[Boris the Tug]

This is my second newbie post to better understand how to care for my R-21EC that I just bought last month (first boat!) Now that I have my bilge all figured out, cleaned, and screens installed on the drains, I'm on to the water tank.

I want to fill the water tank and start using the sink.

Should I use some sort of cleaner first and run a few tanks through to clean it out? Add a few drops of bleach?

Is there any mantainence I should do on the water pump, vents, drains?

According to the records and condition overall, my used 2008 was probably sitting in the wet Oregon climate for 5 years unprotected.

 

[baz]

At a minimum personally I would pour at least 1/2 cup of bleach into the water tank. Then turn on the sink faucet for a short while to get some water into the line. Then leave things alone for several hrs or even a whole day. This should kill off any bacteria and other nasty stuff.

Now flush the water tank and lines out 3 or 4 times to get rid of all the bleach residues.

I have an in-ground heated sauna-type pool that holds some 950 gallons. Each spring I pour in 2 gallons of bleach and back flush the whole system a bit to get the bleach mixed up and for it to occupy the sand filter and all the underground pipes. I leave it for a day and completely back flush the 950 gallons and subsequently drain the pool completely before filling it with fresh water. Nasty stuff can accumulate in water if left for several months. Even some small critters can arrive over winter in my pool as well.... :lol:

Personally I never use the boat's fresh water as I don't trust it for being drinkable. I use bottled water instead.

Good luck, and I'm sure others will chip in with their own advice. 🙂

 

[NorthernFocus]

Chlorine bleach. Baz's suggestions are good ones. Half a jug of bleach, fill with water, make sure you get the entire system full of the bleach solution and let it sit for 24 hours. Then flush the system until you don't(or barely) smell the bleach. Good to go.

But... if the system was left with water in it for months/years, there may be a significant amount of algae in the system. It's not hard to kill but can be difficult to get the dead bodies out.

 

[Bruce Moore]

We have always commissioned our potable water tank by cycling solutions of bleach and white vinegar. Over many seasons we learned the final, and best, treatment is a bottle of cheap vodka. Results in a clean, sweet potable water. We also filter twice - out of the source, and into the tank - with RV canister filters. The vodka - cheap plastic bottle vodka - is the secret.

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Todd]

Don't use that much bleach. It can have negative effects on the system. Proper disinfection is 1/2 teaspoon per 10 gal water. You can safely double or triple this but 1/2 gal in a 20 or 30 gal tank is way too much.

The secrets to good water is 1. start with a clean system. 2. always fill with a trusted source, never use the hose near the pump out, in fact I normally use my own hose and even flush that good. 3. Use lots of water while on the boat so it does not stay in the tank too long although it is an approved plastic tank so this should not matter. How long can the bottled water stay in the plastic jug?

I use the boat often and use lots of water to keep it fresh and trust it for all me domestic needs. Never had a problem. The municipal water I fill from undergoes the same quality testing and disinfection as the bottled stuff so if I don't contaminant the water then there is no reason not to use it.

 

[Stevan47]

Guys: just to add to the good advice responses: down here in Australia we have a product called MILTON which is specifically produced as a steriliser for babies milk bottles and feeding utensils. All new mothers know of this product. There are also other similar brand names, but MILTON is the most used. I have been using this in my water tank every so often and it does a great job. If it works for babies, it must be good good for 'boaties'. I believe it has a small bleach content. Just add whatever is specified for the water tank volume and then flush it out. After that, refill the tank and you are good to go. Hope this helps. Regards to all, Stevan.

 

[knotflying]

I think 1/2 gallon is a lot also. What I usually do is put in about 4 oz. of bleach and about 6 of gallons of water and draw the solution through all the fausets and let it sit a few hours. This will also fill the hot water tank. My thinking is that with a tank that has been sitting probably had some water at the bottom and that is where a lot of algae growth took place. Flush that out and then put in a cup of bleach and fill the tank, draw the water through the faucets and let that sit for a day. Empty again and put in about 3 teaspoons of bleach and fill the tank. Use the water for washing dishes etc. but don't drink it. I always use a couple of teaspoons of Clorox when I fill my tank. After a few new fills with water I use it sparingly for domestic use. I usually carry bottled water and a few gallon jugs of water. I refill the jugs at the dock and every few weeks buy new jugs with water and then reuse them for a while. We are still alive and no hair on the palms of my hands. :lol:

 

[Phil Nersessian]

When I got my new boat I unknowingly had a lot of plastic shavings from the drilling of the holes and caulk residue in my water tank. I literally flushed it in excess of 20 times and am still dealing with it. If I had it to do over I would disconnect the output line and do all the flushing with a portable drill pump or such so that all my faucets,aerators, valves and pump would not get so gummed up with it.

 

[BradOwens]

When we bought our boat, there was a 3M water filter that the previous owner had installed in line, just after the water pump. This filtered all the water used on board. 3M no longer makes cartridges for that system, so we just installed a filter system from RV Water Store. The system cost $79.00 U.S. and replacement cartridges are only $19.95. We plan on replacing the cartridge once a year, so that's pretty cheap for safe, great tasting water.

 

[Dale777]

Water Tank Purification Procedure for R31S

1. Use Clorox “Regular” Bleach
2. 1 oz. = 2 U.S. tablespoons
3. 1 oz. = 6 U.S. teaspoons
4. 1 cup = 8 oz or 16 tablespoons or 48 teaspoons
5. Use about 8 oz. Clorox Regular for every 10 gallons of fresh water for a full clean out. Or, a whole lot less if the tank is relatively clean (1/2 teaspoon per 10 gallons fresh water), already.
a. Reference: https://www.clorox.com/dr-laundry/bleac ... ter-tanks/

6. For a FULL clean-out of an R31S (with 80 gallon fresh water tank plus 10 gallon hot water tank = 90 gallons), follow this procedure:
a. 90/10 gallons = 9 units of 10 gallons. Then 9 units x 8 oz per 10 gallons = 72 oz Clorox per 90 gallons water
b. Empty fresh water tank by running hot and cold faucets.
c. Fill tank ½ full with fresh water.
d. Add 72 oz. Clorox Regular mixed in a water container to fresh water tank.
e. Fill tank full of fresh water
f. Run water through all lines and water heater
g. Let sit for 30 minutes
h. Flush until Clorox smell dissipates
i. Add baking soda or vinegar mixed in a water container to the fresh water tank to remove any Clorox smell. Or, add 1/5 vodka to the fresh water tank.

7. So, the mixture is between ½ teaspoon Clorox and 8 oz. Clorox per 10 gallons water, depending on the condition of your tank. I have tended to use about 1 oz. per 10 gallons water; that usually works well. This is what I have done on both my boats and motorhomes.

 

[stwendl]

If I were to fill the tank entirely with vodka could I still cross the border claiming that I am cleaning my water tank :?

 

[JamesTXSD]

Oh my goodness, do NOT put a half gallon of bleach in a 10 gallon water tank (for the R21ec) - serious overkill, and likely to cause damage to rubber parts on your pump. With a 10 gallon tank, a half cup of bleach would be more than enough to "shock" the system. Do not pour the bleach directly into the tank - mix it with a gallon or so of water, and pour that into the tank. Run the faucets until you smell bleach, then let the system sit overnight. Pump out the tank, run more fresh water in, pump that out. If you still smell bleach, you can put a small bit of baking soda in water and put that in the fresh water tank.

Once sanitized, a few drops of beach will be enough to keep the 10 gallon tank safe for using, as long as you are turning the water over regularly. If it sits for more than a couple weeks without use, I would put just a bit more bleach in the water at the next fill, and do the flushing again.

We have been using (and drinking from) our fresh water tanks in boats and RVs for decades, and have never run into an issue by using this method.

 

[Cutwater28GG]

is there any guidance on running the faucet pump for long periods of time to drain the tank multiple times? seems like a lot of work for the little pump.

 

[Boris the Tug]

Well certainly some variations in responses. I trust all these based on personal experiences and tank conditions. Here's what I decided based on all your great feedback.

Initial clean out - I opted to take the risk and go high on the bleach. I did 1 qt. for my 10,gallon tank. Then let sit for a day and flushed out several times. Might try the baking soda and vodka as a follow up if needed, like those ideas. Especially the vodka! I went with higher concentrate bleach because I bought the boat used and have no idea what it's been through already over 10 years. The higher bleach gives me better piece of mind and willing to take the risk on o-rings, and rubber parts. After all, my washing machine has rubber parts too and I don't plan on doing this every season, just this once. That said,there was quite a bit of bleach in the discharge.

Every season - clean out with 4-8 oz. of bleach, let sit 24 hours, then flush, baking soda, vodka etc.

Daily use - a few drops of bleach in each tank. I don't plan on drinking from the tank unless it's a survival situation.

Other than the tank, What should I do to check/maintain the water pump, or any of the lines?

Thanks everyone!