The water tank on my 1979 CSY 33 is made of fiberglass and built into the hull below the cabin sole. I had the boat for almost 7 years and have not had any propblems with the quality of the drinking water until last year or so. After about a day, the water takes on a chemical kind of taste and smell...Not really strong, just a bit un-pleasant. We have always filtered the drinking water and have tried different filters, up to the 377 series carbon impregnated high-end filter that is rated at 0.5 micron. And it makes no difference. Have tried the clorox and shock treatment, but that is mostly for bacterias, not for chemical problems. Today I opened up a couple of inspection ports in the tank and found it squeaky clean inside, no black stuff or mold, just a little bit of white debris floating in the bottom. (The tank is empty, but it has several compartments with a 1/4" lip in each, so one can never completely empty the tank without getting in there.) I have a hunch that some old caulk/sealants is breaking down and that is the white particles donw there. Not sure if it is 5200 or silicon, or 101 or whatever. The caulk is there, I think, to support a longitudinal bulkead in a groove in the bottom of the tank, not to seal, but to keep it snug. It MAY be possible to peel out most of it with a dentist's tool, then squeeze something else in there, or just leave it alone. There is no signs of blisters or any other problems like cracks in the gelcoat or some such thing. The only other thing I can think of was that I installed a float for an electric tank gauge a few years ago. (WEMA) Wonder if that thing would have some kind of chemical reaction with lightly chlorinated water..? The tank is 157 gallons with several baffles and it is almost impossible to get to all of it on the inside. I may also need to re-seal the oulet on the bottom, what kind of sealant is safe for water tanks? Silicon...? Any suggestions....? (No, ain't selling the boat.. )
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What does it smell or taste like?
Most organic chemicals will be removed by carbon. Are you sure of the filter? Is it new? Did or do you add anything else to the water itself? Chlorine (Chlorox) will react with many things and the sealant is but one. Aluminum is another but it makes an insoluble salt. The salt will get stirred up and float. Your filter should remove it anyway. Some sealants will release ammonia when it cures but that should have happened a long time ago. Does the float you added have metal parts? Have you looked at these parts for corrosion? Did you use a sealant when you installed it? Is that ok visibly? Did you smell it lately? Did the problem start before or after treatment? What did you do in the last year that might effect the water quality? Did you get water from some place new or unusual? Do you smell and or taste it before you put it into your tank? Have you checked the water lines which are downstream from the filter? Do you have a new pump? You can check (taste and smell) the water at various places in the plumbing and tell a lot. I would not remove the caulk (or anything else) which has been there for 7 years unless you have some indication of it causing the problem.
Most organic chemicals will be removed by carbon. Are you sure of the filter? Is it new? Did or do you add anything else to the water itself? Chlorine (Chlorox) will react with many things and the sealant is but one. Aluminum is another but it makes an insoluble salt. The salt will get stirred up and float. Your filter should remove it anyway. Some sealants will release ammonia when it cures but that should have happened a long time ago. Does the float you added have metal parts? Have you looked at these parts for corrosion? Did you use a sealant when you installed it? Is that ok visibly? Did you smell it lately? Did the problem start before or after treatment? What did you do in the last year that might effect the water quality? Did you get water from some place new or unusual? Do you smell and or taste it before you put it into your tank? Have you checked the water lines which are downstream from the filter? Do you have a new pump? You can check (taste and smell) the water at various places in the plumbing and tell a lot. I would not remove the caulk (or anything else) which has been there for 7 years unless you have some indication of it causing the problem.
Silicone in the tank....
Well, there is no metal parts in the tnak that I know of. Been working on the tank since I started this thread and found silcone sealant in the bottom that I used to seal the mushroom fitting for the outlet. There was also some old Life Seal, or Life Caulk and teflon tape. No, have not gotten any water from strange sources, right here in my back yard, regular city tap water. Yes, have tasted and smelled the water from 3 different "sources" : 1) From the filtered system 2) From the regular un-filtered system (Have 2 pumps and 2 accumulators with separate plumbing,...Almost no difference in taste or smell. 3) Took a sample from the bottom of the tank with no hoses or plumbing. Took a swig and a sniff from each of the 3 samples, all the same. So it is not hose related, thought of that before and shocked the hoses and everything else then rinsed in case there was stuff growing in there. Again, this here taste and smell seems to be chemical in nature and not organic. After every cruise, from 5 days to 4 weeks, I always drain the tank and before the next cruise I rinse it before filling it up. Therefore it should not be a case of stagnant water, or a certain taste of smell that builds up over several months. When I fill the tank, the water is fresh initially, but after a day or so it takes on that strange taste and smell..We still drink it, but it is getting old. No cleaned out all the old silicone and other caulks, then going to scrub the bottom and sides, or as much as I can reach, then rinse again and try...Hopefully there will be a difference. Or perhaps wishfull thinking.
Well, there is no metal parts in the tnak that I know of. Been working on the tank since I started this thread and found silcone sealant in the bottom that I used to seal the mushroom fitting for the outlet. There was also some old Life Seal, or Life Caulk and teflon tape. No, have not gotten any water from strange sources, right here in my back yard, regular city tap water. Yes, have tasted and smelled the water from 3 different "sources" : 1) From the filtered system 2) From the regular un-filtered system (Have 2 pumps and 2 accumulators with separate plumbing,...Almost no difference in taste or smell. 3) Took a sample from the bottom of the tank with no hoses or plumbing. Took a swig and a sniff from each of the 3 samples, all the same. So it is not hose related, thought of that before and shocked the hoses and everything else then rinsed in case there was stuff growing in there. Again, this here taste and smell seems to be chemical in nature and not organic. After every cruise, from 5 days to 4 weeks, I always drain the tank and before the next cruise I rinse it before filling it up. Therefore it should not be a case of stagnant water, or a certain taste of smell that builds up over several months. When I fill the tank, the water is fresh initially, but after a day or so it takes on that strange taste and smell..We still drink it, but it is getting old. No cleaned out all the old silicone and other caulks, then going to scrub the bottom and sides, or as much as I can reach, then rinse again and try...Hopefully there will be a difference. Or perhaps wishfull thinking.
Filters
Well, in the past, before I had the problem I changed filters once a year or so. When I noticed the smell and taste I have been changing filter every time I go out for a short cruise..Each fliter has probably no more than 50 or 100 gallons in the log. After I opened up the tank the smell and taste is from the tank for sure..Sticking my nose in there, it smells very familiar. Going to clean it good, use O rings instead of caulk on the thru hole and hope for the best. Not sure what else I could do? Recoat the whole tank would be a bigger job than I can imagine due to all the angles and baffles and small inspection ports. The inside surface is gelcoat and it is not slimy or durty, squeaky clean actually. (I have read your book Peggy and also used one of the head chemicals you sell and is recommended by Raritan...I have a PH II and love it. Well, as much as ya can get warm and fuzzy feelings for a head...
Well, in the past, before I had the problem I changed filters once a year or so. When I noticed the smell and taste I have been changing filter every time I go out for a short cruise..Each fliter has probably no more than 50 or 100 gallons in the log. After I opened up the tank the smell and taste is from the tank for sure..Sticking my nose in there, it smells very familiar. Going to clean it good, use O rings instead of caulk on the thru hole and hope for the best. Not sure what else I could do? Recoat the whole tank would be a bigger job than I can imagine due to all the angles and baffles and small inspection ports. The inside surface is gelcoat and it is not slimy or durty, squeaky clean actually. (I have read your book Peggy and also used one of the head chemicals you sell and is recommended by Raritan...I have a PH II and love it. Well, as much as ya can get warm and fuzzy feelings for a head...
Out of sequence?
Hmm, I am new to this board and just noticed my respones to each poster is a bit out of sequence, not just below the question. What is going on here? Have I been smoking to much crack again..
Hmm, I am new to this board and just noticed my respones to each poster is a bit out of sequence, not just below the question. What is going on here? Have I been smoking to much crack again..
posting times
Check your posting times verses location. Your inital post was at 6:23 Florida time. Peggy's first response was at 6:36 (not sure where from but then Patrick was at 7:06 Pacific time. Your next three posts are at 10:27, :34, then :37, again florida time. I suspect that may explain the sequencing. I also note that if I am really taking my time responding to a post, several other posters on line at the same time, may get in ahead of me, and my post will be out of sequence. Just as a test, my local time presently is 1:05 Central DST. Let's see what the posting time to the left is.
Check your posting times verses location. Your inital post was at 6:23 Florida time. Peggy's first response was at 6:36 (not sure where from but then Patrick was at 7:06 Pacific time. Your next three posts are at 10:27, :34, then :37, again florida time. I suspect that may explain the sequencing. I also note that if I am really taking my time responding to a post, several other posters on line at the same time, may get in ahead of me, and my post will be out of sequence. Just as a test, my local time presently is 1:05 Central DST. Let's see what the posting time to the left is.
ah ha!
As I suspected. The posting time is the time of the forum location, in this case obviously Pacific time.
As I suspected. The posting time is the time of the forum location, in this case obviously Pacific time.
All posts are time stamped Pacific time.
Regardless of which time zone the poster is in...'Cuz the servers are in CA.
Regardless of which time zone the poster is in...'Cuz the servers are in CA.
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