Commishioning water tank
- Thread starter Rxman47
- Start date
- Status
Recommission Fresh Water System.
Easier for me to just repost these directions than search...[FONT="]
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[FONT="]The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated. [/FONT]
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[FONT="]Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded…bleach does absolutely nothing to improve the flavor of good Scotch![/FONT]
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[FONT="]1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/4 cup (2 oz or 25 ml) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity. (Those are the “official” directions. They work out to 1 quart or litre of bleach/50 gallons of water , which is MUCH easier to calculate!)[/FONT]
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[FONT="]2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines [/FONT]
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[FONT="]3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.[/FONT]
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[FONT="]4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat. [/FONT]
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[FONT="]5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vessel motion. [/FONT]
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[FONT="]6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filing the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.[/FONT]
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Easier for me to just repost these directions than search...[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated. [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded…bleach does absolutely nothing to improve the flavor of good Scotch![/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/4 cup (2 oz or 25 ml) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity. (Those are the “official” directions. They work out to 1 quart or litre of bleach/50 gallons of water , which is MUCH easier to calculate!)[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat. [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vessel motion. [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filing the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
Peggie,
I believe that both chlorine and vinegar are bad for aluminum (at least for prolonged exposure). I hear about people who suggest putting a charcoal filter between the deck fill and the tank to prevent chlorine for coming in with the hose/tap water.
Would you alter the above procedure for aluminum water tanks?
Chris
PS. I've used chlorine carefully in the past. As well, when I first got my boat I spent a fair bit of time cleaning aluminum oxide bits from my filter and pump (at least that what I believe it was).
I believe that both chlorine and vinegar are bad for aluminum (at least for prolonged exposure). I hear about people who suggest putting a charcoal filter between the deck fill and the tank to prevent chlorine for coming in with the hose/tap water.
Would you alter the above procedure for aluminum water tanks?
Chris
PS. I've used chlorine carefully in the past. As well, when I first got my boat I spent a fair bit of time cleaning aluminum oxide bits from my filter and pump (at least that what I believe it was).
Thaks for the repost, here's how to search for it
Peggie, I find it all the time by doing a search on "recommission" - FYI in future.
Peggie, I find it all the time by doing a search on "recommission" - FYI in future.
I wouldn't use 'em together! The combination of chlorine and vinegar creates an even more lethal gas than chlorine and ammonia!
Adding a litle bleach to each fill is a bad idea for several reasons--it's not enough to accomplish anything and what little benefit there is evaporates within 24 hours, leaving behind only the corrosive properties. However,
neither bleach nor vinegar when used sparingly--only once or twice a year according to the directions I provided--will damage an aluminum water tank
Another bad idea...right up there with bottled water.
Nope. That's been the recommended method for maintaining ALL RV and marine water tanks for several decades...has never caused a single tank failure.
NotCook
.
- Dec 29, 2008
- 806
Peggie, could you explain your statement here? Why would running the water supply through a charcoal filter on the way in be a bad idea? (I understand the bottled water environmental disaster, but not sure how a charcoal filter equates.)
Also, a chemist recommended adding chlorine to the water tank, allowing it to sit for several hours to kill bacteria/germs/critters, then neutralizing the corrosive effects of the chlorine after it had done its sanitation job by adding baking soda to the water, but I don't know the appropriate proportions. Are you familiar with such a process?
Alternatively, what is the appropriate additive to sanitize water, since I have always understood that adding chlorine to the water was THE method?
Thanks!
Filtering going into the tank
removes all protection against the 'critters' that like to grow in water that sits...as people who fill with well water will tell you. If you want to filter, filter at the faucet, not going into the tank.
I don't know how much good baking soda would accomplish...all I can find on it is that it raises the pH level in swimming pools, which would retard the growth of algae (not present in onboard fresh water systems because algae need light) and other 'critters.' I couldn't find any proportions, only discussions indicating you'd need a LOT of it!
I don't know that there is any additive that can be added to each fill that wouldn't require using it in quantities that would make it cost prohibitive.
removes all protection against the 'critters' that like to grow in water that sits...as people who fill with well water will tell you. If you want to filter, filter at the faucet, not going into the tank.
I don't know how much good baking soda would accomplish...all I can find on it is that it raises the pH level in swimming pools, which would retard the growth of algae (not present in onboard fresh water systems because algae need light) and other 'critters.' I couldn't find any proportions, only discussions indicating you'd need a LOT of it!
I don't know that there is any additive that can be added to each fill that wouldn't require using it in quantities that would make it cost prohibitive.
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