My 79 H 33 has the original aluminum water tank situated under the v berth area. I would really like to clean out this tank and inspect the inside. Has anybody installed an access cleanout port in the top of this tank? If so where and what size is it and does it do the job. I would really like to clean out this tank and inspect the inside
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Ed Schenck
Feel the same way, but how?
Our H37C has two 50-gal. tanks, one under each settee. The access panels over the gauges are at the ends of the tank. So even if I cut a six-inch port how much of the tank will I see and be able to clean? Other option, I guess, is to cut another access panel in the fiberglass nearer the center of the tank. Then a 6-inch round cleanout port might be adequate.
Our H37C has two 50-gal. tanks, one under each settee. The access panels over the gauges are at the ends of the tank. So even if I cut a six-inch port how much of the tank will I see and be able to clean? Other option, I guess, is to cut another access panel in the fiberglass nearer the center of the tank. Then a 6-inch round cleanout port might be adequate.
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Gene Gruender
cleanouts
I have out cleanouts in my tanks. Mine is a H37 Cutter like Ed's, but it should be about the same regardless. I can't give details on the 33, but on my 37 Cutter, there are 3 sections on the tank on one side, 2 on the other. I think the 3 is on the port side - Rainbow Chaser is 200 miles away so I can't check quickly. I simply cut a round hole for a 6" deck plate in the center of each compartment, then bolted the deck plate in. I used the screw in type, and find that if I use a bit of silicon grease (get it from a dive shop) on the o-ring, you can easily tighten it enough that it doesn't leak. If you start at the end of the tank with the gauge, you can probe with a wire and find the baffle. Center your opening i that section, cut your first hole, then you can look inside with a mirror and figure out the rest of the tank and where the other baffle(s) are at. You can get the deck plates with clear plastic screw-in covers and tell your water level without opening the tank. When I got inside my tanks I was shocked at how much calcium there was in there. I quite literally got out a couple gallons from each tank. What was worse, under the deposits that had grown on the aluminum, the aluminum was pitted very deeply. In one case, the deck plate had to go under the flat settee bottom, which was glass over plywood. I cut a hole for an 8" pry-out type deck plate in the wood/glass, and then put a 6" screw in one in the tank. By the way, Ed, our water tanks on our 37 cutter are really only 45 gallons each. (Find the manufacturer's plate under the carpet) And, on the starboard side, the fill and vent are on the end, which means that they will end up with an air pocket at the top and you can't even get the 45 gallons in that one.
I have out cleanouts in my tanks. Mine is a H37 Cutter like Ed's, but it should be about the same regardless. I can't give details on the 33, but on my 37 Cutter, there are 3 sections on the tank on one side, 2 on the other. I think the 3 is on the port side - Rainbow Chaser is 200 miles away so I can't check quickly. I simply cut a round hole for a 6" deck plate in the center of each compartment, then bolted the deck plate in. I used the screw in type, and find that if I use a bit of silicon grease (get it from a dive shop) on the o-ring, you can easily tighten it enough that it doesn't leak. If you start at the end of the tank with the gauge, you can probe with a wire and find the baffle. Center your opening i that section, cut your first hole, then you can look inside with a mirror and figure out the rest of the tank and where the other baffle(s) are at. You can get the deck plates with clear plastic screw-in covers and tell your water level without opening the tank. When I got inside my tanks I was shocked at how much calcium there was in there. I quite literally got out a couple gallons from each tank. What was worse, under the deposits that had grown on the aluminum, the aluminum was pitted very deeply. In one case, the deck plate had to go under the flat settee bottom, which was glass over plywood. I cut a hole for an 8" pry-out type deck plate in the wood/glass, and then put a 6" screw in one in the tank. By the way, Ed, our water tanks on our 37 cutter are really only 45 gallons each. (Find the manufacturer's plate under the carpet) And, on the starboard side, the fill and vent are on the end, which means that they will end up with an air pocket at the top and you can't even get the 45 gallons in that one.
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Ed Schenck
Thanks Gene, that is good info. . . .
for anyone considering water tank maintenance. I would never have considered baffles sectioning the tanks that way.
for anyone considering water tank maintenance. I would never have considered baffles sectioning the tanks that way.
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steven f.
check with the headmistress
The head mistress has written several articles about cleaning and maintaince of water tanks. I've used her advise and find that my H2O tank is clean and smells fresh for months at a time. By the way, I own a 1981 H33. Basicially she say's to add some bleach (check the forums for the exact amounts recommended) to the tank, run the water through ALL fixtures than let it sit fow a while. Than drain all the water out and refill with clean water. Do this once or twice a year and all will (at least it has been with me) fine. Now if your tank is leaking that's another thing....
The head mistress has written several articles about cleaning and maintaince of water tanks. I've used her advise and find that my H2O tank is clean and smells fresh for months at a time. By the way, I own a 1981 H33. Basicially she say's to add some bleach (check the forums for the exact amounts recommended) to the tank, run the water through ALL fixtures than let it sit fow a while. Than drain all the water out and refill with clean water. Do this once or twice a year and all will (at least it has been with me) fine. Now if your tank is leaking that's another thing....
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
The article Steve's referring to is in...
...the the Head Mistress forum reference library. It's called "Fresh Water Maintenance."
...the the Head Mistress forum reference library. It's called "Fresh Water Maintenance."
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Gene Gruender
Different problem.
The advice to use bleach as a shock treatment to keep the water fresh is good advice. I use it, and Peggy's methods work great. However, it is treating a different problem than I was talking about with the calcium buildup in the tank. The bleach treatment won't help this problem. I would expect that you could use a light and a mirror to inspect at least a part of the tank to see if there is any calcium deposits in the tank before attacking it. If you can inspect the section that includes the gauge and find no deposits, I would expect that the rest of the tank would be ok. Again, just guessing, I expect the severity of the deposit problem would vary on your water.
The advice to use bleach as a shock treatment to keep the water fresh is good advice. I use it, and Peggy's methods work great. However, it is treating a different problem than I was talking about with the calcium buildup in the tank. The bleach treatment won't help this problem. I would expect that you could use a light and a mirror to inspect at least a part of the tank to see if there is any calcium deposits in the tank before attacking it. If you can inspect the section that includes the gauge and find no deposits, I would expect that the rest of the tank would be ok. Again, just guessing, I expect the severity of the deposit problem would vary on your water.
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Garry Elmer
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Terry Arnold
H 33 water tank gage not
No gage in H 33 tank. The posting to my original question about cleanout ports that mentioned gage was for H 37C. With no H 33 responses, I plan to just center the exposed top surface under the v berth and install probably a 6 " screw in port. I hope that a shop vac can reach all the crannies and clean the thing out. The reference to the head mistress forum for water tank maintenance is a good one I'm sure but for a 21 year old tank, all reports are that it is literally full of gunk. I want it out.
No gage in H 33 tank. The posting to my original question about cleanout ports that mentioned gage was for H 37C. With no H 33 responses, I plan to just center the exposed top surface under the v berth and install probably a 6 " screw in port. I hope that a shop vac can reach all the crannies and clean the thing out. The reference to the head mistress forum for water tank maintenance is a good one I'm sure but for a 21 year old tank, all reports are that it is literally full of gunk. I want it out.
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Sam Lust
Of course I have!
I put a Beckson 6" port in my water tank a couple of winters ago. The inside of the tank was beyond disgusting. Enough to make one swear off of water! I placed the port about dead center in the opening under the V-berth. Tried cutting the hole with a General Tools arbor style hole cutter in a half inch drill. Ineffective and dangerous, but it did give me a good scribed circle for my sawzall to follow. Discovered there's a baffle running across the tank right at that point which didn't make hole cutting any easier. Drilled and tapped holes and drew the port down into lots of silicone, with nuts on the inside just to be sure. The screw off cover is clear which allows me to visually check the level. The 6" port is big enough to get inside the tank and scrub. I use a car wash brush to scrub inside. Last time I think I used Ajax or Comet Gel. Lots of rinse water and sucked the dregs out with a wet-dry vac. I scrub the thing each spring but I still get some kind of crusty stuff growing in there. Go figure.
I put a Beckson 6" port in my water tank a couple of winters ago. The inside of the tank was beyond disgusting. Enough to make one swear off of water! I placed the port about dead center in the opening under the V-berth. Tried cutting the hole with a General Tools arbor style hole cutter in a half inch drill. Ineffective and dangerous, but it did give me a good scribed circle for my sawzall to follow. Discovered there's a baffle running across the tank right at that point which didn't make hole cutting any easier. Drilled and tapped holes and drew the port down into lots of silicone, with nuts on the inside just to be sure. The screw off cover is clear which allows me to visually check the level. The 6" port is big enough to get inside the tank and scrub. I use a car wash brush to scrub inside. Last time I think I used Ajax or Comet Gel. Lots of rinse water and sucked the dregs out with a wet-dry vac. I scrub the thing each spring but I still get some kind of crusty stuff growing in there. Go figure.
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Nathan Shawl
Calcium Deposits
If the water in the tank came from a well, I would say it came out of calcium deposits (limestone) in the ground. What's the difference? I wouldn't be too concerned with getting every bit out of the tank. I add some bleach and automatic dishwasher soap twice each season, and that seems to do the job. A filter ahead of the pump keeps that from clogging up.
If the water in the tank came from a well, I would say it came out of calcium deposits (limestone) in the ground. What's the difference? I wouldn't be too concerned with getting every bit out of the tank. I add some bleach and automatic dishwasher soap twice each season, and that seems to do the job. A filter ahead of the pump keeps that from clogging up.
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