Just bought MH - couple of gas and water queries

[Sibsbibs]

Hi there,

Thank you all who helped us narrow our choices for a MH - just a quick couple of queries:

1. Shutting off gas when travelling. If we shut off the gas at the gas bottles, do we also have to close each of the appliance valves in the MH too, or unnecessary if all closed off at source?

2. I've read various bits of advice about purifying/refreshing water tank. A video and the manual suggested a-flush through with white wine vinegar solution. The suggestion is that this helps keep nasties at bay (though I'll carry on using a filter jug straight from campsite tap for drinking - as we did with our old caravan). Another advantage mentioned was a descaling effect on water heater. Any views? And why white wine vinegar rather than white vinegar? A different ph I assume? We've got really hard water where we live, so a gentle periodic descaling sounds like a good idea, if it works and doesn't damage anything?

Thanks a lot

 

[Minxy]

I can never understand people who turn the gas off when they go to bed and scuttle outside in the early hours to turn the gas on to make a cuppa.

Never heard of that before! They must be nuts!

 

[Bonkers the Dog]

I also heard that using chlorine based cleaning fluids can damage heating and plumbing systems. I think it was to do with a chemical reaction with the plastics. I think it was on one of Diamond Dave's you tube slots. I think he advised citric acid as an alternative.

We have nice soft Scottish water here so calcification is not an issue.

I flush the tanks and taps after every use. Only takes a few minutes. I will introduce a regular sterilising regime soon, I hear citric acid is good, or vinegar...

 

[peterc10]

I also heard that using chlorine based cleaning fluids can damage heating and plumbing systems. I think it was to do with a chemical reaction with the plastics. I think it was on one of Diamond Dave's you tube slots. I think he advised citric acid as an alternative.

We have nice soft Scottish water here so calcification is not an issue.

I flush the tanks and taps after every use. Only takes a few minutes. I will introduce a regular sterilising regime soon, I hear citric acid is good, or vinegar...

We use citric acid. Buy it in bulk from Amazon or fleabay. Make sure it is food grade.

 

[Minxy]

I also heard that using chlorine based cleaning fluids can damage heating and plumbing systems. I think it was to do with a chemical reaction with the plastics. I think it was on one of Diamond Dave's you tube slots. I think he advised citric acid as an alternative.

@dave newell lvs

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[Puddleduck]

The on board water tank is for washing and cleaning (bodies, dishes, van) and we carry drinking water with us. The drinking water containers are emptied and refilled daily (at least) and kept in the dark.

We have two gas safety cut off thingies, one was standard on the van when we bought it and the other fitted by Autogas 2000 as part of the Alugas system. They are on the same main feed line but one is in the gas locker and the other further down the line so if we forget to turn the gas off at the bottle it's not a major issue. The gas is ALWAYS turned off at the bottle if we are fueling of course.

We don't turn off at the appliances as a previous van had the plastic turn off taps and they had been used so often the square plastic fitting that goes on the metal turn off valve/gate nut had become stretched and round so didn't actually do anything. I don't trust that sort of plastic effort now and if I needed to turn off an appliance I'd use a spanner on the metal nut - I'm not going to do that on every appliance before every journey.