Water tank sterilising

[Cardiffboy]

Hi, I have a 20 ltr fresh water and 25 ltr waste water tanks behind the kitchen, inside back doors.
Question is, should I sterilise them?
If so, what with? And how often?
I only use the water once boiled ( except for brushing my teeth)
Look forward to answers

 

[Riverbankannie]

I do mine once a year after winter break. I use Puriclean and after introducing into fresh water tank pull it through the taps and leave in waste tank for a while.

 

[M-J]

I do mine once a year after winter break. I use Puriclean and after introducing into fresh water tank pull it through the taps and leave in waste tank for a while.

+1

 

[StillGoing]

I use white vinegar to descale the hot and cold water system. You can get 5l containers of it from Amazon.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Citric acid, use for all the pipework, tanks, and boiler. Do it in the spring, rinse through well, then good to go for the season. Occasionally, I retreat the cold storage tank as I have noted on frequent inspections there's quite often a brown residue in the bottom of the tank.
Mike.

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[treblid]

I use white vinegar to descale the hot and cold water system

Citric acid, use for all the pipework, tanks, and boiler

I thought acid based products should never be used in boilers?

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I thought acid based products should never be used in boilers?

My routine, Citric [Use food grade granules] is safe on stainless. Fill the system, and boiler with a solution [ 1 tablespoon per ltr. Mine takes approx 15ltr to fill the system] turn on the hot water and heat it , apply the "boost " setting once, leave to stand for a couple of hours. replenish the cold tank, which will rinse that. Pump hot solution into the grey tank, through all the drainage outlets, this will clean the waste pipes as well. When the solution weakens off, [ you can dip your finger under the running water, it's not poisonous just very sharp taste] catch that water in a bowl [ to dispose of separately] so as not to weaken off the solution in the grey tank. Now take the van for a drive let the solution slosh about in the grey tank. Return home and drain off all the tanks as if doing a winter shut down, back blow through the taps to clear them ,now every thing is clean and ready for that seasons travels.
CHECK the taps the next day if possible to make sure no sticky solution was left in the tap body.
Others no doubt have their own go to additive and cleaning regime.
Mike.

 

[hja]

Once a year around spring, puriclean into fresh tank as per instructions on tub. Pump on to fill boiler and all pipe work. Leave overnight. Empty, mostly through taps to get water into waste tank. Drain fresh water system completely, including boiler. Fill up with fresh water including boiler, and empty again, including waste tank.
Puriclean dissolves best in warm water, so I put some cold in the tank with hose, then dissolve the correct amount of powder in a watering can of warm water and add to tank, then fill up with cold.

 

[Cardiffboy]

Thanks for the info, I don't have a boiler, just a cold water tub that goes about half a metre to the tap

 

[Cardiffboy]

I'll check out Puriclean, thanks

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[Dave and Jen]

I thought acid based products should never be used in boilers?

I thought that was BLEACH?
Cheers, Dave

 

[StillGoing]

I thought acid based products should never be used in boilers?

From Truma:

“Please find below instructions for descaling the Truma water heater:
Dilute 2 litres of white wine vinegar into 10/12 litres of fresh water, introduce into your water system via your water inlet, (removing the filter if one is fitted for this process) open the taps to pull through to the heater and then leave the solution in the heater for 4 to 5 hours and then flush through with fresh water”.

“Head office have confirmed the use of citric acid and the ratio they recommend is 1 tablespoon of citric acid to 1 litre of water”.

 

[Brains]

From Truma:

“Please find below instructions for descaling the Truma water heater:
Dilute 2 litres of white wine vinegar into 10/12 litres of fresh water, introduce into your water system via your water inlet, (removing the filter if one is fitted for this process) open the taps to pull through to the heater and then leave the solution in the heater for 4 to 5 hours and then flush through with fresh water”.

“Head office have confirmed the use of citric acid and the ratio they recommend is 1 tablespoon of citric acid to 1 litre of water”.

Mine is a 100 litre fresh water tank.
(yes, it often takes 20 mins to fill up on a campsite, I'm Mr Popular in the tap queue!)
plus a 20 litre hot water tank
plus a 100 litre grey water tank
(and 20 litre black water cassette)
A theoretical total of 240 litres of water (or quarter of a tonne!)

Basis 2 litres of white wine vinegar to 10/12 liters of water, (which equals 1 litre of vinegar of 5 liters of water)
Should I put in 20 liters if vinegar into the fresh water tank ?
Then top up with 80 liters of water, before then pulling it all through to the hot water tank and then the gray water tank (and the black water cassette)

Or can I do it with less water/Vinegar to start?

As an FYI I normally fill my FW tank to half full/50 litres before I fill the 20 litre hot water tank.

(10-12 litres above would barely cover the bottom of the tank, and would not fill the hot water tank, as I think the FW tank needs to be at least quarter full before it even starts to fill)

 

[pagey]

I use Milton half fill water tank pour I full bottle of Milton in slosh it around for a while leave it a couple of hours pump some through the pipes and the boiler then pump it Into the waste tank drain the boiler job done

 

[Brains]

I use Milton half fill water tank pour I full bottle of Milton in slosh it around for a while leave it a couple of hours pump some through the pipes and the boiler then pump it Into the waste tank drain the boiler job done

I seem to remember Milton corrodes stainless steel and should never be used in boilers.
Correct me if I'm wrong!

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[pagey]

I seem to remember Milton corrodes stainless steel and should never be used in boilers.
Correct me if I'm wrong!

Been doing it for 7 years but you could be right

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Been doing it for 7 years but you could be right

From what I've read Milton isn't recommended for stainless boilers.
Mike.

 

[Dave and Jen]

Milton is watered down BLEACH!!
Dave

 

[headlight]

Hi, I have a 20 ltr fresh water and 25 ltr waste water tanks behind the kitchen, inside back doors.
Question is, should I sterilise them?
If so, what with? And how often?
I only use the water once boiled ( except for brushing my teeth)
Look forward to answers

Here you go Lyn. I do mine once a year.
I put Puriclean in my fresh water tank then run all the taps so the taps and all pipework are filled with the solution.
I then leave it overnight, empty and flush through with fresh water.

 

[starquake]

Worth noting a big tub of puriclean last AGES -> I just used some of ours yesterday to clean our cheap ice machine (supposed to be done every 3 months, I dont in 6). For that duty, it's one teaspoon with water run clean cycle on machine for 7 hours, wipe around with a paper cloth and then rinse twice.

For use in the van one tub for us is around 6 years use.

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[Bobbejaan]

I also keep a couple of 100mm square-plates of 99.9% of solid silver (1mm thick) glued on angled spacers from the bottom pf my tank as an extra precaution and helps slightly as a baffle.

 

[gpat]

I seem to remember Milton corrodes stainless steel and should never be used in boilers.
Correct me if I'm wrong!

Been doing it for 7 years but you could be right

From what I've read Milton isn't recommended for stainless boilers.
Mike.

Strong bleach will corroded stainless steel. Diluted bleach will not. If you are disinfecting your water tank you should use diluted Milton and there is no reason for the chlorinated water to get near the hot water system anyway.

 

[gpat]

Milton is watered down BLEACH!!
Dave

Correct. Sodium hypochlorite to be exact. Same stuff as in your drinking water.

 

[Shrimp]

Use a liquid cleaner it’s easier to get out of the system.
We did a van (new to us) once with a granules type cleaner and it took a lot of filling & emptying to get rid of all the ‘grit’.

 

[Cardiffboy]

Thanks Shrimp

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[treblid]

He Puriclean I use is a powder. It can also be easily pre-mixed in some warm water before adding to the tank.

 

[Sheddy]

I asked the question with Alde systems, below is a copy of their reply.

Sure, sir. Puriclean by Clean Tabs is the good stuff.

Best regards

Customer Services Four, Ald
e UK

 

[headlight]

He Puriclean I use is a powder. It can also be easily pre-mixed in some warm water before adding to the tank.

Same here, I fully dissolve the Puriclean in warm water then add the solution to my fresh water tank.
No grit.

 

[gpat]

I use Milton half fill water tank pour I full bottle of Milton in slosh it around for a while leave it a couple of hours pump some through the pipes and the boiler then pump it Into the waste tank drain the boiler job done

A full bottle is way way too much. Wont harm but about 10mls will do the job just as well and need less flushing out.