Fresh Water Tank

[andyg]

Hi guys, as potential new owners my wife asked me a question today and I really didn't know the right answer. Should you drain the boats fresh water tank over the winter months ?? And then flush it through once you start using the boat after the winter ?? What do you guys do ?? 

[BrundallNavy]

If you don’t plan to use it then yes as well as the pump and leave the taps open,  I flush mine with a solution Milton and water leave for around an hour then drain and flush twice.  We don’t drink from our tank just use it for washing etc.  

[floydraser]

As above. Then we have a filter jug for drinking water and ice cubes.

[andyg]

2 minutes ago, BrundallNavy said:

If you don’t plan to use it then yes as well as the pump and leave the taps open,  I flush mine with a solution Milton and water leave for around an hour then drain and flush twice.  We don’t drink from our tank just use it for washing etc.  

Exactly what my wife suggested. Thanks 👌 

[Smoggy]

I have a stainless tank and a mesh bag full of ceramic beads impregnated with something or other (forgot) that keeps the water good without all the tablets or sterilising, we drink water from the tank without any worries, when first used after leaving the boat for a while there's a bit of a hydrogen sulphide smell but that is from the plastic pipework, I have all the longer runs done in copper at it keeps the water good as well, the smell soon clears once the pipes are cleared.

I'm not sure the supplier of the mesh thing are still going but it was a hovercraft skirt maker that also did tank liners and used the same system built in to their tanks.

I have some sanosil ag at work that I may give the system a run through with as it's supposed to be fully safe after 24 hours even if left in the system, basically hydrogen peroxide with silver ions so once the peroxide degrades it is just water as it goes from h2o2 to h2o.

[ZimbiIV]

I don't drink water, unless it is boiled or fermented, so sorry cannot help.

paul

[Ray]

We use the tabs but still only use bottled water for drinking/cooking.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

1 hour ago, andyg said:

Exactly what my wife suggested. Thanks 👌 

Always best to agree with wifey. It does gets easier as time goes by. 

[andyg]

54 minutes ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

Always best to agree with wifey. It does gets easier as time goes by. 

Needs too lol 😆 

[BroadAmbition]

We treat 'B.A's two f/w tanks every two years with a strong Milton solution, then flush multiple times

We have done this religiously since 2007.

We DO consume the water direct from the tanks without filtering / boiling.  If Norfolk council pop is good enough for consumption in Norfolkians dwellings and properties direct from the mains, then it's good enough for the likes of us too, it comes from the same place via the same water mains after all

No crew member onboard has ever suffered any tummy bugs to date either

Griff.  

[andyg]

Thanks, pretty much what I'd assumed. Just wasn't sure about the Milton thing. We are up at Wroxham later today to look at another boat. Its becoming rather expensive this boat hunting lark. I've managed to grab a premier inn plus room at the Nelson for tonight. Be interesting to see what all the fuss is about there new rooms....

[NeilB]

32 minutes ago, andyg said:

Its becoming rather expensive this boat hunting lark.

Wait until you actually buy one!  

Worth it though. 

[marshman]

Always used Aqua Tabs without any issue which have little after taste - flush it through several times and never had an issue with drinking from the tank - other brands probably available!

[BrundallNavy]

For the last few weeks we have been suffering with low water pressure.  Thinking the pump was at fault I proceeded to remove it. When I turned off the isolating valve a bit of black gunge came out of the pipe, turned on the valve and had a very poor flow so out came the fitting on the tank and this is what I found in the end of the fitting. Blockage removed pipe work reassembled and back to normal.

This is why we don’t drink the water, Today I shall be purchasing some Milton fluid and the tank will get a good clean. 

[Lulu]

We sterilise our tank at once a year and run the taps for a while each time we visit.  We dont feel the  tank left for 2 to 3 weeks at a time, especially in warm weather would do us much good so we drink bottled water.   If we lived on it with a constant turnaround of fresh water in and out of the tank we probably would drink it (after Selsie has changed all the water pipes which is the next project) 

[ranworthbreeze]

2 hours ago, Lulu said:

We sterilise our tank at once a year and run the taps for a while each time we visit.  We dont feel the  tank left for 2 to 3 weeks at a time, especially in warm weather would do us much good so we drink bottled water.   If we lived on it with a constant turnaround of fresh water in and out of the tank we probably would drink it (after Selsie has changed all the water pipes which is the next project) 

our old management company used Milton's once that season we never got mid of the smell that season and was one of the reasons we went onto bottle water for drinking.

 

 

[grendel]

I generally drink the water from WR, but with the proviso that it has been boiled in coffee, and that a generous tot of antiseptic (rum) is added.