Renewing fresh water supply

[QT1]

OK, so the previous owner has been ill for some years and the 300 weekender has gone as far as the slip, and then back to dry dock winter storage for a minimum of about 3 years. Aside from the owners manual, what is the best way to either fresh the water supply , or drain and refill the system? Thanks.

 

[H2ONUT]

Pool shock works very well.


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[QT1]

Thanks, I will try that

 

[trflgrl]

I fill the main tank, then open the hot faucets first to refill and get a good flush on that tank. In your situation, probably can't hurt to do a long flush on the water heater in case there's serious sediment. Then I open all faucets and let 'em rip to empty both tanks as much as possible before filling to sanitize.

 

[JVM225]

I used my fresh water tank for everything but drinking or cooking things in. For those two things I used bottled water.
Once you get the fresh water tank good and clean the best way to keep it that way is to add a couple of ounces of chlorine bleach every time you fill it up, and use the tank for everything that you can.
I almost never used my "dockside water inlet" even when at the dock. opting instead to just keep filling my freshwater tank and using it. That kept things nice and fresh. Another plus to this was not having to avoid stepping over or around a hose hooked up to my boat.

 

[sbw1]

The pool chemicals will definitely kill the bugs but you need to be a little careful as the chlorine is hard on rubber seals not to mention any fabrics that can be damaged by spilled bleach. You don't have a vacuflush head but the o rings in the head pump are damaged by bleach. They are also easy to replace. I like the suggestion to use a lot of water to flush things out. You could for example put a hose into the fresh water fill inlet and just let it run for 20-30 minute and over flow. A lot of junk will come out the inlet as it overflows. You could also run the taps wide open as you do this and irrigate them with fresh water. Once the system is thoughly irrigated, drain the hot water tank. Next, add a little bleach according to sanitizing recommendation for your volume water tank and water heater. Fill the system tank and allow the pump to fill the water heater as well. Open all the taps to get rid of air in the lines. Next, let the system set for 24-48 hours. You should be able to smell a little bleach from every water line. After 24-48 hours, pump out all of the bleached water and refill the system with potable water from a good municple source that is chlorinated. Your water should then be safe to use for everything. The other poster who suggested refilling the system on a regular schedule is spot on. This should occur weekly. We use our tank water for drinking, making ice, showers, flushing the head, etc. If our tank is not emptied by the end of the week, I run it dry while washing the boat and refill it before putting the hose away. We have been using this approach for many years without any issues. Our water tastes a fresh as the city water supply we use to fill the tank. All of the marinas we frequent have good water which is mostly chlorinated. If we fill our tank with non chlorinated well water that too is ok if you use it up right away. We do a good rinse and refill when we return home"

 

[480ces]

The pool chemicals will definitely kill the bugs but you need to be a little careful as the chlorine is hard on rubber seals not to mention any fabrics that can be damaged by spilled bleach. You don't have a vacuflush head but the o rings in the head pump are damaged by bleach. They are also easy to replace. I like the suggestion to use a lot of water to flush things out. You could for example put a hose into the fresh water fill inlet and just let it run for 20-30 minute and over flow. A lot of junk will come out the inlet as it overflows. You could also run the taps wide open as you do this and irrigate them with fresh water. Once the system is thoughly irrigated, drain the hot water tank. Next, add a little bleach according to sanitizing recommendation for your volume water tank and water heater. Fill the system tank and allow the pump to fill the water heater as well. Open all the taps to get rid of air in the lines. Next, let the system set for 24-48 hours. You should be able to smell a little bleach from every water line. After 24-48 hours, pump out all of the bleached water and refill the system with potable water from a good municple source that is chlorinated. Your water should then be safe to use for everything. The other poster who suggested refilling the system on a regular schedule is spot on. This should occur weekly. We use our tank water for drinking, making ice, showers, flushing the head, etc. If our tank is not emptied by the end of the week, I run it dry while washing the boat and refill it before putting the hose away. We have been using this approach for many years without any issues. Our water tastes a fresh as the city water supply we use to fill the tank. All of the marinas we frequent have good water which is mostly chlorinated. If we fill our tank with non chlorinated well water that too is ok if you use it up right away. We do a good rinse and refill when we return home"

I'd be careful fully filling (to overflow) older tanks. The 400DA's L-shaped tank comes to mind as one that likes to crack when overfilled.

 

[sbw1]

If the tank is so fragile as to crack when filled to capacity, it is not serviceable and requires replacement.

 

[dpmulvey]

Annually, I remove the screens on the spouts and shower and empty the tank via the faucets. I pour 1/2 gallon of bleach in the fresh water fill (in my case 40 gallons). I fill the fresh water tank to overflow. I turn on each faucet one at a time both hot and cold (water heater off) until the smell and taste is unbearable. I let it sit for 24-36 hours. During the whole time, the faucet screens are soaking in vinegar.

I drain the the tank via the faucets. Then I flush the tank and lines via all faucets with fresh water until the bleach can no longer be smelled or tasted. This process usually takes about 3-4 (120-160 gallons) tanks of water. Only then do I winterized the system.

In in the spring, I repeat the process twice. After the last flush, I replace the 1/2 gallon of bleach with 1/2 gallon of vinegar to neutralize the system. After that final flush, I use a light shot (1 ounce) of bleach prior to filling the fresh water tank with the initial 40 gallons. After that, I add a cap of bleach at every water fill, roughly 20-30 gallons.

Works for me. YMMV.

HTH.

 

[proboatcaptain]

Dont know if this is the right place to ask, but it's along the lines of this discussion. I have a 89 380 aft cabin. I was going to winterize my fresh water system, and the tank was full. I turned on all faucets and let them run until tank was empty, Which took about 45 min. I filled the fresh water tank with 5 or 6 gallons of rv/marine antifreeze. I then turned my water system back on and opened up the faucets, and nothing comes out. I added 2 or three gallons more of water to the tank, but still nothing. Under the aft cabin bed there are two pumps, only one is running. Are they both suppose to run? Why are there two?

 

[QT1]

Thank you so very much for your information. Your method sounds very solid and I think I will use it.

 

[QT1]

Allot of great ideas! Thanks.

 

[mnm99]

A cup of bleach. fill , let it sit a day. Then fill, flush like 3 or 4 times

 

[JVM225]

Dont know if this is the right place to ask, but it's along the lines of this discussion. I have a 89 380 aft cabin. I was going to winterize my fresh water system, and the tank was full. I turned on all faucets and let them run until tank was empty, Which took about 45 min. I filled the fresh water tank with 5 or 6 gallons of rv/marine antifreeze. I then turned my water system back on and opened up the faucets, and nothing comes out. I added 2 or three gallons more of water to the tank, but still nothing. Under the aft cabin bed there are two pumps, only one is running. Are they both suppose to run? Why are there two?

How much does your hot water heater hold?
My routine was to blow out the system with my portable compressor hooked in to the dockside water inlet. Then I added the pink stuff. My H/W heater held 5 gallons so I used about 7 gallons of pink and then opened each faucet just long enough to get some pink stuff coming out of it.
I used to bypass my water heater to save myself 5 gallons of pink stuff, but stopped doing it because it was a pain to do and I liked the idea of the rust inhibitor in the pink stuff sitting in the water heater over the winter.

 

[northern]

probo
The following is what I do
If you have any questions PM me
I have not figured out how to use the PM system very well so may tak a bit to get back to you
Compromise Winterizing
General there are 7 items to winterize. Generator, watermaker, air-conditioning, two main engines, potable water system, ice maker, sewage. Total gallons pink 17 PG.
Generator 2
Method to winterize;
1. Remove strainer from sea strainer.
2. Suck water out of sea strainer.
3. Remove suction hose at raw water pump.
4. Place 3/4“ 3 feet long hose on suction inlet.
5. Place end in bucket with 2 gallons of pink.
6. Start engine turn off when pink is gone
7. Close sea valve
8. Fill strainer with pink and hose as it allows
9. Open close sea valve a few times allowing pink to drain out on land
10. Place sea strainer back and close sea strainer up ready for use in spring.
11. Place suction back on raw water pump
12. Leave threw hull valve fully open.
Watermaker 1
1. Close sea valve
2. Back flush as per normal until 0% salt
3. Pickle unit for long term storage. If you use powder chemical use old chemical filter 10 SBSP. Let run for hour.
4. Remove chemical filter and fill with Propolyne Glycole (PG) and circulate with black high pressure knob in normal position. Let run an hour.
5. Remove canister and empty water in canister
1. Remove fresh water discharge hose and blow out to tank using shop vac
2. Remove basket in sea strainer
3. Suck out sea strainer
4. Open sea valve on land
5. Blow out water inline to sea valve using a shop vac
6. Close sea valve
7. Close large valve before carbon filter
8. Remove carbon filter
9. Blow down water system and open large valve above until all water is out
10. Remove one low pressure clear hose and make sure water is out of it
 
Air Conditioners 2
1. Close sea valve
2. Remove strainer basket
3. Suck sea strainer dry allow to drain and suck until no more water comes into it and suck dry
4. Blow air into sea strainer using shop vac until no more water come out the 3 discharge points on the boat
5. Turn on air conditioning pump relay
6. Turn on Main Air Condition to work and heat to mid-point
7. Pour 2 gallons of pink into the sea strainer with the Aft Air Conditioner on using AC OFF/ON. You may have to turn it on and off to keep the sea strainer full.
8. Open sea valve cycle leave fully open on land
9. Place strainer in sea strainer and close up ready for use in spring
Main engines 454 8
1. On land
2. Open sea valve
3. Remove strainer from sea strainer
4. Suck sea strainer out with shop vac
5. Remove drain plugs in mufflers
6. Let mufflers completely drain ½ hour or so
7. Close sea valve
8. Fill strainer to top with pink
9. Remove wire from coil to distributor cap
10. Start blower for 4 minutes+
11. Turn over engine with starter while poring 4 gallons of pink into the sea strainer
12. Allow the mufflers to drain complexly
13. Place plugs back in mufflers
14. Place strainer in sea strainer and close up ready for use in spring Leave raw water valve open
Potable water system 2
1. Turn off hot water tank
2. Pump all water from water tank using 12 volt pump
3. Turn off 12 volt water system pump
4. Depressurize both hot and cold lines
5. Connect air compressor to outside potable hose water feed inlet
6. Pressure up system to 40 PSI
7. Turn on kitchen hot water faucet
8. Allow tank to blow dry
9. Connect garden hose to hot water tank drain
10. Blow out any remaining water in hot water tank
11. Pressure system up to 40 PSI
12. Open each facet one at a time until no more water comes out this includes the toilets
13. Place 2 gallons of pink in water tank
14. Turn on 12 volt system and allow the system to pressurize
15. Turn on each facet one at a time until pink come out. This includes the water maker carbon filter red valve.
16. Depressurize water system and leave all valves half open
Ice Maker
1. Close needle valve on inlet. This is after market item.
2. Turn on ice maker and allow to run until no more ice is made
3. Remove carbon filter and discard. Replace it in the spring.
4. Blow down with air at same time as main lines
5. Bleed pink at needle valve
Sewage 2
1. Pump out tank
2. When on land open and close over board discharge valve. You will get about 1 cup liquid
3. Leave overboard valve closed
4. After water system is drained and pink added and flushed to toilets put 1 gallon of pink in each and flush

 

[importmonkey]

I was always told bleach isn't good for the system. Okay to shock it if it's been neglected but not to use it regularly. I use the fresh water treatment you find in the rv section of Walmart. Works really well. Two weeks is as long as I'll let the water sit. If we don't make it to the boat for a few weeks, I drain, flush, fill and treat. Good for another two weeks. The more often you cycle the water the better.

 

[trflgrl]

I was always told bleach isn't good for the system. Okay to shock it if it's been neglected but not to use it regularly. I use the fresh water treatment you find in the rv section of Walmart. Works really well. Two weeks is as long as I'll let the water sit. If we don't make it to the boat for a few weeks, I drain, flush, fill and treat. Good for another two weeks. The more often you cycle the water the better.

Laundry bleach and water freshener are kissing cousins: primary ingredient in both is sodium hypochlorite. No matter whether you use bleach, water freshener, or pool products, the key is preparing the right dilution for the job.

 

[dpmulvey]

If you lived during these times;



You might remember storing water in empty bleach bottles. What was left in the bottle stuck to the sides was enough to sanitize a gallon of water.

The quantities we are discussing here are far less than some cities use to sanitize their drinking water.