Using Puriclean in Motorhome tank

hitchglitch
hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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edited May 2019 in Motorhomes #1

I need to purify the water tank but the capacity is 100 litres.  250g of Puriclean will do the trick but I am not sure how to use it to minimise the water usage.  Do I fill up the whole tank and also run it through the hot water system?  To rinse it with fresh water do I do the same?  That will use 200 litres of water which is not very eco friendly!

Comments

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #2

    I think we have had enough rain today to fill a thousand tankswink

    However to the point. I use it in my tank in the Spring. I dissolve the  tub of Puriclean in a jug of water and pour that into the water tank through the inspection cover. I usually have some water in the tank when doing this. I them fill the tank in the hope the water coming in will move the cleaner around. It would be good if you could take the van out for a short run to slosh it around. I leave it a while and then pump it through the system, refill with clean water and pump that through the system. We don't drink from the taps so it doesn't matter if the taste is still there as it will work itself out after a couple of refills. I suppose it should have a positive effect on the waste tank as well?

    David

  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
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    edited May 2017 #3

    Some people take the view that it is not necessary to sterilise the fresh water system at all but I don't share that view and buying a big tub of Puriclean seems to be the most cost effective method although not cheap. I also take the view that the sterilising solution must be in contact with every part of the system i.e. the fresh tank should be full to the brim. Depending on the nature of your system e.g. some fresh tanks have a top bung and easy access so you can see how clean it is and even clean it if you wish. 

    So you really can"t avoid filling (with solution) emptying and refilling only to flush away, i.e. about 200litres plus say another 24 litres for the heating side. Statistics show that an average person uses 149 litres of water per day but on site we only use about 20litres per day for two people so in less than a week in your van you will have saved enough water for two complete cycles of flushing/sterilising as well as potentially protecting your health.

    My method is to make up a "strong" solution in my 10 litre  container shake that thoroughly to mix then add it into my 25 litre container and shake to mix giving 25 litres of properly dissolved solution to the correct strength. I then top up the fresh water system including the boiler (using about 70 litres in my case) and leave for several hours including a quick drive around to agitate and ensuring the solution has gone all the way through the pipes by running solution out at each tap. After about four hours I drain into the grey tank and leave for a while before fully emptying and refilling. I then don't rush to empty to allow the fresh water to absorb any chemical residue albeit there may be some chemists who say that is nonsense. Finally I drain fully before refilling. I also sterilise our water containers in a similar way. Like David we don't drink from the fresh water system. We  sterilise at the beginning of the season and at the end so by definition we are always starting with empty (fully drained) tanks.

     

    Hope this helps. 

     

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited May 2017 #4

    Many thanks for the helpful replies. We don't drink the water except after boiling and for cleaning teeth but agree that it is sensible to purify at last once per year. Will fill up, drive around, empty, then flush. Cost is £2.99 in Halfords so not bad.

    Drought, what drought!

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #5

    In the past I have had a lot of trouble with the seals on pumps failing. At the time I attributed these failures to the use of Puriclean. I no longer bother cleaning tanks. Its your choice but replacement seals, if you can get them, and the hassle ain't worth it. If you cannot get seals a pump will set you back about £100.

    As a thought, does anyone bother cleaning their house water storage tanks if you have one?

    peedee

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited May 2017 #6

    I don't think many people think it's necessary to clean out their water storage tanks - but if you have a look at one you'd possibly be horrified. We found a dead pigeon in my son's loft tank! And friends reported a dead rat in theirs!  We now check ours and clean it out if it has any debris, slime, or other horrors lurking within and it's always kept lidded.

    However I don't think anyone drinks the water which comes from a tank in the house - our drinking water is all mains pressure - the hot taps do come from the tank but we never drink that water and our shower is electric, so mains fed.   People do drink water from the tanks in motorhomes and caravans,, and have said so in the thread on 'Don't drink the water' so perhaps those who do should read the many posts in that thread.

  • JaneandIan
    JaneandIan Forum Participant Posts: 85
    edited May 2017 #7

    We use Puriclean tablets each time we fill up - and we only use the water for showering etc, taking a container for drinking water with us. 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2017 #8

    If you want more info on my pump failures look >here<

    peedee

  • GrahamCardiff
    GrahamCardiff Forum Participant Posts: 15
    edited May 2019 #9

    I’m new to this game so read this with interest. Do you just rinse out the tank at the beginning of the season ? Presumably if there’s a reasonably constant flow of water throughout the water system, bacteria shouldn’t be able to take hold .