How to clean/disinfect water system?

Robster2007
Robster2007 Forum Participant Posts: 38
edited August 2016 in Caravans #1

Hi

My first ever caravan is finally fixed and I am planning our first outing.

I read somewhere that you should 'clean' the water system and as all the repairs have been on the onboard tank and it is a 6 year old van I am thinking this is a good idea but I am guessing at the process!

I assume I need to do te external roller tank, which I think is about 40 liters, plus the internal tank, hot water tank and pipes are another 52 liters according to the handbook.

I have read that Milton is good to clean out the system, I assume I would fill the external roller tank and add some milton to it, how much should I add and how long should I let it stand?

I assume I should then pump this into my internal tank and let it stand and then pump it around the hot water tank and internal pipes, again, how long shoudl I let it stand at each phase?

Finally I am assuming I need to run a clean tank of water through the whole system?

Any help/advice would be hugely appreciated.

Comments

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #2

    unless ypu know what youre doing re dilution and 'exposure time' i would avoud Milton as is can eat the stainless steel innards of your hot water boiler.....not nice....

    some use Puriclean and others Aquastar from Truma (or its replacement)...some even use a solution of wine vinegar....

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #3

    It largely depends whether you intend drinking the water from your tap, Robster. A lot of people, us included, carry a separate 5litre container for drinking water. 

    In 40+ years of vanning I have never cleaned a van's water system.  

  • eyebrowsb
    eyebrowsb Forum Participant Posts: 554
    edited August 2016 #4

    The best thing to use is a product called purple beer line cleaner.  If you know your local landlord you may be able to blag 50mls.  If not you will need to buy 5 lt, but it last for years.  This stuff is great to clean out any biofilm and will not harm
    your water system.  All you do is dilute it in your aqua roll and pull through the system hot and cold.  Leave it to sit for 15 mins or so and then pull some more through.  It changes colour to green when contaminated and as you pull it through will turn back
    to purple.  Let it sit again and pull through.  Keep doing this till it comes through purple after sitting for 15 mins or so.  It is food safe as you can imagine being designed to clean beer lines in pubs.  It will leave your water lines as clean as a whistle.
     We generally do this about two times a year, and our water from the tap is just as good as if it came from the site tap.

    Just Google Purple Beer Line Cleaner.

    (Mr LR)

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #5

    I would also advocate Puriclean. I would not be too concerned about hoy water systen but some white vinegar will get rid of much of the calcium build up. I also use it to clean calciul beposits from the toilet casset and bowl. I fill the bowl with
    white vinegar. Use bottles filled with water to bulk out and leave it 2 gays . The vinegar is then let into the cassette for a few days and sometimes until the next site trip. 

  • MrGarval
    MrGarval Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited August 2016 #6

    I also use Puricleans, a 750g tub last many years if you streilse your system a couple of times a year. I fill the aqua roll and leave it a day then pump it into the h&c system and leave another day, finally flushing all with fresh water on the 3rd day.
    I have used this for the past 20 years or so and am still here to tell the tale!  Enjoy your caravan and good luck.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #7

    I would also advocate Puriclean. I would not be too concerned about hoy water systen but some white vinegar will get rid of much of the calcium build up. I also use it to clean calciul beposits from the toilet casset and bowl. I fill the bowl with white
    vinegar. Use bottles filled with water to bulk out and leave it 2 gays . The vinegar is then let into the cassette for a few days and sometimes until the next site trip. 

    ...a novel approachWink