Refilling water system after winter drain down

[Duckeh]

Hi everyone

We wondered when the general consensus was as to the 'safest' time to do this would be? We are planning to be away on our first trip of this year next month and also, as the motorhome is new to us we are still running through everything to familiarise ourselves/note differences to our previous vehicle. Checking the local forecast this morning it's saying down to 1C tonight then ranging up to about 5C over the next ten days.

 

[Lenny HB]

As long as it doesn't drop to 1° for more than one night nothing should freeze in the van.
Our van has water in it at the moment as I want to descale the boiler, it's been in there a week so I will drain it off as I don't want stale water that the chlorine has evaporated from left in the tank but I won't drain the boiler or pipes as unlikely to get that cold on the south coast

 

[Richard n Ann]

I fill ours up the day before we go, I always empty it at home and sanitise yearly in the spring.

 

[PaulC70]

I fill ours up the day before we go, I always empty it at home and sanitise yearly in the spring.

Im just about to look into this now, drained down whole system in December and now wondering about the stale pipes etc and what to clean and sanitise with. Any recommendations? Im sure Puriclean or purosol or something is a product I've heard of?

 

[PP Bear]

Fill it up just before you plan on then next journey. Lots to consider about leaving the water in it, which will depend on the amount of usage it’ll get. If like lots of us and your away all the time, then so long as the temp doesn’t drop to a minus figure, you’ll be ok to leave it in. Also depends if you use the base tank for drinking water, some do, lots don’t and use bottled water. Doesn’t take long to fill and bleed the water through the system.

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[Lenny HB]

I use white wine vinegar, put about 10Lt of water in the tank add 3 or 4 Lt of the vinegar fill the boiler and run through the taps until taste or smell the vinegar. Heat the water on high and leave for a few hours before flushing through.

 

[PP Bear]

Im just about to look into this now, drained down whole system in December and now wondering about the stale pipes etc and what to clean and sanitise with. Any recommendations? Im sure Puriclean or purosol or something is a product I've heard of?

This is the best bet in my experience and I have tried them all. I use it all the time. Puriclean is good to pop into a descaled tank, but if you use citric acid yearly, you’ll keep the pipes cleaned and the boiler descaled.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Im just about to look into this now, drained down whole system in December and now wondering about the stale pipes etc and what to clean and sanitise with. Any recommendations? Im sure Puriclean or purosol or something is a product I've heard of?

I've always used VWP. Gets good reviews, probably the same stuff as puriclean.

Amazon product ASIN B001PQSNAW

 

[Richard n Ann]

This is the best bet in my experience and I have tried them all. I use it all the time. Puriclean is good to pop into a descaled tank, but if you use citric acid yearly, you’ll keep the pipes cleaned and the boiler descaled.
View attachment 595380
View attachment 595381

Might try that, I noticed our tank has got scaley lines on it

 

[PP Bear]

Might try that, I noticed our tank has got scaley lines on it

I use a full 1kg, diluted in warm water and popped into the tank, then fill with fresh. Run through the water pipes and boiler and leave over night. I then run the taps on hot and then cold from all outlets including the shower and fill up the grey tank. Rinse through the fresh pipes. Leave another 24 hours to clean out the grey as well.

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[Lenny HB]

This is the best bet in my experience and I have tried them all. I use it all the time. Puriclean is good to pop into a descaled tank, but if you use citric acid yearly, you’ll keep the pipes cleaned and the boiler descaled.
View attachment 595380
View attachment 595381

Citric acid works about the same as white wine vinegar but citric acid will attack stainless steel so don't leave it in the boiler too long and make sure you flush it thoroughly.
I use white wine vinegar as that's what Truma used to recommend for their boiler (before they brought out their own product). It's also nice and cheap about 30p Lt.

 

[PP Bear]

I've always used VWP. Gets good reviews, probably the same stuff as puriclean.

Amazon product ASIN B001PQSNAW

I used to use that, but it’s a very strong bleach so stopped after using it twice and switch to the citric acid. Be sure to get food grade.

 

[Lenny HB]

I used to use that, but it’s a very strong bleach so stopped after using it twice and switch to the citric acid. Be sure to get food grade.

Anything with chlorine in is really bad news for stainless steel boilers.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Citric acid works about the same as white wine vinegar but citric acid will attack stainless steel so don't leave it in the boiler too long and make sure you flush it thoroughly.
I use white wine vinegar as that's what Truma used to recommend for their boiler (before they brought out their own product). It's also nice and cheap about 30p Lt.

Where do you buy it from Lenny?

 

[Lenny HB]

Where do you buy it from Lenny?

Any french supermarket, always buy quite a few liters on the way home, great for descaling household products, never looked for it in the UK.
I thought you would have guessed that Richard.

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[GAVLAD]

If you can (some people don't store their motorhome at home) add enough water to test that everything works and then drain off afterwards.
You can always then fill up either the day you depart or when you arrive on site. - Latter, saving weight/fuel.
We use a storage site so can't fill up with water but I usually take a 4 x pack of bottled water to tie us over until we arrive on site.

 

[gpat]

Anything with chlorine in is really bad news for stainless steel boilers.

Deary me Lenny. This one goes round in circles. Short term exposure to dilute chlorine will have no effect on stainless steel. Non whatsoever.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Any french supermarket, always buy quite a few liters on the way home, great for descaling household products, never looked for it in the UK.
I thought you would have guessed that Richard.

It's silly money here, I've ordered a couple of KG of citric acid on amazon for £9.50

 

[Richard n Ann]

Deary me Lenny. This one goes round in circles. Short term exposure to dilute chlorine will have no effect on stainless steel. Non whatsoever.

I suppose you can always test it on some cutlery. I can't see it doing anything if it desolves a spoon I'd be scared to use it

 

[Richard n Ann]

This is inside our tank, I could only reach in so far to clean it.

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[Vanman]

Interesting ... I read the question as being temperature related rather than hygene.

If the OP is worried about the water being dumped by the safety valve then it's probably best to either wait until the external temperature is 4 or 5c or keep the heating on at that kind of temperature.

 

[gpat]

I suppose you can always test it on some cutlery. I can't see it doing anything if it desolves a spoon I'd be scared to use it

We have been cleaning our stainless steel process tanks at work with bleach. They are still as new. They are 25years old. They are not high grade SS like cutlery is, just plain 314 grade.

It's a common misconception. Concentrated bleach IS bad. At high concentrations sodium hypochlorite is an oxidising agent and that's bad. At low concentrations it is not. You cant store hypochlorite in a SS tank. I think this is where the confusion comes from.

You only need about 5mls in a whole tank of 100 litres to disinfect your tank. Milton is fine. It's pure hypochlorite at 1%. Tesco thin bleach is the same stuff and is even cheaper. Dont waste your money on these fancy cleaners.

Its wont remove scale though. White wine vinegar will and is an excellent choice.

 

[Lenny HB]

Deary me Lenny. This one goes round in circles. Short term exposure to dilute chlorine will have no effect on stainless steel. Non whatsoever.

Caution When Using Milton !!!!!

About 4 weeks ago I flushed my FW tank with Milton I had about 1/2 a bottle left which I stood in the stainless steel (I think) sink in turn that got knocked over and a little leaked out.Just getting ready for the off to England and found the Milton had reacted with the sink to the extent it has ...

forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk

 

[Richard n Ann]

Caution When Using Milton !!!!!

About 4 weeks ago I flushed my FW tank with Milton I had about 1/2 a bottle left which I stood in the stainless steel (I think) sink in turn that got knocked over and a little leaked out.Just getting ready for the off to England and found the Milton had reacted with the sink to the extent it has ...

forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk

Looks like it's probably OK diluted then

 

[Lenny HB]

It's silly money here, I've ordered a couple of KG of citric acid on amazon for £9.50

Didn't try hard enough 13 quid for 20Lt on Amazon not too bad.
Amazon product ASIN B00TZT6GQE

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[Richard n Ann]

Didn't try hard enough 13 quid for 20Lt on Amazon not too bad.
Amazon product ASIN B00TZT6GQE

That's just white vinegar, white wine vinegar is loads more. Or is it the same stuff? Anyway it's having some.. err of that powder acid stuff... So many new words to remember today

 

[hja]

We go away for first time this year in about 12 days time. This next week we shall give the water system a good clean. We use puriclean. We shall therefore test the pump. We will need to flush the system through so on the last rinse will check the boiler and heater are working.
unless this does not get done until the end of the week, I will drain down again but not the boiler, and keep an eye on the temp.
if we are not going away within two weeks I always drain down but not boiler, to avoid stale water for cooking and drinking, coffee and tea, so water is boiled.
will need to fill up food containers, put in all the stuff we took out over the winter. Must find the lists!

 

[Lenny HB]

That's just white vinegar, white wine vinegar is loads more. Or is it the same stuff? Anyway it's having some.. err of that powder acid stuff... So many new words to remember today

Well I searched white wine vinegar their stupid search results, it will still work but not quite as active.

 

[gpat]

Caution When Using Milton !!!!!

About 4 weeks ago I flushed my FW tank with Milton I had about 1/2 a bottle left which I stood in the stainless steel (I think) sink in turn that got knocked over and a little leaked out.Just getting ready for the off to England and found the Milton had reacted with the sink to the extent it has ...

forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk

Yes. That neat Milton. Stuck in the sink for 2 weeks. Yes. That will damage stainless steel. Oxidising agent mode.

 

[Richard n Ann]

That's a 1kg bag of citric acid in the tank then, I've not pulled it through the boiler, just cold taps and shower head. I was going to test a bit on the kettle but nothing limes up here

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