Water inlet pipe - is this usual

[Newbie2021]

Picked up our new to us motorhome and away on our first weekend away locally. From looking at the MOT history is hasn’t moved much in the last three years. Getting quite a lot of black bits in the water. I also notice the water inlet pipe is filthy. Can this be cleaned or replaced?

 

[Landy Andy]

Mines not like that. It either needs replacing or cleaning. What about buying a NEW toilet brush and dragging that up and down it a few times. Then drain and flush the water tank, and system.

 

[Hirsch]

Mould is a natural phenomenon where ever water is present. A good clean with an appropriate product should resolve the issue. If you are not happy I'm sure it can be replaced.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Get some Actiwash, cleans everything including upholstery..

Actiwash Super Concentrate 5 Litre | ashfieldvaleting

Actiwash is an industrial strength cleaner made from extremely powerful blend of detergents and solvents that can be used for most cleaning applications. It can be used on most surfaces but if in doubt you should try a small test area first. Actiwash is excellent at removing grease and grime...

www.ashfieldvaletingsupplies.co.uk

 

[The Wino]

If you want to replace it I found that the aquarium shop was an easy place to source pipe the correct size from at a very reasonable price. The pipe I got was opaque so I suspect wouldn't get as much mould growing

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[Figaro]

The pipe should be black really, especially if it is likely to get any daylight as it is this that accelerates nasties growing.

 

[Pausim]

It looks like the ridges in the pipe collect drops of water which then feed the mould. Perhaps one with a smooth internal surface would drain and dry better.

 

[BillyKontiki]

I would expect you would remove the pipe to clean it, think I would renew it shouldn’t cost much
and would save a bit of faffing about cleaning the old one.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Actually that looks the same as our pipe, not noticed any black in it but it gets flushed with VWP once a year, at least.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Get some Actiwash, cleans everything including upholstery..

Actiwash Super Concentrate 5 Litre | ashfieldvaleting

Actiwash is an industrial strength cleaner made from extremely powerful blend of detergents and solvents that can be used for most cleaning applications. It can be used on most surfaces but if in doubt you should try a small test area first. Actiwash is excellent at removing grease and grime...

www.ashfieldvaletingsupplies.co.uk

Will this not ruin their water heater, the safest option is Puriclean powder, doesn’t damage stainless steel or heating elements.

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[Richard n Ann]

Will this not ruin their water heater, the safest option is Puriclean powder, doesn’t damage stainless steel or heating elements.

There's no bleach in it. It's like the multi surface cleaner you buy but much more concentrated. It's best to mix it at least 50/50 with water, a gallon lasts ages.

Regarding the op's job I would remove the pipe first anyway.

 

[Pausim]

There's no bleach in it. It's like the multi surface cleaner you buy but much more concentrated. It's best to mix it at least 50/50 with water, a gallon lasts ages.

Regarding the op's job I would remove the pipe first anyway.

Not sure I would want to put something described as “an industrial strength cleaner made from extremely powerful blend of detergents and solvents” in my fresh water. It seems to carry a few health warnings and says it is good for cleaning greasy machinery.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Not sure I would want to put something described as “an industrial strength cleaner made from extremely powerful blend of detergents and solvents” in my fresh water. It seems to carry a few health warnings and says it is good for cleaning greasy machinery.

Yes definitely remove the pipe first.

I'ts just surfactants etc that are in it same as any other cleaner... But instead of there being hardly any content, there's a lot

Modern consumer cleaners are watered down that much (so we can't hurt ourselves) they're bloody useless.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've only had it happen on our first van I took the pipe off and soaked it in a bowl of water with Milton in it, being bleach based it kills all the mould growth. Then throughly rinse before refitting.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I've only had it happen on our first van I took the pipe off and soaked it in a bowel of water with Milton in it, being bleach based it kills all the mould growth. Then throughly rinse before refitting.

Yes bleach is my second favourite cleaner

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[Lenny HB]

Yes bleach is my second favourite cleaner

Probably tastes better than Bud Light.

 

[Richard n Ann]

soaked it in a bowel of water

Hold on a minute.. You soaked it in diarrhoea

 

[Lenny HB]

Hold on a minute.. You soaked it in diarrhoea

Edited

 

[Off da Grid]

Use puriclean. It’s meant for tank cleaning and won’t do you any harm.
Fill the tank 2/3rds full put in the required amount for your tank size run it through the whole system till you can smell the solution at all the taps then fill a clean container several times and pour it into the tank refill port.
Go for a drive to slosh it about leave for half a day. Refill and flush the system till the smell goes at the taps.
If you empty the fresh into the into the grey waste tank leave it for a day or 2 and empty that too will get a clean.

 

[Dave Scadding]

It shouldn’t be like that, suggest Puraclean (product) or replacement.

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[Dorset Diver]

Bacteria and Algae in water can cause serious illness. Your inlet pipe and quite possibly your tank and general water system appears to be contaminated. I would recommend you look at the Katadyn site and their products. Specifically for your case I suggest Katadyn Tank Care. The products are designed to work together to clean and then maintain the system.

Edit: We drink from our tank so to keep it clean and pure if it is not being used for more than a few weeks I treat it with the Micropur Classic (Silver Ions).

 

[Ian]

I noticed something similar when we had our first MH. I was using a bit of hosepipe when filling up the tank. I first noticed it when down in France. It eventually turned out to be mould or rubber inside the hosepipe. Of course, with a garden hosepipe, you cannot see if any problems. I had to clean out the tank I got home. Luckily we don't use the tank for drinking water so we survived the trip. I replaced it with a section of clear, reinforced plastic pipe of similar size & had no problem with that since & subsequently changed the motorhome with no probs. However, when the MH was laid up during lockdown the tank obviously had some water in it & a green moss type fungus developed which I picked out by the handful & a sieve. & drained what I could out & washed it all through but some of the gunge must have stuck in the toilet flush switch & blocked it. I couldn't clear it & had to order another one. It was very awkward & tight to replace. but good luck..

 

[miklin]

Look at WM-aquatec.de. very good tank cleaner which cleans every surface. We use their filter and a silver mesh to keep water fresh. Perfectly safe to drink water from tank. Can get some items from mirrorguard.co.uk.

 

[Dorset Diver]

Look at WM-aquatec.de. very good tank cleaner which cleans every surface. We use their filter and a silver mesh to keep water fresh. Perfectly safe to drink water from tank. Can get some items from mirrorguard.co.uk.

miklin Interesting. How do you install the silver mesh?

 

[GAVLAD]

Get some Actiwash, cleans everything including upholstery..

Actiwash Super Concentrate 5 Litre | ashfieldvaleting

Actiwash is an industrial strength cleaner made from extremely powerful blend of detergents and solvents that can be used for most cleaning applications. It can be used on most surfaces but if in doubt you should try a small test area first. Actiwash is excellent at removing grease and grime...

www.ashfieldvaletingsupplies.co.uk

Have you ever used this on a wind out awning?

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[Richard n Ann]

Have you ever used this on a wind out awning?

Yes a few years ago actually it's overdue a clean now.

I've been using it for years and the only thing I've found it's not good for is cheap silver paint, it turns it grey. All silver car paint is fine though.

Used it on plastics, fabrics, polystyrene, wood, blinds, carpets, even mozzie screens

PS also great at removing flies from the front of the van, oh and tyre sidewalls clean up like new, the list is endless.

 

[miklin]

miklin Interesting. How do you install the silver mesh?

You just put it into the tank. It is reckoned to keep a tank of water fresh for up to six months. Not that i would drink water that has been in the tank that long, but it helps. We replace it each year and the filters every three months. It is two years since we did a deep clean of the tank.

 

[GAVLAD]

Yes a few years ago actually it's overdue a clean now.

I've been using it for years and the only thing I've found it's not good for is cheap silver paint, it turns it grey. All silver car paint is fine though.

Used it on plastics, fabrics, polystyrene, wood, blinds, carpets, even mozzie screens

PS also great at removing flies from the front of the van, oh and tyre sidewalls clean up like new, the list is endless.

Thanks that’s great to know

 

[Richard n Ann]

Thanks that’s great to know

Water it down though, otherwise it's wasted. I usually mix it 25% Actiwash and 75% water in the trigger spray. That's plenty strong enough.

If you're paying for delivery get some carpet shampoo too (they call it extraction shampoo) the owner once told me it's similar to Actiwash but has fibre brighteners in it too.. it's loads cheaper than the vax stuff and is the same, smells lovely too

 

[philmc79]

Try lemon juice its acidity does wonders for all the piping and is organic so it does not kill you if you happen not to clear it all out proprley, used it for years and makes your pipes smell nice to.