Water purification - do you bother? (1 Viewer)

[Andy Bramhall]

I can feel a couple of long grooves (about 1cm wide) in the bottom of the fresh water tank that it's pretty hard to get the water out of when you're draining off.

I can't imagine that it's doing much good having stagnant water sitting in them between trips.

Is it enough just to flush the tank out a bit before the next proper refill - or do you bother with water purification tabs or something else?

Thanks for any help you can give!

Andy

 

[sallylillian]

Tap water has chlorination which helps to protect the contents over time in a tank. But after several months of it being drained I put a small amount of Milton in the tank and fill it then flush that through all the pipes. My wife moans but one new tank of water and any effect is gone. We use the Brita filter jugs to keep our tea and drinking water fresh and free from all the chemicals that are introduced by different water companies.

 

[Two on Tour]

We always flush the fresh tank before going away and always use Elsil added to the fresh tank on each fill up while away, not because we do not trust local water (well in the UK and and most of mainland Europe) but more because we don't want to take a chance of water related tummy upset spoiling our hard earned time and money from tank contamination. We use fresh water tank water for cooking and hot drinks but use bottled water for drinking. Some will say over the top but hardly a big money outlay or inconvenience so why take that chance.

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[Minxy]

@sallylillian be careful about putting Milton in ... it has the reputation for 'eating' stainless steel boiler parts!

 

[sallylillian]

@sallylillian be careful about putting Milton in ... it has the reputation for 'eating' stainless steel boiler parts!

Thanks but its only a cap full, interesting as it is a baby bottle sterilizing fluid though!

 

[Fletton]

No....

In the two years of owning a Moho ... only ever swilled out with tap water .... (uk) and only about evey 2/3 mths or so... using my fill hose with a jet spray attached....

I drink the tank water cold from tap ( poured into a glass first.. of course! )

However, tank has never been left empty for any period ... and it's used 365 nowadays...

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[Minxy]

We usually empty our fresh water tank when we get home after a trip away so nothing is left 'festering' inside for weeks on end especially since we'd empty it anyway when putting more water in! We use the tank water for everything, although we occasionally drink it 'raw' we prefer fruit juice, other cold drinks etc, but still use it to brush teeth, rinse salad/veg etc and in all the years have never had any problems whatsoever with doing so - no jippy tummy or other nasties!

Before each trip we usually put some fresh water in and take the van for a run round to give it a good sloshing about in the tank to 'clean' it of any nasties then empty it out via the taps to flush the system out and fill.

 

[Minxy]

Thanks but its only a cap full, interesting as it is a baby bottle sterilizing fluid though!

... no stainless steel in baby bottles though ... well, not that I've ever seen.

 

[funflair]

Never bother, as said above the water company treats the water before you put it in and the tank sits in the dark so nothing grows in there "or not that I know of"

Martin

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[Lenny HB]

As said when you fill up again it's going to get a good dose of chlorine but if your fussy soak up the residue with a microfibre towel. If you are going to do that you then need to do a full drain down as there will still be water in the pipes.
We do have a cheap Filtapack filter inline with the kitchen tap just to prevent a bad tasting cupper you sometimes get when different minerals in the water react with the plastic pipes & tank.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

We generally keep water in all the time and top up when convenient and use the water for everything exactly as at home.
For years we used the Aquatabs but now don't bother as it taints the taste slightly.
I do a white vinegar system clean once a year just as a system service to know it is like new again.

 

[Lenny HB]

We generally keep water in all the time and top up when convenient and use the water for everything exactly as at home.

Not a good idea if you leave the van standing for days between use as chlorine concentration decays over about 3 -5 days.

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[Wildbill]

Just fill up and drive the tap water is all it needs.
In less you have contamination I wouldn't bother.
Never had a problem ether hear or on the contents
Bill

 

[icantremember]

Despite the actions of a certain U.K. agent we are still confident of our Nature Pure filter with the correct cartridge of which we have sufficient to see out our motorhoming days.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Not a good idea if you leave the van standing for days between use as chlorine concentration decays over about 3 -5 days.

Surely that is exactly what is happening at home while away for a week or more?
Leaving empty and damp I would have thought would be slightly more at risk of bacteria growth.

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[Badknee]

Thanks but its only a cap full, interesting as it is a baby bottle sterilizing fluid though!

There's no stainless steel in babies bottles though is there?
We drink bottled water when away and tap water in the uk. The van ws second hand when we bought it and we don't know how well the water tank was treated.

 

[Lenny HB]

Surely that is exactly what is happening at home while away for a week or more?
Leaving empty and damp I would have thought would be slightly more at risk of bacteria growth.

Do you take your drinking water from a tank at home?
My water at homes comes from the mains where supply is constantly replenished with freshly chlorinated water.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Do you take your drinking water from a tank at home?
My water at homes comes from the mains where supply is constantly replenished with freshly chlorinated water.

No tank at home but the same water is standing in the pipes and according to your post will have the chlorine concentration decay over a few days. If this was important to its quality there would have been something published to say to run taps when returning from holidays.
I still cannot see how the MH water will deteriorate to a point of being undrinkable.

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[Lenny HB]

No tank at home but the same water is standing in the pipes and according to your post will have the chlorine concentration decay over a few days. If this was important to its quality there would have been something published to say to run taps when returning from holidays.
I still cannot see how the MH water will deteriorate to a point of being undrinkable.

I thought every one ran the taps before using drinking water we always do every morning and defiantly after being away.

 

[Doctor Dave]

When we had a narrowboat we fitted a Seagull IV and have done the same in the van. Have never bought bottled water.


Dave

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

I thought every one ran the taps before using drinking water we always do every morning and defiantly after being away.

We don't and never thought about it after being away.
I suppose we are less worried than some as I met another motorhomer a couple of weeks ago that wouldn't even clean his teeth with the van water even though it was a new van.
Each to their own but after some of the water I have used in other countries the U.K. water has nothing to be afraid of as long as the storage is looked after.
One quirk I do have is always setting off with a full tank of water from home so I don't have to use other taps as often as I otherwise would as they do make me think that someone may have used the tap previously for something they shouldn't.

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[TheDogMan]

Always have a fullish tank when we leave home and all drinking water goes through a Filter jug

 

[Abacist]

We drink bottled water but wash food and clean teeth from the tank water. Never ever had any problems. Every now and again, about once a year I use the chemicals used for sterilising beer making equipment, leave it in a while, run it through all the taps and pipes and then flush out the system. When the van is not in use the water is always drained away. Can't remember the name of the stuff as we are away but it does not corrode stainless steel.

 

[JJ]

Pure water... using no electricity... very, very low running costs... filters last for 65,000 gallons.

Berkey Onboard Water Purification.

JJ

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