what is the best tablets to purify water (1 Viewer)

[Heyupluv]

Hi Motorhomers
At the moment I am using Aqua tabs to put in my on-board tank to purify the water,
What do other Motorhomers use in there tanks, and what is the best and the cheapest place to buy them.
Mel

 

[highwayman]

Hi Mel
We put-in a big bottle of Milton once a year
We draw it through to the taps then leave-it overnight before flushing through with fresh water.
I'm sure others do things differently but this works for us :thumb:




regards...nige

 

[scotjimland]

Hi

Why do you need purifying tablets, unless the source is dubious they are not required..

As previous poster, I sterilize the tank and pipework once a year using household bleach (Milton is just a fancy name for weak bleach) using about 1 tea cup per 70 gal tank of water .. pump through the system, leave for 20 mins then drain and flush .. full time for 3 years and no tummy upsets..
Smaller tanks obviously need less bleach..

If you are in any doubt about using bleach, I can assure you that is what is used in food factories to sterilize fruit and veg prior to packing.. I worked in one for 7 years ..

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[Terry]

Hi I am with both highwayman & Jim (ScotJimland) on this but do use either bleech or a cheepo bottle of milton type fluid (if I pick a bottle up) in about February after draining down just before xmas
I drink both straight from the tank and bottled water (refilled from the tap ) but SWMBO will only use the tank water for washing up and showers Never done me any harm YET
terry

 

[Heyupluv]

Proberly the cheapest way to treat fresh water tanks is by using supermarket sterilising tablets these cost a fraction of the caravan market ones.
One example is asda little angels 56 sterilising tablets the box gives instructions for water purification and sterilising We always used puraclean for sterilising . untill an industrial chemist pointed out that most tablets were made by one firm. I clean our fresh water tank at least twice a year as we use the van all the time.

We also use a nature pure water filter

For the last year we have been using a product called ELSAN Elsil this is a drinking water purifier it is used in the aircraft industry for aircraft fresh water tanks they quote treated water lasting weeks.
they Quote it
complete sterilisation,effective against all organisums including bacteria,viruses,amoebas,fungiyeasts and spores.it is long lasting and prevents
recontamination.A 100ml pack treats 1000litres of water.

We also use these in our toilet waste tank.
These are easier to use than liquid and one sachet can be added to the toilet flush tank

WATER SOLUBLE TOILET SACHETS

ELSAN Blue Bags are Water soluble toilet sachets with a New improved formula. they provide a fast, clean, convenient way to charge your chemical toilet or cassette system. New Blue Bags provide the ultimate in convenience, and reliability with a concentrated Aerospace formula and certified storage stability.
see Welcome to the Elsan website you can order direct and orders were post free on our last order.

Regards Alf

what was the cost of the ASDA tabs as we are going over to England next month....Mel

 

[alf]

Melvin
Box of 56 Asda Little Angels Sterilising tablets 70p I bought 2 boxes and have only used a few the Elsil teatment is a better product but I still clean the fresh water tank 3 times a year with tablets.
Regards
Alf

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[andyman]

I use the same chlorine powder as I use for the hot tub. I have checked the chlorine level in the past both when it was added to the tank and when it was left over night. When first added it was 5 ppm and in the morning 5 ppm. If bacteria was present then the ppm would have dropped. So other than piece of mind I doubt it does any good.

Andy

 

[tinkering]

water treatment

I have all ways used milton fliud just follow the instructions on the bottle

 

[scotjimland]

Milton is dilute Sodium Hypochlorite solution - otherwise known as BLEACH. If you buy THIN bleach it is exactly the same chemical composition as Milton, just a little more concentrated. (Bleach is usually a 4-5% sodium hypochlorite solution whereas Milton is about 1-2%). And bleach is a lot cheaper!

(Note that thick Domestos-style bleaches have other additives so they are not the same).

For babies bottles etc. you might want to stick to Milton etc. to ensure you get exactly the right concentration, but for other purposes thin bleach is exactly the same and is a lot cheaper.

It goes to show how effective branding can be to persuade people to pay an awful lot more for exactly the same product..

If in any doubt, Google.. Milton COSHH safety

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[Boo]

When I got her I just filled up the tank..........popped a couple of Milton tablets in (will buy bleach next time ) drew it through all the taps and left it full to the brim for 2 days, I then drove 28 miles with the tank half full then dumped the rest on the pitch.
Filled up with clean water and I drink, make cuppa's, fill the Tassimo and bottles for the fridge and I've been fine

Would like one of those filter tap jobies............so if anyone has a cheap one

Boo

 

[Terry]

Sorry if this is a little off topic :thumb:
We have a samsung american type fridge which has a water filter built in line which is changeable --about £25 from comet/currys but you can get the same filters for about a tenner.These would be dead simple to plumb in line for the van does anybody know if they would do the same job as the Aqua pure things ?? never bothered looking up the specs but somebody may have :thumb: could save somebody a small fortune or cause a big tummy upset
terry

 

[ronald4874]

Water Tank

Alf
We use the water from the tank to wash up etc, the tank is clean enough for that, drinking at anytime from tank No'''. The water may well be contaminated by idiots that use the hoses at campsites and Aires to wash out their toilets. We have seen many so called campers push the fresh water hose into their toilets to rinse them out leaving problems for people that follow. So beware when filling your tank with a hose. I always remove the hose at the tap and fill tank by container.

Ron W

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[Braunston]

Hi,

I seem to remember sometime ago that concern was raised over the use of bleach/ Sodium Hypochlorite type substances in some of the hot water/heating appliances.

I have tried searching but can't find any link so I may have been dreaming but i think the concern was over its reaction with Stainless Steel tanks.

Please ignore me as i am sure i have got it wrongoh: but it may be worth double checking before you start to use the purifying Milton type tablets as Jim has already said they do contain Sodium Hypochlorite


Hi, Just a UPDATE its apparantly anything that contains Chlorine as that appears to attack S/S which from what I can find the water tanks on some Truma boilers are made of S/S.

 

[Terry]

Hi Braunston,you are right that is why people only leave it in for a few hours or overnight then give a good flush :thumb:
terry

 

[scotjimland]

Hi,

I seem to remember sometime ago that concern was raised over the use of bleach/ Sodium Hypochlorite type substances in some of the hot water/heating appliances.

I have tried searching but can't find any link so I may have been dreaming but i think the concern was over its reaction with Stainless Steel tanks.

Please ignore me as i am sure i have got it wrongoh: but it may be worth double checking before you start to use the purifying Milton type tablets as Jim has already said they do contain Sodium Hypochlorite


Hi, Just a UPDATE its apparantly anything that contains Chlorine as that appears to attack S/S which from what I can find the water tanks on some Truma boilers are made of S/S.

Hi

I remember the same discussion, but what I find odd is that when I was employed in the food industry, all the equipment, pumps, pipework etc used in the salad and veg washing plant was s/s and it was dosed with sodium hydrochloride and citric acid (which when combined produces chlorine) . but perhaps it was a higher grade of s/s .. can't recall the grade now.. :Sad:

must check this out .. oh: any chemical engineers on Fun ?

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[Terry]

Hi Jim what I should have said was I had read the same thing On thinking about what you said and my own finding /seeing sinks etc, over the years the only corosive dammage I recall is on the joints / welds of the SS :thumb:
terry

 

[Joan 70]

I am interested in the answers you get because I have the same problem. Joan

Mel,

I have never used water purifying tabs before, and am wondering what replies you get. I am based just south of Carcassonne and travel in my Eura Mobil during many of the Summer weeks. Am dying to get back out there again. This will be my second season in the motorhome. Last year I spent 13 weeks in total away.

Joan 70

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Jim what I should have said was I had read the same thing On thinking about what you said and my own finding /seeing sinks etc, over the years the only corosive dammage I recall is on the joints / welds of the SS :thumb:
terry

Hi Terry

Found this information and yes it can attack s/s over a certain strength..
Link Removed

Contact with household bleach

Pitting corrosion has been reported from household bleach spills on stainless steel (304 type) sinks in domestic environments.
If this occurs immediate dilution by rinsing should avoid pitting, but if left overnight, pitting can result.

Disinfecting or sanitising 304 or 316 stainless steel items with dilute hypochlorite solutions can be done with care, but it is important that the temperature and contact time is kept to a minimum and that the solution is thoroughly rinsed away afterwards.
Safe residual water chlorine levels for sterilization

As a guide, 15-20 ppm (mg/lt) residual chlorine solutions at ambient temperatures should be safe with 316 types for a 24-hour maximum contact time, if followed by rinsing.

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[Terry]

Hi Jim interesting reading. I have been doing it correctly all these years without knowing it :thumb: Sheer genius :thumb:
terry

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Jim interesting reading. I have been doing it correctly all these years without knowing it :thumb: Sheer genius :thumb:
terry

me too..but I put it down to luck ...

 

[tinkering]

bleach in water tanks

Hi after posting on this thread I have been amazed at the sugestion the it is safe or wise to use BLEACH in your MH water tank.

I their fore sent a email to Milton phamaceutical Company, there reply is as follows.

Hi Les
No doubt you will have met me over the years at the various motorhome trade shows selling the Milton fluid from the stand.
I have personaly used Milton fluid for over 40 years and would never dream of even attempting to use normal concentrated bleaches.

Milton as you know has been used for home water treatment and food presering since 1916. It is the only pure stabilised non toxic form of sodum hypochliorite avialable on the market today.It is not classified under the new European biocides regulations or the REACH regulations.

Bleach is classified as dangerous , irritant and dangerous to the envirment .There are no toxic by products to Milton Fluid and it can evenbe emptied through to septic tanks without altering the natural breakdown bacteria.
Milton only breaks down to water and very slight traces of salt,Bleach breaks down to sodium chlorate which is weed killer.Bleach is very toxic in neat concentration wheras Milton is not.

Milton has a quraanteed concentration over a three year period so any dilutions for water are accurate. Bleach is very unstable and can have no activity after six months ,the stronger the bleach , the qucker it goes off.

Also many Bleaches contain heavey detergents whih stick to the pipework walls thus taiting the water.

If you spill Bleach on your hands,then there is a stong possibility of irritancy and burns depending on the concentration.

Milton is used by surgeons to treat 1st degree burns and it was allso used to irrigate the brain during long operations to keep it in sterile conditions, Try doing that with Bleach!!.

I hope that is a strong enough argument not to use Bleach.


Kind regards

Steve Riley
Techncal director
Milton Pharmaceutical Company


Take care Les

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[scotjimland]

Milton COSHH Sheet Information

2. Composition/Information
on Ingredients


An aqueous sterilising solution containing:

% w/w Symbol Risk Phrase of
ingredients
Chlorine-based bleaching agent <5% C R31, R34

Milton Sterilising Fluid 1%w/v gives 10,000 ppm available chlorine
Milton Sterilising Fluid 2%w/v gives 20,000 ppm available chlorine

From Milton Site

What is Milton made of?
Milton Fluid is made of an aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite and 16.5% sodium chloride.

In other words .. diluted bleach and salt ..

 

[tinkering]

Milton fluid

Scotjimland

Its a shame that you are not prepared to share the full text of the Milton data sheet with us all, but only to cheerypick that which suports your misconeived and I belive potentaly dangerous view that it is safe to use domestic Bleach to purify water in our MHs.

To those of you who are interested in your Own Safety please Goggle the Milton Fluid data sheet ,when you have read the Entire sheet, please then read the same data for Domestic type Bleach .

You will find that they are two totaly different products,If after reading both Data sheets you still think its Safe to use Domestic Bleach so be it, Its Your stomach Not mine

Take care Les

 

[scotjimland]

Its Your stomach Not mine[/COLOR]

Indeed, and in 20 odd years of using bleach to sanitise water systems and three years full time it's doing fine thank you.

I concede Milton is a safer product and it has specific uses, babies bottles etc and has to be formulated so that it's safe to use by anyone who has half a brain cell, (I'm thinking 16 year mothers) .. bleach on the other hand has to be used with care and knowledge.. so if you or anyone else feel it's unsafe or unsure how to use it safely.. DON'T ... buy the 'safe' product .. it's your money

It's the same argument people trot out for NOT using LPG refilling adaptors ..

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[Terry]

Hi tinkering,we are not talking drinking the stuff but flushing it through the tanks
terry

 

[scotjimland]

Hi tinkering,we are not talking drinking the stuff but flushing it through the tanks
terry

Quite so..

I think there is some confusion on this thread.. the OP was asking about dosing water to make it safe and it drifted onto sterilising tanks.. related but different..

To clarify

I never dose, I don't believe there is any need but to be on the safe side I have an Nature Pure filter for drinking water .. bleach for system sterilising not dosing .. as per my first post.

 

[Heyupluv]

sterilizing tablets

Quite so..

I think there is some confusion on this thread.. the OP was asking about dosing water to make it safe and it drifted onto sterilising tanks.. related but different..

To clarify

I never dose, I don't believe there is any need but to be on the safe side I have an Nature Pure filter for drinking water .. bleach for system sterilising not dosing .. as per my first post.

Hi JIM, its me who asked the first question, yes you are correct it was about adding tablets to the water.........thank you everybody for your input............. Jim when you "quote the letters above OP" do you mean.. OLD PENSIONER..or.. OLD PERSON..or..the..OTHER PERSON…maybe it should have been PP
It’s the pleasant peasant born in Yorkshire now living in France…..Mel

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[Stephen & Jeannie]

What a load of twaddle !!! the only way to dose water to purify it is to add a few fingers of The Famous Grouse !!!! works a treat and helps you sleep !!!...

 

[robert groves]

Hi Mel
We put-in a big bottle of Milton once a year
We draw it through to the taps then leave-it overnight before flushing through with fresh water.
I'm sure others do things differently but this works for us :thumb:




regards...nige

WARNING !.....Milton Attacks Stainless Steel (says so on the label)

 

[robert groves]

Indeed, and in 20 odd years of using bleach to sanitise water systems and three years full time it's doing fine thank you.

I concede Milton is a safer product and it has specific uses, babies bottles etc and has to be formulated so that it's safe to use by anyone who has half a brain cell, (I'm thinking 16 year mothers) .. bleach on the other hand has to be used with care and knowledge.. so if you or anyone else feel it's unsafe or unsure how to use it safely.. DON'T ... buy the 'safe' product .. it's your money

It's the same argument people trot out for NOT using LPG refilling adaptors ..

Warning,..Milton will attack Stainlees Steel !....if you have any SS fittings in the pump or pipework, Milton will Corrode them ! (says so on the lable)

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