Mixing fuel additive with water

[Andy G]

I don't believe I did this.

I opened both the deck fuel filler and water filler caps at the same time, I NEVER do this, and for good reason. Anyway I added 40ml of fuel additive to my port water tank, I realised this about 10 nano seconds to late!

I have been madly flushing the tank, adding some washing up liquid, draining re flushing etc.

Does anyone know of a procedure or product that might help.

Cheers,

Andy

 

[psneeld]

Other responses have usually included an email or call to the company for the best way to handle it.

Here in the US the MSDS and poison control center may have info.

Usually hot soapy water cleans petroleum products as well as anything....then it's just rinsing enough to get both the additive and soap residual out.

After a half dozen rinses or so....I would take a sample to a well driller that tests or a water treatment store that tests or a local government that tests....whatever is available. Make sure you ask if they test for things like petroleum contaminents.

I thought we had a water guy on TF, was it Ulysses or something like that? He was leaving on a trip but his responses in other threads seemed reasonable.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Peggy Hall would be the one to talk to but I don't see her on the members list. She's on my Facebook though.

PM sent to Peggie. She's Peggie not Peggy.

Like psneeld says hot soapy water should do it. That would be a lot of hot water though.

 

[HeadMistress]

Got your email, Eric...

Petroleum products float, so if you didn't run your water pump long enough to completely flush the tank, cleaning out the tank with plenty of detergent water should solve your problem. But if you got the fuel additive into the plumbing, it's gonna be a lot harder to solve, especially if your fresh water lines are hoses...in which case, methinks it would be wise to turn the job over to a pro.

If it's any consolation, half the boat owners I've known have either put fuel in their water tank or water in their fuel tanks...me included--35 gallons of water in my 90 gallon starboard fuel tank...I realized it when I was that the fuel gauge on that tank had gone from half a tank to full. And even a few who've either put fuel in their holding tank or pumped out a water or fuel tank. The good news is, nobody EVER does it more than once.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Thank you much Peggie.

Couldn't find you as I forgot you were my mistress .. title wise of course. How could I forget such a clever and catchy name.

 

[BruceK]

Andy, commiserations,could happen to anyone. Fortunately the responses are good, and (so far) no one ripped into you for using a snake oil additive (like I do). Unfortunately the flush mounted IG fuel fillers are downstream of the side water tank fillers, which I`m sure is why you don`t usually have them open at the same time. Hope it comes out well.

 

[Northern Spy]

What kind of fuel treatment? Obviously, be very cautious if it is a biocide!

MSDS would be my first download.

 

[Andy G]

Eric, thank you for contacting Peggie Hall, and Peggie (AKA Eric's mistress) thank you for for your advice and words of comfort to the afflicted, or should that be self inflicted.

As soon as I realised what I had done I isolated the tank from the fresh water lines, so there is no contamination there.I have been flushing the system through repeatedly with water and detergent, plus as much hot water as the boat water heater can handle.

I am not sure what kind of fuel treatment I used. In my disbelief at what I had done, I promptly threw the additive container into the bin on the dock. Talk about shooting the messenger. I probably should have thrown myself in instead.

Such is life.

 

[sunchaser]

Sodium Bicarbonate works wonders on hydrocarbon cleanup. I know of a case where it was used in a water tank to clean up a gasoline added miscue.

 

[Biggusstickus]

Well just think, things could of been worse as was the case where the thief tried to steel fuel in a caravan park by siphoning through a hose. All the owners found the next morning was a pile of vomit and a hose coming out of the sewerage holding tank

 

[hollywood8118]

Well just think, things could of been worse as was the case where the thief tried to steel fuel in a caravan park by siphoning through a hose. All the owners found the next morning was a pile of vomit and a hose coming out of the sewerage holding tank

The only way that story would be better is if he would of puked all over the new boat shoes he had just stolen at the boat show!

Hollywood :lol:

 

[catalinajack]

That is why I painted my fuel filler caps red and lay them on the deck next to the open port as a reminder. My water caps are unpainted. Not a guarantee of a foul-up but certainly it increases awareness.

 

[No Mast]

Andy I think psneeld gave you good advice about contacting the manufacturer or poison control center (or both). They have better info on exactly what you put in your tank and ultimately how much of a problem it is or it isn't.

 

[cafesport]

Like others have said you need to figure out what the chemistry was of the product you added. Things like biobor contain toxins and have higher specific gravities than water in order to get down into the problem area of the fuel column. The msds and a call to a water specialist would be a good place to start. Depending on the tank material and accessibility, certain chemical cleaners may be better than others.


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