Smell in fresh water system

When flushing tanks and lines it is important to run them dry then add 1/4 tank, flush everything and do it again and repeat. The reason for this is that it is very difficult to get rid of unwanted stuff in the system by mixing clean with bad. You need to have as little bad water in the system as possible when adding fresh to flush.


Some city systems have switched to amine instead of chlorine. Less smell and less effective.

I do use pink a/f, but I don't put it in the tank and bypass the heater. I've done the 24 hour chlorine soak and flushed several times. We will see as time goes on. Thanks for all comments.

ranger42c said:

An aside: I'm guessing chlorine in the freshwater supply may also have an effect on enzyme or aerobic bacteria holding tank treatments, when heads are flushed with that fresh water.

-Chris

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My guess is that the concentration is small enough that it won't have a negative affect. Remember, these products are also used by RV owners who are often connected to city water and use this water for flushing their toilets.

If in doubt, a call or e-mail to the manufacturer should provide a definitive answer.

To Bayview:
I would think that the use of chloramines not "amine" is increasing in public water treatment disinfection. The Chloramines are produced as a result of adding ammonia to pre chlorinated water. The actual Chloramine (di or tri) is normally based upon the ph levels of the water.

Some follow up to original post; I did start getting odors again in the lines, not the tanks, if I ran the fresh water for a couple of minutes when I got on the boat, it was fine until it sat unused for several days. I think I'll just replace the water hoses over the winter.

dach side said:

I flushed my fresh water system in May, per the headmistress' instructions, but I'm getting the smell back again. It helps if I let the water run for 10-20 seconds first, but I'm wondering: do I need to replace the water lines? They are the boat's age, 25 years old. If so, what type of water lines would be recommended? The ones in the boat are clear PVC.

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dach side said:

Ranger 42c: from water tanks only(no shore hookup), hoy or cold. Sort of sulfur smell. Capt.bill11: poly water tanks, 75 gal. Each. Boat is 25 years old, not sure if lines are OEM. By clear PVC, I mean clear with red/blue tracers. I think I'll redo it with the bleach treatment, then add a filter. We get water from a town well, go through a tank in about 10 days.

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dach side said:

I do use pink a/f, but I don't put it in the tank and bypass the heater. I've done the 24 hour chlorine soak and flushed several times. We will see as time goes on. Thanks for all comments.

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dach side said:

Some follow up to original post; I did start getting odors again in the lines, not the tanks, if I ran the fresh water for a couple of minutes when I got on the boat, it was fine until it sat unused for several days. I think I'll just replace the water hoses over the winter.

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Have you determined positively the odor isn't coming from something in your well water source?

If your fresh water system is sitting unused for several days, does that mean the lines are unpressurized during that time period? Air can infiltrate the lines? Or...?

-Chris

Just an aside - somebody mentioned undercounter reverse osmosis. I would like to point out that for every gallon of water that emerges from the system, 70 gallons is discarded. I don't know if you are on water meters but this waste is significant both for cost and profligacy.

Xsbank said:

Just an aside - somebody mentioned undercounter reverse osmosis. I would like to point out that for every gallon of water that emerges from the system, 70 gallons is discarded. I don't know if you are on water meters but this waste is significant both for cost and profligacy.

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Well, you are close. A new decent residential system discards about 3 gallons for every gallon made. I know nothing about seawater RO system.

The other downside of these systems is they require about 45 psi minimum and prefer 60 psi which most boats don't produce.

dach side said:

Some follow up to original post; I did start getting odors again in the lines, not the tanks, if I ran the fresh water for a couple of minutes when I got on the boat, it was fine until it sat unused for several days. I think I'll just replace the water hoses over the winter.

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[FONT=&quot]No need to do that...recommissioning the system as follows should cure the problem:

Fresh water system problems--foul odor or taste--are typically caused by allowing water to stagnate in the system. Although most people think only in terms of the tank, the plumbing is actually the source of most foul water, because the molds, mildew, fungi and bacteria which cause it thrive in damp dark places, not under water. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]There are all kinds of products sold that claim to keep onboard water fresh, but all that’s really necessary is an annual or in especially warm climates, semi-annual recommissioning, of the entire system—tank and plumbing. The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/4 cup (2 oz) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity. (Simpler way to calculate: 1 quart bleach/50 gal water tank capacity)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vehicle motion.
[FONT=&quot] 6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by fill the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]To keep the water system cleaner longer, use your fresh water...keep water flowing through system. The molds, fungi, and bacteria only start to grow in hoses that aren't being used. Before filling the tank each time, always let the dock water run for at least 15 minutes first...the same critters that like the lines on your boat LOVE the dock supply line and your hose that sit in the warm sun, and you certainly don't want to transfer water that's been sitting in the dock supply line to your boat's system. So let the water run long enough to flush out all the water that's been standing in them so that what goes into your boat is coming straight from the water main. [/FONT]

> The ones in the boat are clear<

Clear is probably the cause. If any light can get to any portion of the tube , stuff will grow.

On city water there is probably enough poison to kill the green stuff, on a well, pure water is a great home.

Paint the lines might work, as would adding poison to the system.

I would bite the bullet and install copper tubing , with flair fittings ,definiatly long lasting and light proof.

5/8 soft refrigeration tubing is my favorite.

PEX and other dirt house tubing is cheap and quick to install, but houses run 300-400+Gal per day,per person which thins out the stuff coming out of the PEX.

water oder

The sulphur smell makes me suspect the anode in your hot water heater; if it has not ben replaced in a while I'd take a look.

PEX is fine and easier to install than copper. It's also more resistant to freezing temperatures. There are also proprietary hoses and connectors for marine water systems. Check the West Marine catalog.

It's easy to treat well water with common chlorine bleach if necessary and this will make it just a s clean and safe as cit water. I did this for several years and had absolutely no water quality issues on my boat (or home).

If the water system is left pressurized, the only air in the system will be the top of the water tank(s).

>PEX is fine and easier to install than copper.<

To me the problem with PEX is its on a boat that may sit for a month or 6 ,(unlike most dirt houses) so whatever plasticizers are in the plastic tubing and fittings have plenty of time to leach out.

Just running the water for a few min will not clear this as the tubing is connected to the water tank, and HW heater.

AS copper tubing is common ,cheap and easy to work with or repair , I figure using the best is cheap insurance.($20,000 per day in the ER)

Same argument for running our 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon at 20MPG rather than an econobox that gets 50 MPG .

At our miles a year the difference in fuel cost would take almost forever to pay for a single day after a car crash.

Prevention is cheaper than cure.