This is exactly what I did. I use a removal, portable filter when filling
the tank, and then drain and dry it for storage until the next time. As it
turns out, I probably only use each filter element two or three times before
replacing it, just to be sure nothing has a long-term opportunity to grow
there.


I remain puzzled, though, at why the hot water side of the system seems to
have retained so much more an antifreeze smell than the cold side. The water
heater is pretty small, and was replaced only two years ago. I pumped and
drained through both cold and hot outlets in both galley and head before
filling the tank, let all of those continue to run through the first part of
filling the tank, ran them again extensively after letting the first tank
fill slosh around a good bit, and have run the them all lots since. Is there
any reason the antifreeze would seem to "accumulate" in the hot water side?


"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
filters, left inline, trap bio material which then decomposes. filters
are
Perti dishes to a water system, or so I was told by a guy who spent his
career
designing filtration systems of various kinds.

He said the best system is to filter the water you need for the next short
period of time and then store the filter dry until the next time.

The reason that the hot water tank retains antifreeze is the
configuration of the chamber. It is essentially a box with a coil, the
coil containing the exhaust water from the engine. The 'box' has a
large internal surface area and cannot be totally drained and there
will usually always be some fluid trapped at the bottom. The only way
to rapidly dilute the remaining anatifreeze is NOT by running zillions
of gallons of clean water through it as the 'configuration' inside
which promote 'hydrodynamic dead zones' ---- meaning that the flow of
incomming water doesnt necessarily fully mix with and dilute the
contaminent..... its a hydraulic engineering 'phenomenon/problem'
common to 'most' tanks.

If you have anti-freeze the best way to 'clear' it is to do 'alliquot'
washings:
fill tank, mechanically drain tank (remove the coupling to the outlet
fresh water nozzle and let drain), fill tank, mechanically drain tank,
etc. etc. etc. ditto, ditto, ditto. In this manner you will
mathematically (exponential decay) dilute the 'residuals' FASTER than
by blasting the entire Atlantic Ocean through it .... and still have
antifreeze left in the tank.

If you are throwing out the water filters after only 2 or 3 fills,
then you are absolutely wasting your money. Such filters in
*continuous service* typically will last for MONTHS (depending on the
'dirt load' already in the water ..... thats millions of gallons of
water. Well water is usually quite clean but municipal water is
probably one of the "dirtiest" fluids on the earth. When to change a
filter: when the pressure drop across the filter changes by approx. 10
psid or the flowrate begins to decay.

For sanitizing the tank (no visible bacterial scum, etc.) the BEST
cleaning agent is peracetic acid ..... obtain if from suppliers of
Reverse Osmosis equipment. Its quite safe to the environment (degrades
to 'vinegar').
For Disinfection (noticable bioburden) mechanicall scrub with caustics,
then strong concentration Chlorox (solution of 25 parts per million),
etc. .... then peracetic acid.

Dont let a filter (or boat water tank) sit for long periods filled or
partly filled and unused .... Why grow the stuff that you dont want
in there in the first place. ..... if you let a glass of tap water sit
open on your drainboard for a few weeks, you wouldnt drink it. Why do
people do this with 'boat water'?

The water 'specs.' used in the "RV" industry are out of date (by
industrial standards) by about 50 years. These are 'derived' specs.
from an 'active or flowing' water system ..... and those who derived it
made GREAT mistakes in not ackowleging that a RV or boat has an
inherently STAGNAT water system ..... best damn place in the world to
grow bioburden.