MMC wrote:
Peggie,
Do you recommend white vineger for flushing fresh water systems?

I'm not sure whether you mean toilets that use fresh water, or the
potable water system...so I'll address both.

White vinegar is both an odor eliminator and a mineral dissolver...so
while it's not really needed in toilets that use fresh water, it
certainly can't hurt the hoses to flush a cupful through 'em before the
boat is to sit. Just don't leave it sitting in the bowl, and be sure to
flush it all out of the pump...'cuz while vinegar won't do anything to
soft rubber just passing through, soft rubber left to soak in vinegar
will swell and distort.

Potable water systems: After recommissioning the system each spring, a
solution of 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water left in the tank for
several days--with the pump left on to also keep the solution in the
plumbing--will remove any remaining chlorine or antifreeze taste/smell
in the system. Drain through every faucet, then fill the tank 1/4-1/2
full with clean water and flush the vinegar solution out of the lines.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

Peggie Hall wrote:

MMC wrote:

Peggie,
Do you recommend white vineger for flushing fresh water systems?


I'm not sure whether you mean toilets that use fresh water, or the
potable water system...so I'll address both.

White vinegar is both an odor eliminator and a mineral dissolver...so
while it's not really needed in toilets that use fresh water, it
certainly can't hurt the hoses to flush a cupful through 'em before the
boat is to sit. Just don't leave it sitting in the bowl, and be sure to
flush it all out of the pump...'cuz while vinegar won't do anything to
soft rubber just passing through, soft rubber left to soak in vinegar
will swell and distort.

Potable water systems: After recommissioning the system each spring, a
solution of 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water left in the tank for
several days--with the pump left on to also keep the solution in the
plumbing--will remove any remaining chlorine or antifreeze taste/smell
in the system. Drain through every faucet, then fill the tank 1/4-1/2
full with clean water and flush the vinegar solution out of the lines.

Wow, that means that I need to buy 38 quarts of vinegar for my 140 gal
and 50 gal that I am currently fixing. Didn't realize I would need so much.
krj

krj wrote:
Potable water systems: After recommissioning the system each spring, a
solution of 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water left in the tank for
several days--with the pump left on to also keep the solution in the
plumbing--will remove any remaining chlorine or antifreeze taste/smell
in the system. Drain through every faucet, then fill the tank 1/4-1/2
full with clean water and flush the vinegar solution out of the lines.

Wow, that means that I need to buy 38 quarts of vinegar for my 140 gal
and 50 gal that I am currently fixing. Didn't realize I would need so much.

You didn't read what I wrote carefully enough...'cuz you don't need
anywhere near that much. You only need a couple of gallons for the 140
gal tank and 1 quart at most for the 50 gal tank.


--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

Peggie Hall wrote:

krj wrote:

Potable water systems: After recommissioning the system each spring,
a solution of 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water left in the tank
for several days--with the pump left on to also keep the solution in
the plumbing--will remove any remaining chlorine or antifreeze
taste/smell in the system. Drain through every faucet, then fill the
tank 1/4-1/2 full with clean water and flush the vinegar solution out
of the lines.

Wow, that means that I need to buy 38 quarts of vinegar for my 140 gal
and 50 gal that I am currently fixing. Didn't realize I would need so
much.


You didn't read what I wrote carefully enough...'cuz you don't need
anywhere near that much. You only need a couple of gallons for the 140
gal tank and 1 quart at most for the 50 gal tank.


Guess I read it wrong. I figured 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water
was 140/5= 28 quarts.
krj

krj wrote:
Peggie Hall wrote:

krj wrote:


I figured 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water
was 140/5= 28 quarts.


Read it again (the third time it HAS to sink in)...I didn't say FILL the
tank...I said, "fill the tank 1/4-1/2 full ..."

The solution is 1 quart vinegar to 5 gal WATER, NOT 1 quart vinegar to
the total amount the tank can hold.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

Peggie Hall wrote:

krj wrote:
Peggie Hall wrote:

krj wrote:

I figured 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water
was 140/5= 28 quarts.

Read it again (the third time it HAS to sink in)...I didn't say FILL the
tank...I said, "fill the tank 1/4-1/2 full ..."

The solution is 1 quart vinegar to 5 gal WATER, NOT 1 quart vinegar to
the total amount the tank can hold.

So you fill the tank 1/4 full of this solution? or do you just use 5
gal of water for any size tank?

If we filled our tanks 1/4 full, that would be 50 gallons, so it would
be 10 quarts of vinegar (??)

When we used to use fresh water flush it wasn't connected to the
toilet at all - we just used the shower head to flush the toilet with.

So you fill the tank 1/4 full of this solution? or do you just use 5
gal of water for any size tank?

Put enough in the tank to get it into all the plumbing. If only 5 gal.
is enough to do that, then 5 gal. is all you need.

When we used to use fresh water flush it wasn't connected to the
toilet at all - we just used the shower head to flush the toilet with.

It has nothing to do with toilet flush water, Rosie...unless you care
whether the toilet flush water smells/tastes like chlorine or antifreeze.

However, using the shower head to put water in the bowl is not good for
the toilet pump...'cuz what's in the bowl is only passed through the
bottom part of the pump, leaving the rubber parts in the upper part of
the pump dry, which deteriorates 'em. If you have the typical electric
macerating pump, closing the seacock and only putting water into the
bowl causes the intake impeller to spin dry, which "fries" it with the
first flush and then will destroy the intake pump housing. If you've
done that, if you ever open the intake seacock again, water will flood
the bowl--overflowing it, if it's below the waterline--because there's
no longer anything left of the impeller to block it.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304

Potable. Thanks Peggie.
"Peggie Hall" wrote in message
. com...
MMC wrote:
Peggie,
Do you recommend white vineger for flushing fresh water systems?

I'm not sure whether you mean toilets that use fresh water, or the
potable water system...so I'll address both.

White vinegar is both an odor eliminator and a mineral dissolver...so
while it's not really needed in toilets that use fresh water, it
certainly can't hurt the hoses to flush a cupful through 'em before the
boat is to sit. Just don't leave it sitting in the bowl, and be sure to
flush it all out of the pump...'cuz while vinegar won't do anything to
soft rubber just passing through, soft rubber left to soak in vinegar
will swell and distort.

Potable water systems: After recommissioning the system each spring, a
solution of 1 quart white vinegar to 5 gal. water left in the tank for
several days--with the pump left on to also keep the solution in the
plumbing--will remove any remaining chlorine or antifreeze taste/smell
in the system. Drain through every faucet, then fill the tank 1/4-1/2
full with clean water and flush the vinegar solution out of the lines.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"

http://shop.sailboatowners.com/books...ku=90&cat=1304