Well, I did the most stupid thing last week ... I have three deck
fittings which read Waste, Water, and Fuel. And at a fuel dock I put
two gallons of diesel into the water bladder. DUMB. There was about
five gallons of water in the bladder. The next day I pumped out the
bladder and removed it. Just wondering - do you think it's wrecked? Any
ideas on how to clean it?

The best thing would be to replace your bladder.
Cleaning it is not all that bad. It's the smell that remains in the
container. Even after a thorough cleaning the water will have the taste of
diesel for months.
The first thing is to dispose of the diesel and water in a legal manner.
Then I used mix dishsoap and drinking water and let it in the bladder
overnight and rinse it.
I repeat the process about three time. At that stage it will still smell of
diesel. After that I fill the bladder (container) with a mixture of Clorox
and drinking water and let it in overnight. Even after the water will still
have some tracing smell of diesel. I then repeat the Clorox treatment as
need it. All summer we had trace of diesel smell and the coffee did not
taste as good.
After one season it got back to normal.
Based on the configuration of the bladder its location and replacement cost
it could be easier to replace it.
Other people have used steam to clean contaminated bladders or tanks but I
have no experience with this process.



wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, I did the most stupid thing last week ... I have three deck
fittings which read Waste, Water, and Fuel. And at a fuel dock I put
two gallons of diesel into the water bladder. DUMB. There was about
five gallons of water in the bladder. The next day I pumped out the
bladder and removed it. Just wondering - do you think it's wrecked? Any
ideas on how to clean it?

wrote:

The best thing would be to replace your bladder.
Cleaning it is not all that bad. It's the smell that remains in the
container. Even after a thorough cleaning the water will have the taste of
diesel for months.

The thing is that the fuel permeates the pores of the bladder. I would
pitch the old one and get a new one.

You might want to consider color coding the deck fills also so that this
doesn't happen again.

The first thing is to dispose of the diesel and water in a legal manner.
Then I used mix dishsoap and drinking water and let it in the bladder
overnight and rinse it.
I repeat the process about three time. At that stage it will still smell of
diesel. After that I fill the bladder (container) with a mixture of Clorox
and drinking water and let it in overnight. Even after the water will still
have some tracing smell of diesel. I then repeat the Clorox treatment as
need it. All summer we had trace of diesel smell and the coffee did not
taste as good.
After one season it got back to normal.
Based on the configuration of the bladder its location and replacement cost
it could be easier to replace it.
Other people have used steam to clean contaminated bladders or tanks but I
have no experience with this process.



wrote in message
roups.com...
Well, I did the most stupid thing last week ... I have three deck
fittings which read Waste, Water, and Fuel. And at a fuel dock I put
two gallons of diesel into the water bladder. DUMB. There was about
five gallons of water in the bladder. The next day I pumped out the
bladder and removed it. Just wondering - do you think it's wrecked? Any
ideas on how to clean it?

Rosalie B. wrote:
"You might want to consider color coding the deck fills also so that
this doesn't happen again."

Because I am such a dumbass that I don't learn from my mistakes,
Rosalie. Huh .. Through the years you've never passed up on a dig.
ThankYou to all who responded.

Rosalie, You might want to consider walking the plank if you're ever on
my sloop!

This problem is age old. Now the builders of new sailboats are locating the
potable water intake on the deck close to the bow of the boat.
This way it may not be fool proof but close to sailor proof. Color coding
is a good idea. Normally light blue for potable water, yellow for diesel
and red for gasoline. This way it will match the color coding used on
plastic containers.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Rosalie B. wrote:
"You might want to consider color coding the deck fills also so that
this doesn't happen again."

Because I am such a dumbass that I don't learn from my mistakes,
Rosalie. Huh .. Through the years you've never passed up on a dig.
ThankYou to all who responded.

Rosalie, You might want to consider walking the plank if you're ever on
my sloop!

wrote:
This problem is age old. Now the builders of new sailboats are locating the
potable water intake on the deck close to the bow of the boat.
This way it may not be fool proof but close to sailor proof. Color coding
is a good idea. Normally light blue for potable water, yellow for diesel
and red for gasoline. This way it will match the color coding used on
plastic containers.

Our 30+ year old boat has "water" engraved/moulded into the Aluminum
water cap. Also it is located forward, so nothing to do with the
inboard engine etc. aft.
Colour coding sounds like good idea, although until now wasn't aware
there was a 'standard' for each fluid! So not likely that volunteer
crew members and/or summer staff at a marina will be any more
knowledgeable than myself?

wrote:

Rosalie B. wrote:
"You might want to consider color coding the deck fills also so that
this doesn't happen again."

Because I am such a dumbass that I don't learn from my mistakes,
Rosalie. Huh ..

Well actually I was thinking that other people might make the same mistake
and that would help head it off. But I guess you know yourself best.

Through the years you've never passed up on a dig. ThankYou to all who responded.

Rosalie, You might want to consider walking the plank if you're ever on
my sloop!

It would certainly be a good idea - for one of us.

wrote:
Rosalie B. wrote:
"You might want to consider color coding the deck fills also so that
this doesn't happen again."

Because I am such a dumbass that I don't learn from my mistakes,
Rosalie. Huh .. Through the years you've never passed up on a dig.
ThankYou to all who responded.

Rosalie, You might want to consider walking the plank if you're ever on
my sloop!

Lighten up! Ok...you feel like a doofus. But if it's any consolation
you've jus joined a very large "club" of which I'm also a member,
although I got lucky...I only put about 35 gals of water into my
starboard gas tank...much easier to fix than fuel in a water tank. But I
can't count the number of people I know or or have heard from--including
marine professionals--who've also put fuel in a water tank, water in a
fuel tank, pumped out a fuel or water tank...

The good news is, nobody EVER does it a second time.

--
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

On Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:31:24 GMT, Peggie Hall
wrote:

The good news is, nobody EVER does it a second time.

Well, I know someone who almost did it a second time but was stopped
short by his brand new, color coded label plates...

:-)