Smelly water!

[flyboyprowler]

Our friend who has an older Adria van has a problem with his potable water. Although the tank has been cleaned, flushed and sterilised, when the taps are turned on, there is initially a stale smell from the water. The water is clear and supposedly clean and this smell seems to be a mystery. Has anyone had the same problem or an idea for a cure! *-)

[ColinM50]

If the tank's been properly cleaned then the problem MUST be with the pipes or taps themselves. Might be a bit of a pfaff, but change the plumbing. Make sure you use proper food grade piping not a chunk of hose pipe you've got lying about.

 

Caktanks in Kenilworth are the acknowledged experts on all matters plumbing related for motorhomes and boats and well worth a phone call. They've always been very helpful when I've called them but ask first if they have time to talk or should you call back at a better time?

 

http://www.caktanks.co.uk/CAK_Water_Plumbing.htm

[vindiboy]

Yes some years ago there was a slight smell from our taps in the van, make a strong MILTON solution up and flush it into the tank and into all your water pipes, let it remain there as long as you can , [ especially in the pipes ] and then run it out and flush all with fresh water, it is probably mould or algae in the pipes or even Bacteria. Milton is safe in water [babies bottles etc are sterilized with it ] it does not harm your stainless steel in your water heater etc , I have used it for years with no problem. We use 5 litre plastic bottles with tap water for drinking tea and coffee etc in our van and we put a small dose of Milton in these too.

ASDA sell tables for water treatment , it is called little angels and is for sale in Asda baby Isle these tablets are good for keeping your water system sweet, cost a lot less that the Thetford stuff. we drop a couple of these tablets in our water tank on each fill up, 140 litres our tank holds.

[EJB]

I understand that Milton does harm copper elements?

[Rayjsj]

EJB - 2019-01-26 12:07 PM

 

I understand that Milton does harm copper elements?

It most certainly DOES, far better to use a proper sterilising solution that does not contain bleach.

Have had to replace boiler tanks that had corrosion holes caused by Milton.

Strong stuff.

 

 

 

[Tracker]

If it is only initially and soon clears it does suggest the tap feed pipe has a layer of algae inside it. This can be worse on clear pipes where light helps the algae grow and you can see the green film through the tube walls.

,

Taking the pipes out and dis mantling them and cleaning, or replacing, but cleaning is cheaper by pushing a cloth down them with a length of wire, or drawing it through with string then leaving them soak in the bath in dilute bleach before refitting cured the problem when we had it on an older van many years ago.

 

In those days things were more simple and access was easier, but I would suspect the pipework and pump.

[747]

Using Milton at the concentration recommended on the container will not rot your stainless steel pipework. It will only be present for a short while anyway and then be flushed out.

 

The problem appears to be in the cold water line (I presume nobody drinks from the hot tap). If that is the case then disconnect the cold water feed at the Tank and pump in a solution of Milton (or whatever else) at a stronger concentration. When it appears at the taps, switch off the pump and leave it for as long as you want. Then flush through with clean tap water.

[vindiboy]

Rayjsj - 2019-01-26 12:29 PM

 

EJB - 2019-01-26 12:07 PM

 

I understand that Milton does harm copper elements?

It most certainly DOES, far better to use a proper sterilising solution that does not contain bleach.

Have had to replace boiler tanks that had corrosion holes caused by Milton.

Strong stuff.

 

 

Well 30 years of use by me , proves to me that it does NO harm, each to their own of course.

[BruceM]

vindiboy - 2019-01-26 3:40 PM

 

Rayjsj - 2019-01-26 12:29 PM

 

EJB - 2019-01-26 12:07 PM

 

I understand that Milton does harm copper elements?

It most certainly DOES, far better to use a proper sterilising solution that does not contain bleach.

Have had to replace boiler tanks that had corrosion holes caused by Milton.

Strong stuff.

 

 

Well 30 years of use by me , proves to me that it does NO harm, each to their own of course.

 

Miltons or a supermarket own brand equivalent baby bottle steriliser gets my vote as well.

 

In my experience just a couple of squirts of the stuff in a few gallons of water will flush a system out nicely. I’d not leave it in my drinking water though – it’ll already have been chlorinated so hopefully don't need to add more. I also put some down the van plug holes during the summer if it’s not in use to ensure the water traps don’t start growing mould.

 

In actually fact, I believe that most types of add in water sterilisers will contain an initial ‘bleach’ of some kind. For instance Milton’s is about 17% salt and 1% ‘sodium hypochlorite’ (a chlorine which produces hypochlorous acid when added to water and kills bacteria) whilst a product like Puriclean tablets uses dichloroisocyanuric acid as the sterilising component – which reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid, so essentially the same result.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

It used to be popular for owners of motorhomes/caravans to put a dash of Milton in their leisure-vehicle’s fresh-water tank each time that tank was refiilled, but the practice seems to have died out.

 

This 2009 forum thread warned of Milton’s potential for damaging metal

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Caution-When-Using-Milton-/15930/

 

Dave Newell’s advice is here

 

 

Elsan markets “Elsil” to keep water fresh and “Fresh Water Tank Clean” to clean the water system.

 

http://www.elsan.co.uk/drinking-water-management.aspx

 

https://www.sheridanmarine.com/product/elsan-water-tank-cleaner