HymerVan Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Whilst looking for something else I came across a You Tube video about sterilising the water system using Puriclean which has been my product of choice. My latest van is the only one I have had with a water filter (a Whale Aquasource) and the video suggested that the filter would be "damaged" by the sterilising solution. I phone the Whale technical heldesk who couldn't initially help but later called back to say that sterilising fluid should indeed not be passed through the filter. So far so good but with the filter disconnected there is not a complete circuit to pump the water/solution round. They suggested that I keep the old filter to act as a medium for conducting the water, then replacing it with the new one one everything is flushed through. That is all very well but I have thrown it away at the end of the season when I drained down. Anyway I usually sterilise at the beginning and end of the season. It look as though I will have to spend £20 on a "sacrifical filter" or lash up a by-pass pipe. Has anyone else come across this/got any better ideas ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I would've thought the options are: a) Sort out a bypass("lash up") loop (or a dummy filter housing?) b) Sacrifice your current filter now. or c) Don't "sterilise" it until you are ready to renew your current filter(and sacrifice it then). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Laurence, I only ever sterilise with tap water so don't have a problem with it not being compatible with my Aquasource filter. I usually fill the tank, bleed all the pipework through then leave to stand for 24 hours or so before draining and refilling the tank then running a decent quantity through all the taps. This has worked for the last ten years for me so I'm going to carry on as I am. We once tried to sterilise an Aquaroll and it took months to get the taint of chemical out of the water from it hence why I don't want to use chemicals in the MH. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brom Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 We took a different route, and asked ENC to fit a Naturepure filter in the kitchen unit, so keeping the water from the sink pure for drinking. It doesn't filter the water for the washroom/toilet - we thought that would be overkill, given the price of replacement filters. Sorry, I appreciate that doesn't help solve your quandary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Fitting a bypass should be the cheapest approach. The Whale filter cartridge is supposed to remove unpleasant tastes/smells from water coming from an onboard tank - it has no anti-bacterial function. If the cartridge is not fitted vertically there’s a good chance water will remain in it when the motorhome’s water system is drained down. My first ‘van (a 1996-built Herald Templar) came with an ‘angled’ Whale filter and this split during the first cold winter. Because of the way it had been factory-fitted and where it was located, I had to saw the ends of the cartridge off to remove it. I just replaced it with a suitable length of water hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05yrwkw I personally wouldn't bother to do anything other than flush with fresh water. Waste of time and effort as described on the programme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 Thanks for these contributions. We are in the "don't drink water from the tank" camp although teeth brushing is an unavoidable exception. Since the filter is about taste only it is of little or no value to us and had I realised it was an upgrade to previous specification I might have asked ENC to leave it out. However the pipework is what it is and I will see what our local dealer has go to rig up a reliable by-pass for flushing out and at the end of season I will probably remove the filter part from the filter body and use it as an inoperative filter so that I can or a subsequent owner can keep their options open. Sorry Monsieur Canard but whilst I am neither a bacteriologist or a biochemist but I suspect the BBC experiment is irrelevant since there is potential for dirt, foreign bodies or microbial contamination to be in the nooks and crannies water system as can be demonstrated by looking inside a water tank. This could be done in our last coachbuilt where a big top bung allowed actual cleaning inside and it wasn't a pretty sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Sorry Monsieur Canard but whilst I am neither a bacteriologist or a biochemist but I suspect the BBC experiment is irrelevant since there is potential for dirt, foreign bodies or microbial contamination to be in the nooks and crannies water system as can be demonstrated by looking inside a water tank. This could be done in our last coachbuilt where a big top bung allowed actual cleaning inside and it wasn't a pretty sight. Laurence - fair enough, and I agree to a point - I can access my tank via large screw openings and I do clean the crud out. (where does it come from?)However I was a research biochemist so can speak with some knowledge. The point of the research in the programme was to indicate that after a few minutes it makes no difference whether a surface has been disinfected - the bugs will be back on it (or in it). So trying to disinfect actually has no effect (and may actually affect the balance of the bad/good bacteria in a negative way). Flushing the black crud out is a different matter. We do drink the tank water, but we only ever put about 30 litres in the tank & top it up regularly - because we use sites and can when touring abroad. I don't see the point in using diesel to move water from one site to another! Still each to their own! May your flora be benign! Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 My sterilising method is old fashioned fresh air. Empty or drain all containers and leave open for a few hours. Fill again with your favoured H2O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.hubrechtsgm Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Three tanks should be clean and shine like diamonds on the sole of your shoes. In order first the toilet case tank a box of 20ltr which is diificult. put some cleaning in it when you drive to prevent settlement. Use grease in the slide off flap. Do this every three months. Never drink from a fresh water tank. flush the tanks untill the water colour turns from brown to clear. The clean tank is used for toilet, shower, and dish wash. To wash your hands whit it be sure it is not water left behind from last season. Important is the quaility of the source of the fresh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 laimeduck - 2018-02-28 10:42 AMSorry Monsieur Canard but whilst I am neither a bacteriologist or a biochemist but I suspect the BBC experiment is irrelevant since there is potential for dirt, foreign bodies or microbial contamination to be in the nooks and crannies water system as can be demonstrated by looking inside a water tank. This could be done in our last coachbuilt where a big top bung allowed actual cleaning inside and it wasn't a pretty sight.Laurence - fair enough, and I agree to a point - I can access my tank via large screw openings and I do clean the crud out. (where does it come from?)However I was a research biochemist so can speak with some knowledge. The point of the research in the programme was to indicate that after a few minutes it makes no difference whether a surface has been disinfected - the bugs will be back on it (or in it). So trying to disinfect actually has no effect (and may actually affect the balance of the bad/good bacteria in a negative way). Flushing the black crud out is a different matter. We do drink the tank water, but we only ever put about 30 litres in the tank & top it up regularly - because we use sites and can when touring abroad. I don't see the point in using diesel to move water from one site to another!Still each to their own!May your flora be benign!JeremyAh well its just as well I was courteous then. For my part I can truthfully say that I have a degree qualification in medicine but that would be a bit misleading and almost 50 years ago as well. And having spent some formative years (mostly in the pub it has to be said) in the company of fellow students studying "path and bugs" doesn't get me far either. :-D :-D We too are not fans of being in the water transport business and our van has a small tank anyway,Back on topic It is said though that water systems can sometime accumulate a slimy film on their insides which can be odiferous and I saw the chemical action of the puriclean or whatever as breaking down that film and assisting the flow and thus changeover of the water.Again as a question and not taking the Michael does the BBC demonstration suggest a conclusion that sterilisation of baby products is unnecessary and/or unhelpful as well. I know that baby acquires some immunity from mum but perhaps not enough and perhaps they they do need to have sterile bottles etc. ? YoursAlfred E. Neumanly Laurence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 HymerVan - 2018-03-01 7:34 AMlaimeduck - 2018-02-28 10:42 AMSorry Monsieur Canard but whilst I am neither a bacteriologist or a biochemist but I suspect the BBC experiment is irrelevant since there is potential for dirt, foreign bodies or microbial contamination to be in the nooks and crannies water system as can be demonstrated by looking inside a water tank. This could be done in our last coachbuilt where a big top bung allowed actual cleaning inside and it wasn't a pretty sight. Laurence - fair enough, and I agree to a point - I can access my tank via large screw openings and I do clean the crud out. (where does it come from?)However I was a research biochemist so can speak with some knowledge. The point of the research in the programme was to indicate that after a few minutes it makes no difference whether a surface has been disinfected - the bugs will be back on it (or in it). So trying to disinfect actually has no effect (and may actually affect the balance of the bad/good bacteria in a negative way). Flushing the black crud out is a different matter. We do drink the tank water, but we only ever put about 30 litres in the tank & top it up regularly - because we use sites and can when touring abroad. I don't see the point in using diesel to move water from one site to another! Still each to their own! May your flora be benign! Jeremy Again as a question and not taking the Michael does the BBC demonstration suggest a conclusion that sterilisation of baby products is unnecessary and/or unhelpful as well. I know that baby acquires some immunity from mum but perhaps not enough and perhaps they they do need to have sterile bottles etc. ? YoursAlfred E. Neumanly Laurence No I don't think it does. The point of the episode (which was done using microbiologists & medics, not BBC staff!) was to test whether treating surfaces with antibacterial products was worthwhile & whether the practice was causing kids to grow up with allergies and susceptibility to bugs because they had no natural antibodies.The findings were that :- A) Yes the sprays etc did kill bugsB) It made no difference to kidsC) After spraying a surface the airborne bugs were back on the surface within minutes! The conclusion was that regular treatment did not achieve what the manufacturers claimed. (It's a several £M industry conning the housewife) They concluded that best method of obtaining a good general immunity from the effects of many bacteria was to come into contact with them naturally - ie have a picnic, eat mud pies! etc - better than trying to get rid of them. Baby products were not mentioned but I would guess that as far as babies are concerned the sterilisation of bottles is plain common sense. Coming in to the world virtually bug free, let them get their mother's natural flora rather than one from factory processed food and or dirty bottles. Anecdotal I know, but my aunt slopped bleach everywhere all the time and my cousin grew up always having infections - I on the other hand, was eating worms, climbing trees, drinking from streams and have rarely had any infections. ....and I turned out quite normal! .... Nurse! its time for my pills...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 And its a similar factor with diesel and smoke fumes, all matter dissipates very quickly with unsociable molecules adding to other molecules. Yes if a single bug is identified it can be hazardous to health but generally they're not singular. In reality its all about selling a product to the non-thinker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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