Disinfecting the water system? - Page 2

fmiles · 03-12-2009, 09:46 AM

Dave,

The vent is the overflow line that discharges under the van. Same place where you drain and drive when the tank is too full!

/~fred

adventureduo · 03-12-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmiles

Dave,

The vent is the overflow line that discharges under the van. Same place where you drain and drive when the tank is too full!

/~fred

Yeah it goes right off the top of the tank (usually passenger side) and then straight down through the floor. I almost had heart failure when i overfilled my tank one time and i saw rushing water coming out of the van under the floor near the rear axle. I shut the water off in a hurry and peaked inside the rig... figuring i flooded the rig.. and nothing. I was baffled. Then i realized, they would have to make some type of overflow vent.. and thats where it was coming out of. Whew that was a scary one for a few minutes.

Ford_6L_E350 · 03-12-2009, 08:18 PM

I don't like the taste and smell of bleach, so I disinfect with alcohol. You only need about 1% alcohol to kill the bugs that grow in water. So, a bottle of cheap Vodka (4/5 of a quart) will take care of 20 gallons - bigger than my tank. Pour in the vodka, fill the tank more than half full, run the sink until the lines are full. Drive awhile. Let it sit for a few days, or until I'm getting ready to go, drain and refill, run the sink and I'm ready.

And if I don't get all the vodka out of the tank and lines, so what?

Mike

Psomaki · 03-12-2009, 10:38 PM

Mike, I liked your disinfection approach but wondered why it isn't featured in commonly available lists of how to sanitize water when camping, after a flood, etc. Some intensive Googling failed to turn up any site that gave details on making water potable by using alcohol. Then I found this site:
http://www.globaled.us/peacecorps/food.html
After explaining that boiling is best and that using a proper filter followed by chlorine is next best, the site specifically states that alcohol will not disinfect water or other liquids. Where did you find your info about alcohol being able to kill all the stuff we don't want to drink? Thanks!

**BroncoHauler** · 03-13-2009, 05:51 AM

I think Mike is talking about disinfecting the water tank and water system, not the actual water itself.

Herb

Psomaki · 03-13-2009, 09:37 AM

Herb, I agree. My thought is as follows - if it's growing in the tank and you fill with water plus a disinfectant, then whatever's in the tank gets into that mix too. Then you circulate the water-disinfectant-pollutant mix through the system (opening faucets etc.) and wait for the disinfectant to kill everything, on the tank walls, in the pipes, and in the water. According to what I read, alcohol cannot kill all the nasty stuff that can thrive in water. To me this appears to say that bad stuff can survive in the alcohol/water mix and thus can survive in the tank and pipes as well. But I could easily be wrong; that's why I'm asking. I do know that when we lived in rural central Virginia and maintained a well, the local health guy told us that the only thing approved for disinfecting that well and our tank and pipes was chlorine, used pretty much as is is used in a SMB, only in larger quantities. I am getting ready to refill our Sporty system and like the idea of using vodka if that'll really do the job!

jage · 03-13-2009, 09:46 AM

I think the important thing is that you flush the vodka and fill with clean water. If you're filling from a well, ditch or other suspect source the vodka won't do it, the vodka (or bleach) is just to kill what might be growing in the system, you still have to put clean water in after.

I'm down for vodka over bleach. For one thing if I splash or spill some of it I'm not going to have a big bleached spot in the middle of the rug.

Ford_6L_E350 · 03-13-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psomaki

Mike, I liked your disinfection approach but wondered why it isn't featured in commonly available lists of how to sanitize water when camping, after a flood, etc. Some intensive Googling failed to turn up any site that gave details on making water potable by using alcohol. Then I found this site:
http://www.globaled.us/peacecorps/food.html
After explaining that boiling is best and that using a proper filter followed by chlorine is next best, the site specifically states that alcohol will not disinfect water or other liquids. Where did you find your info about alcohol being able to kill all the stuff we don't want to drink? Thanks!

I worked for years as an engineer making liquid chromatography equipment (chemical analysis equipment). Growth in water based systems was/is a big issue when you are looking for things below 1 part per million. A little alcohol was a standard to prevent growth of bacteria or algea in the lines of these systems.

I was only talking about preventing buildup in the water system, not treating suspect water.

Mike

Psomaki · 03-13-2009, 10:53 AM

Mike, thank you! That makes good sense. Jage, so does your comment - one of the things I don't like about bleach in the SMB tank is the damage it can do. Don't want big white spots in our "classic" blue upholstery or carpet! And if I buy American potato vodka I'm avoiding worsening the shrinking trade deficit. Hey! Maybe we can get environmental improvement stimulus dollars for a group buy of American vodka to treat all our tanks this spring. Now let's see, how many jobs could that create ....

jage · 03-13-2009, 10:58 AM

Speaking of which what is a good cheap American Potato Vodka?