Maintaining the fresh washer

General maintenance discussion.
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ARPE
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:02 pm
Location: Miami Beach, FL

Maintaining the fresh washer

Post by ARPE » Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:52 pm

My first boat came with the fresh water tank full, the water was coming out of the tap clean and without any odor. At that point in time my focus was on how to keep it that way. I googled so much about it, that I was coming to the conclusion that I should apply for a Chemistry major, boat owners are wizards. :o

The questions were:
  • How to treat the water before filling up the tank at the dock
    Of the points made by others, putting aside just using a hose, there seems to exist two major views: (1) Filter the city water against debris without removing the chlorine, (2) Filter the city water with carbon activated filter to clean the water and remove most of the chlorine.
  • How to treat the water in the tank if it isn't used
    Some recommended to periodically add a little bit of chlorine (guess work) to the water in the boat tank
  • How to treat the water after it leaves the tank and before it is used (I do not drink the water from the fresh water tank)
The responses and posts I got/found had the following:
  • If you need truly potable water to drink, then you should add some chlorine bleach to each fill up
  • Use drink safe hose at the dock
  • If you have an ice maker you should add a UV filter just before the icemaker
  • Use Starbrite water conditioner to the tank every time you add water plus a cup of bleach every couple of fill ups
  • Try to consume water from the water heater tank as it tends to smell first
  • Install an inline carbon water filter on the inlet of the ice maker
  • Avoid using chlorine/bleach into the fresh water tank as it will eventually cause all rubber seals/drain check valves to turn hard and fail
  • Cycle the water tank every 4-6 weeks, at that time add a bit of water freshener
  • Use Sweet Water from West Marine
  • Add 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide to the tank, may be 2-3oz per full tank

I established the following routine that worked well for me and do not require adding any chemical elements:

1) While using city water from Miami Beach, I do not filter it, I just add a pressure regulator to avoid stresses,
Screen Shot 2017-02-23 at 8.44.16 PM.png
2) Every 4-6 weeks I use the water, mostly to wash the boat, and then fill up the tank,
3) When traveling and connecting a hose to a unknown Marina, I put a carbon filter plus a pressure regulator in series with the hose.
Screen Shot 2017-02-23 at 8.43.39 PM.png
I do not have an ice maker or drink from the boat water. If I had an ice maker I would add a carbon filter nearby the ice maker to filter the water coming from the tank.

Please share the procedure you follow to our own benefit.
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2018 Bavaria R40 Coupe, D6-370
2015 Regal 35 Sport Coupe, D3-220 - Sold

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