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Filling the water tank after winter...


larrysanders

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I emptied my water tank back in early November... I'm thinking about re-filling it next weekend as it's a pain having no water on the boat. Considering the weather we've been having is it too early?

 

I'm pretty sure you'll be OK to fill the tank. I never drain mine and I've never had any problem with the water freezing. I do drain the taps, shower etc and turn off the main valve from the tank if I'm leaving the boat unoccupied and there's any likelihood of a hard frost. That said, the temperature inside the main cabin has not dropped below 33 degrees throughout all the recent cold spell.

 

I'm much more neurotic about any residual water not drained from the water pump on the engine. I leave a small greenhouse heater plugged in and a kindly liveabord fellow-moorer switches it on from the supply pod if there's going to be a cold night.

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I'm pretty sure you'll be OK to fill the tank. I never drain mine and I've never had any problem with the water freezing. I do drain the taps, shower etc and turn off the main valve from the tank if I'm leaving the boat unoccupied and there's any likelihood of a hard frost. That said, the temperature inside the main cabin has not dropped below 33 degrees throughout all the recent cold spell.

 

I'm much more neurotic about any residual water not drained from the water pump on the engine. I leave a small greenhouse heater plugged in and a kindly liveabord fellow-moorer switches it on from the supply pod if there's going to be a cold night.

 

I do exactly the same as you regarding domestic water, with the addition of making sure that the tank is not brim full (to allow for expansion on freezing of the above-water level part) Ditto the calorifier.

 

Regarding the water pump on the engine, I presume this means your engine is raw water cooled, like mine. As I have no electrical supply, I replace the water with antifreeze every time I leave the boat in winter. The downside is that some antifreeze inevitably ends up in the canal, and is toxic. However, the dilution factor is huge, and when I queried the practice with the local boatyard, they were surprised I even considered this.

 

Mac

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Regarding the water pump on the engine, I presume this means your engine is raw water cooled, like mine. As I have no electrical supply, I replace the water with antifreeze every time I leave the boat in winter.

 

Yes, I'd thought of doing that, but I like to start the engine up every other week during the winter and refilling the engine with anti-freeze would work out quite expensive.

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Yes, I'd thought of doing that, but I like to start the engine up every other week during the winter and refilling the engine with anti-freeze would work out quite expensive.

 

Not necessarily. I only use about a litre of 30% antifreeze - enough to clear out the water and leave any residue in the pump and heat exchanger as antifreeze (engine running as I do it, of course, then switched off as soon as nothing is coming out of the discharge).

 

BTW, I've been caught out buying antifreeze - often the 'ready mixed' (i.e. diluted) stuff is just as expensive as the concentrate, which is a far better deal. Look carefully at the label!

 

Mac

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I emptied my water tank back in early November... I'm thinking about re-filling it next weekend as it's a pain having no water on the boat. Considering the weather we've been having is it too early?

 

How often are you on the boat, Being onboard most of the time, using water and generally keeping things warm and moving helps lot's. unless we have full winter conditions again (which is possible) I would have thought you'll be alright. keep it full!

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I emptied my water tank back in early November... I'm thinking about re-filling it next weekend as it's a pain having no water on the boat. Considering the weather we've been having is it too early?

 

Hi,

You should be alright refilling it, but I found that doing this after leaving it empty for a few months stirred up all the 'crud' in the bottom of the tank and the strainer between the tank and the pump becomes blocked when the pump is used.

 

All good fun.

 

Leo.

 

PS. Remember - don't overtighten the strainer or else this cracks and then it's a tankful of water in the bilges.

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I'm much more neurotic about any residual water not drained from the water pump on the engine. I leave a small greenhouse heater plugged in and a kindly liveabord fellow-moorer switches it on from the supply pod if there's going to be a cold night.

 

One day you will enter the real world and the Kelvin will become 'Keel' Cooled - Calorifier - Hot water!.

 

Leo.

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I always find this is a good time to sterilise the tank too. Because it's almost empty you can sned a fairly concentrated solution of Miltons through all the pipes without having to use a huge quantity of it.

 

 

But if you 'sterilise' an empty tank it won't sterilise it, will it? The tank sides won't come in contact with any sterilising fluid - only your pipes will be sterilised. I use the cheapest thin bleach I can find and a full tank, leave it standing for half an hour, then open all the taps, hot and cold, until the tank is empty - it takes forever. Then refill and run off a few gallons again, to clear the pipes and calorifier. After that there is no chlorine taint (unless the mains water is chlorinated more than usual, of course - I can certainly taste that, having a private non-chlorinated supply at home).

 

Mac

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I'm pretty sure you'll be OK to fill the tank. I never drain mine and I've never had any problem with the water freezing. I do drain the taps, shower etc and turn off the main valve from the tank if I'm leaving the boat unoccupied and there's any likelihood of a hard frost.

 

I agree. I've followed exactly the same procedure every winter and never had a problem (yet..!)

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But if you 'sterilise' an empty tank it won't sterilise it, will it? The tank sides won't come in contact with any sterilising fluid - only your pipes will be sterilised. I use the cheapest thin bleach I can find and a full tank, leave it standing for half an hour, then open all the taps, hot and cold, until the tank is empty - it takes forever. Then refill and run off a few gallons again, to clear the pipes and calorifier. After that there is no chlorine taint (unless the mains water is chlorinated more than usual, of course - I can certainly taste that, having a private non-chlorinated supply at home).

 

Mac

No of course it won't. I was just describing the first part of the process.

 

The full sequence I use, starting with an empty tank is:

 

  • Add a few gallons of water and a bottle of Milton's to make a strong solution
  • Pump this strong solution through to every tap, then wait for half an hour (sterilises the pipes and the bottom of the tank)
  • Turn off the taps and add water until the tank is about one-quarter full, which is above the level that will have had any water during the winter. The tank now contains a much weaker, but still useful solution. wait for halfan hour
  • Finally fill the tank completely and wait for half an hour.
  • Finally drain and refill just as you have described. There should be no chlorine taste - especially from the kitchen tap which has a filter (and which I replace annually after the sterilisation exercise)

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