Domestic Water Systems: crud, freezing, filters

[REBrueckner]

Does anyone know: do PEX lines or other synthetics resist water line freezing better than copper??? I don't mean the connection fittings which might well split, but the lines....Are they flexible enough to avoid splitting when water freezes??

I replaced much of my copper domestic water lines aboard my Hatt with vinyl reinforced water hose when one section split from freezing....after I saw the crud build up in those oroginal copper lines....like I later discovered in my house....Real filthy looking stuff in there. The hose worked fine, but I had to reclamp and double clamp hot water hose lines because hot water repeatedly caused the hose to go soft and pop off copper fittings. A SMALL flare...just enough to make a tiny ridge.... also helped stopped those hose ends from sliding off.


Anybody ever try an acid wash ...or other cleansing approach....in the domestic water lines to clean them??? Doesn't seem like that should hurt faucet components...I never tried such a wash..

Regarding domestic system water filters: I added a household type water filter to my domestic system aboard. It stayed pretty clean summers when I was aboard six mos at a time and using water regularly, but over winter, without use, it got so much "algae" growth in there that I would have to change it every springtime before leaving for the summer. So I just took the filter out after my summer away and put a new one in the following spring before departure. Anyone have any recommendations on these?.

Finally, domestic water tanks: we have previously discussed various "cleaning" and "sanitizing" methods in this forum. Here is one Bleach In Water Tanks:

http://www.samsmarine.com/forums/sho...ht=water+tanks
which discusses several sanitizing appropaches. I used to pump my tank dry in the spring, and refill just before leaving for the summer....

I still don't know why Hatt did not put in any drain connections down low for easy flushing and simple winterizing. (Those are not allowed for fuel tanks.) Another thread discussed disconnecting the water feed line from the tank...but it wasn't clear how generally applicable that approach would be in different model boats. On my 1972 48 YF I never could find a waterline feed at the tank level, at least not without removing flooring.

[SKYCHENEY]

Why do you ask? Getting ready to buy another boat, REB?

[yachtsmanbill]

Recirc heated CLR for an hour or two... ws

[REBrueckner]

New owner asked how to clean HW heater, water lines and water tanks, and I had never "attacked" any of those. I found the tank cleaning thread for him. A new new stainless HW heater I added has a fill and drain for flushing.....and was not gurgling so I assume there is little build yet....was unsure about cleaning the water lines but about 1/2 of mine are now clean hose so it's no biggie.

I now recall that after a few years the hose got a bit opaque and I wondered if it was the beginning of crud build up on the inside...

[rsmith]

I'd never run plastic anything for pressure or could sink the boat. Anyone remember the stuff they ran in houses in the 80's that got condemed 5 years later.I had 3 rental properties i had to rip it out of. If it hasnt been around for 50 years I dont trust it.