Muriatic Acid or Vinegar for Galley Maid heads/hoses

[zigzag930]

Our Master SR head went from working perfectly to not discharging virtually overnight. I thought perhaps the stator or rotor in the 32v pump failed, but when I pulled the vent plug and filled it with water, the pump sucked it right out quickly.

So I figured that means the hose from the head to the pump was clogged. Removed the hose from the pump and tried to snake it. Snake would not go in more than 5" into a double 45 degree elbow and felt like it hit a brick wall. I could not punch trough so after 2 hours of screwing around, decided to pull the head and all plumbing.

I could not believe what the inside of the was like looked like. Virtually 90% constricted from one end to the other with a 100% blockage right at those two 45's.

30 minutes of beating on the hoses at the dock and all the "cement like" stuff broke up and fell out. So this was a miserable job that took about 7 hours (don't ask how that could be.... but it was.)

So I am wondering what others have been doing to prevent the build-up?

Is there a process you guys use to flush the lines with Muratic acid or industrial strength vinegar?

Will using these chemicals hurt hoses, bronze fittings or the Galleymaid pump?

I have a v-berth head that is running but drains slowly. I was thinking of trying to clean it now, before if clogs if there are some suggestions on how to do this. Would think I could dump vinegar thru the overboard discharge but probably not muriatic acid.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[jmooney]

I suppose this is because of salt water use for flushing the heads . It’s called calcification. The usual fix is replacing the hoses every few years. Lately I have using a product called Sew-Clean . Flushing some in to try to fill the hose and leaving it all night . It will take some time to see if it
works. I hope it does as one hose is hard to replace. Initially I didn’t want to use it as was worried about disturbing the holding tank treatment. Since most holding tank treatments don’t work very well, I couldn’t care less now .

 

[bostonhatteras]

If you want to use an acid to remove calcium build up try phosphoric acid. far safer than muriatic albeit slower but that slower speed may save your ass in some cases. also great for dumping into seawater strainers that have been 'attacked by barnacles as it just eats the barnacles away. available in hardware store as Ospho it also works great for rust removal via soaking.

 

[Passages]

Pisscrete. Takes years to build up. I've seen it in fresh water flush systems. You can try boiling it out with muriatic but try this - remove the white sanitary hose, place it on a hard surface and whack it with a hammer. Pisscrete shatters like china.

Careful not to bang so hard you damage the hose. With blockage at 90%, this might not work and you will need to replace the hose.

 

[CGHOST4]

I use CLR, it is available at most hardware stores and Home Depot. I pour it into the head, short flush to get it into the hose, and let it sit overnight. I use it every few months, no issues.


Caesars Ghost
1980 58YF #472

 

[rwaldrop13]

We had this issue with the aft head on Pau Hana, and ended up pulling the hose from the pump to the tank and replacing it. After the hose was replaced I kept a bottle of vinegar next to the head and after each flush we dropped a glug of vinegar in the toilet. 2 things- running the hose was more than just sliding it thru under the deck plates, and vinegar seemed to eliminate any salt-water related odor issues.

 

[Boatsb]

If you have the hose out, replace it. New hose will be better and I only sell the raritan saniflex. Any other hose just sucks to work with.