Opened Fresh Water System !!!

[Pete]

Today, to get some other work done, I removed the fresh water expansion tank and some hoses. My first reaction to what I saw was I should be dead long time ago drinking water out of this system. Thankfully I am still doing good, but the inside of everthing is coated with a black film that easily wipes off. My best description is it looks like very fine black mud in the system. Any ideas as to what I am seeing and what to do about it?

Thanks

Pete

 

[chris piazza]

Pete,
Sounds like the bladder in the tank has deteriorated and burst. Does your pump cycle on every time the waters on? I would change the tank and flush out the system and you should be good to go.

Chris
Superior Nights 53C

 

[REBrueckner]

Ever looked inside fresh water pipes in your home?? well, don't because you'll see the same deposits and have the same thoughts. Over time some homes, depending on the nature of the local water, will become so clogged that pipes have to be replaced.
In my own 1971 colonial home in NJ, I changed a number of valves under sinks when I replaced countertops last year....they were perhaps 10% lined with some black stuff....not bad for 36 years....

I assume all water carries some solids..particulate matter ...and it might leech out over time to water containers...pipes...or maybe there is a very slow chemical reaction with copper pipes....in any case I would not worry...
Just don't look in your water tank!!!

 

[Nonchalant1]

I did look in my water tanks when I replaced the gauge sender, and to my amazement, they were totally clean inside (original 1978 fiberglass tanks in a 53MY). It looked like they were brand new. HOWEVER, my water lines develop the same light film of black stuff on the inside. It may be from the copper lines reacting with chlorine in the water. I just don't worry about it.

Doug Shuman

 

[skrmetta90]

I wouldn't worry too much....................

 

[Beckytek]

I bought a used fresh water pump from someone that only used it for a few weeks and it had a tan coating on the fittings. Ron

 

[SKYCHENEY]

We used to get that black stuff coating the lines in our motorhome if it sat for some time. To fix it, I just shocked it with bleach and then flushed the whole system with clean water.

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Welcome home SKY! How's the rum er I mean sun burn ;-) ws

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Bill,
That red face was not from the rum or the sun. I was just blushing from being around all of those SoBe girls.

BTW, 80 degrees this morning at 9:00am when I left the house and into 25 degrees now in Michigan. Something is just wrong with that. I think I actually forgot that it was still winter.

 

[spartonboat1]

Bill,
That red face was not from the rum or the sun. I was just blushing from being around all of those SoBe girls.

BTW, 80 degrees this morning at 9:00am when I left the house and into 25 degrees now in Michigan. Something is just wrong with that. I think I actually forgot that it was still winter.

Ok, Attn: Al Gore global warming fans: MI in the last 15 days,
1 foot snow, 1, -1, 12, 22, pure 100% ice covered with rain (the most slippery conditions I have ever seen), 35, then in one day over 6 hours, 49, 48, 42, 39, 35, 18 this morning, 15 & 30-35mph winds tonight, drifting snow from 5-8"s. Milwaukee broke their own record for snowfall, as did all of WI this winter; ain't done yet.

We drove over to the Lake MI shore last Sunday and quite a few were there; beautiful day! Big windrows of ice, but the lake is not frozen. So that will allow more lake effect snow (see above). But, I will surprised if the GL's are not up several inches this year.

 

[mtadamek]

Black stuff in the water system is for beginners! I found a dead opossum in my water softener. Luckily he was only there a couple days or I would probably be dead. Guess he was after the salt. Either that or I really made my neighbors mad.

 

[akintosyali]

drink lots of Rum after drinking the water. the alcohol will kill the germs/bacteria + make you happy.