Freshwater head and calcium clogged hoses

[autumnbreeze27]

We have a head that goes straight overboard for offshore passages. We put a freshwater head in so I would never have to clean calcium clogged hoses again. yet a year later it appears they are calcium clogged. I'm guessing it's on the raw water side of the vented loop, where urine probably lingers because we don't flush enough of our fresh water through it.

Probably nothing we could do about that, except we should have kept it saltwater.

[wsmurdoch]

If you can get some of the hard solids out of the hose, it would be interesting to see if they fizz when a little hydrochloric acid is dripped on them. I'm thinking of some muriatic acid, a few drops from an eyedropper. Carbonates release carbon dioxide when they are acidified. The sand-like solids from my saltwater head's holding tank fizz.

[autumnbreeze27]

cleaned it out today. As I expected, the hose between the thru-hull and the vented loop was pretty bad, the thru-hull was worse.

Banging the hose on the dock freed the calcium deposits. I've got vinegar in it now. Will finish cleaning the thru-hull the next time I'm in the water.

yech

[peghall]

A cupful of distilled white vinegar flushed through the system weekly will prevent seawater mineral buildup in the discharge hose.

Vinegar can also dissolve it, but it's too labor intensive (requires changing the vinegar every couple of hours) to be worth the effort when muriatic acid will do it quickly without damage to anything in the system.

Urine crystals in toilets that use fresh water--onboard or raw--are the result of using too little flush water. A couple of quarts of clean fresh water water DAILY is the easiest way to prevent urine crystals.

[groundtackle]

Peg what is the recommended amount and concentration of muriatic acid to clean out a system?
Thanks
Nick

[peghall]

A 12% dilution of the already dilute that's in the bottle. If the lines are seriously packed, it may take more than one application.

Be sure to read and follow ALL the instructions for safe handling and use.

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[groundtackle]

Not clogged just filing in my 1950's processor for future reference.
Thanks Peggy!
Nick

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by peghall

A 12% dilution of the already dilute that's in the bottle. If the lines are seriously packed, it may take more than one application.

Be sure to read and follow ALL the instructions for safe handling and use.

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

I've noticed that most of the hardware stores have gone to "green" muratic acid, which is nothing more than a slightly weaker solution. Just something to be aware of when you figure dilutions.

[groundtackle]

Wonder what the final molarity should be then? Also do you leave it in the lines for a while or flush it through more quickly? I'd heard it can be hard on the plumbing.

[peghall]

45 minutes is the recommended "stand time" followed by a thorough flush with clean fresh water. That does no damage to the plumbing. In fact, that's Raritan's instructions for cleaning the electrode pack in the LectraSan/ElectroScan. You don't have to time it to the minute, but I wouldn't leave it in the plumbing for more than an hour.

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[a64pilot]

I believe Muratic acid when mixed with a bunch of seawater, neutralizes very quickly and turns into water and salt? It would have a minuscule effect on PH in a very localized area though I'm sure.
I'm no chemist so I may be wrong, but I don't think there is much effect on the ecology when used in the volumes we use.

[autumnbreeze27]

I got an ear infection, so no swimming for a while, so thought we'd better give the muriactic acid a try. No problem finding ácido muriático here in La Paz. Worked like a charm! It's like a brand new toilet! way easier than going around to the outside and poking at it with a screwdriver!

Thanks Peggie and everybody else!

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by autumnbreeze27

I got an ear infection, so no swimming for a while, so thought we'd better give the muriactic acid a try. No problem finding ácido muriático here in La Paz....

Now that's a heck of a treatment for an ear infection!