Muriatic Acid and Marine Heads

[speciald@ocens.]

Raritan does suggest Muriatic acid use but sells a "friendly" product for $80/gallon.

[Dynamo1181]

Originally Posted by speciald@ocens.

Raritan does suggest Muriatic acid use but sells a "friendly" product for $80/gallon.

Thats friendly? If I were selling it I would say it was really friendly!
A

[donradcliffe]

Watch out if you use a strong solution--the partially-dissolved calcium can choke up the hose at the through hull, requiring mechanical intervention. Best to use a 5-10% solution and flush things through frequently.

[David M]

Originally Posted by speciald@ocens.

Raritan does suggest Muriatic acid use but sells a "friendly" product for $80/gallon.

Of course, anyone who buys my product at that price I would call my friend.

http://findnsave.sacbee.com/Product/7177967

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Bergovoy

what about CLR or other home use CALCIUM/LIME/RUST remover?

please respect the inner tender workings of your marine head or you will learn the very hard way what else sinks a boat aside f rommy immediate problem.
harsh stuff does no favors to the bits ... vinegar is actually as strong as you want to use. i was on a steel boat or a bit -- nearly a yr -- long ago-- learned that , if you want to constantly rebuild your toilet, use harsh chemicals. man used muriatic acidin his baby blake, and alternately c/l/r type stuff--- yipes- in the 10 months i lived in his boat, he rebuilt that toilet 5 times. i have had this boat as my own for 2 1/2 yrs and prior to that, i watched it be neglected for over 4 yrs-- the head has never needed rebuilding or pump repairs. i use vinegar and is a happy toilet. only thing i ever use in it is a cup of vineqar every week.

btw--living aboard doesnt make for as much potty talk as occasional use-- occasional use is tough on a marine head. makes smells of stagnant salt water-- stinky-- vinegar removes that smell also.

[Boracay]

I tried vinegar for a while and it sort of worked, but after a while a stubborn stain would build up.

At the moment I'm using White King Ultra Strength Toilet Gel.

Seems to work better than vinegar and I'm hoping it also disinfects the holding tank.

[Bergovoy]

CLR is totally safe and harmless... I use it to clean out my coffee maker...

Jelmar | We Clean More Than You Think

[ozskip]

[QUOTE=Bergovoy;594838]CLR is totally safe and harmless... I use it to clean out my coffee maker...

CLR is 30% phosphoric acid, I use just vinegar and get good results.Greg

[Bergovoy]

yea, i got the vinegar, and that it would also meet the more then one use requirement..

I am just guessing that vinegar wont work on rust or maybe not as well...

and no matter what we put into the ocean, it is affecting it... if the excuse is that it is only vinegar, doesnt work there either...

I will be planning on using vinegar, and keep it in a little spray bottle near the head...


but i also plan on having some CLR on board for slightly heavier cleaning needs..

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by zeehag

please respect the inner tender workings of your marine head or you will learn the very hard way what else sinks a boat aside f rommy immediate problem.
harsh stuff does no favors to the bits ... vinegar is actually as strong as you want to use...................

Good advice here form Zeehag. I posted earlier on this thread that I have used strong acids when clearing deposits from my head parts, but I should emphasize that this was when these dismantled parts were soaking in a bucket.

[Dynamo1181]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Good advice here form Zeehag. I posted earlier on this thread that I have used strong acids when clearing deposits from my head parts, but I should emphasize that this was when these dismantled parts were soaking in a bucket.

I repeat that after 15 or more full timesalt water livaboard years of using Muretic acid in my PH II and only 4 rebuilds in that time, I fully support the use in a diluted solution.
A

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by speciald@ocens.

Raritan does suggest Muriatic acid use but sells a "friendly" product for $80/gallon.

That's hysterical. What could be more "friendly" that hydrogen chloride, which becomes sodium chloride upon neutralization in sea water? The friendly product must contain some other acid (phosphate, oxalate, acetate) all of which are more polluting. Perhaps the product is safer for the user, if the user cannot dilute safely. But given that hydrochloric acid dilutes a long way, we are talking about at least 500x the price!

(Yes, I know, any amount of acid will affect the pH of the ocean eventually, but I'm sure the "friendly" product contains the same total acidity. Yes, I know the sodium chloride does not exist in seawater; it is dissociated.)

[Jackp]

When we cruise, we use 4 ounces of vinegar weekly. It is cheap and widely available, and has myriad other uses.

[David M]

It's starting to look like from these threads that it is better to use a milder acid more frequently than a lower pH (more acidic) acid less frequently.

[Bergovoy]

not sure if anyone has tried to dilute hcl or muriatic with water.. but it isnt easy or fun...both FUME/react with water when first mixed....