Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Fresh/Waste Water Systems, Watermakers, HVAC, Refrigeration...
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GeoffSchultz
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Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by GeoffSchultz »

I'm in the enviable process of replacing my head hoses due to calcification (or whatever that &*@# is builds up in there). I was quite amazed at how small some of the 1.5" hoses had become. Some were easily down to 1/2".

Anyhow, I was talking to a friend of mine who has their head plumbed with fresh water and he was claiming that his hoses don't calcify. Can anyone vouch for this?

-- Geoff
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Robert
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by Robert »

Fresh water should not only eliminate the calcification but should also cut down on odors. If using sea water in the future a weekly dose of white vinegar through the head will help keep hoses clear.
Robert

s/y 'Magic' - 1985 Hoyt F32

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GeoffSchultz
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by GeoffSchultz »

Sue regularly flushes vinegar through the head, but that didn't keep the buildup from occurring. I suspect that you'd need a lot of vinegar to sufficiently dissolve the calcium.

-- Geoff
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Michel
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by Michel »

I'm in freshwater, and indeed, there's much less calcification that on salt water. I think the vinegar doesn't help enough because the hoses are not filled completely with vinegar but mostly with air.
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

Lola
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by Lola »

I have mentioned before..I only use vinegar mixed half with fresh water and mist in the bowl after use. I keep the sea cock closed. I use a spray mist bottle.
I pump with sea cock closed...very little sea water comes in.
My boat no longer has an odor...all cupboards smell fresh.....works for me. :D

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GeoffSchultz
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by GeoffSchultz »

I did a quick calculation and found that the hose path that the sewage typically takes is 18' long and the ID of the hose is 1.5". That translates to 1.65 gallons of liquid. Clearly putting a cup of vinegar into the head every once in a while won't treat the vast majority of the hose due to the length.

I've been looking at how to plumb in a fresh water flush system. Raritan sells such a system. See http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/obs ... nstall.pdf for an example. It would seem to me that I could plumb such a system into my manual flush system without concern over cross contamination.

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THATBOATGUY
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

I'm always concerned with cross contamination. Fresh water just isn't going to be in short supply on Marquesa and I've been toying with the idea of a dedicated freshwater tank, just for flushing the heads.

What I've found works very well is to clear the lines of effluent by pumping saltwater through them. This is a little extra work but it pays off. Consider the lines on your scuppers, they have saltwater in them all the time and don't clog. Clearing the lines has the secondary benefit of reducing the odor problems associated with marine heads. I have been also spraying one short blast of lysol into the bowl just before lowering the lid after each usage. Now I'll try Lola's tip and see if I get the same results. I've only set up the aft head so far but will do both the same way. When they are in discharge mode there is only the line from the head up to the vented loop that can hold water.

George
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Michel
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by Michel »

It's the combination of urine and salt water that creates calcium (don't ask me where the calcium comes from, from either the urine or the sea water). That's why scuppers stay calcium free.
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

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THATBOATGUY
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

Michel wrote:It's the combination of urine and salt water that creates calcium (don't ask me where the calcium comes from, from either the urine or the sea water). That's why scuppers stay calcium free.
Exactly my point. Remove one or the other and you have no problem.

George
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PrimFY45
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Re: Fresh Water Head and Effect on Calcification?

Post by PrimFY45 »

I installed a Vacuflush system in the aft head three years ago. That eliminated all line odor and uses only one pint of fresh water per flush. Very satisfied with it. I have not noticed any calcium buildup yet vs. the forward head that is still seawater and stinks if not used for a few days. The biggest problem I have is the lack of holding tank capacity. There is no room for a larger tank in the aft system. The standard setup is only 9 gallons aft; 13 forward. At least there is room forward but none aft for a larger tank. Has anyone addressed that on a 45?
Pete
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