vodka for fresh water supply in tanks

[kerk fisher]

Anyone use vodka, instead of a chemical treatment, for the water supply.  If so, how much?  I"ve heard of it.... Thanks, Kerk

[mregan]

Great idea.  Vodka in one tank, tonic in the other.   

[Jeff Tancock]

I don't use anything on this boat, but when we had a 27' it had a flexible plastic tank. I would toss in a few ounces once in a while and always for the winter to take away the plastic taste/smell. It's not like you will taste the voodka being so diluted.

[Ron Hill]

Kirk : I use a cap full of bleach per 25 gal in the summer in both tanks. 
I do use vodka in the winter especially in the hot water tank and a bit in the starboard tank (the aft tank is higher and will completely drain).

A thought

[Stu Jackson]

For a lot of reasons, please read the "101 Topics" - might save you a lot of time -  which includes this:

Fresh Water System Recommissioning 101  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5836.0.html

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The reason for the vodka in the water heater and starboard tank is that I/we don't like the smell of the potable anti freeze. 
The vodka saves a 2 time flushing the starboard tank / water heater and the running of the fresh water pump to do all that draining!

A thought

[mregan]

I like that idea Ron.  I'm flushing mine this weekend again to get rid of the antifreeze smell from the winter.

[Footloose]

I disconnect the hot water heater and bypass it for winterizing.  I also drain the water tanks completely and leave them empty.  I have to empty the bottom of the starboard tank through the inspection port.  I then disconnect on hose from the front tank and put it in a bottle of non tox and fill the system on bothe the hot and cold sides.  Once it is full and running pure pink I pull it out of the bottle and try to get as much out as I can.  What little is left is anti freeze.  Easy to flush in the spring.  A friend of mine does the same but at the end uses his wet/dry vac to suck the non tox out of the faucets.

[Ron Hill]

Dave : Good for you. 
I don't like the smell of the potable anti freeze!!!

For those of you that depend on the butterfly valve to drain the water heater - surprise!!  There is still water inside the heater.  The only way to completely drain it is to suck or blow it completely dry!!

A thought 

[Ken Juul]

Vodka has been used instead of antifreeze, but never heard of it being used to kill the germs that cause smelly water.  It would probably work, but the concentration needed would be much more than bleach.

Since others are talking about winterization, I just take my portable shop compressor and blow everything out of the fresh water and air con systems.

[Jim Hardesty]

Ken,
My PO put a schreader??sp (tire valve) just after the fresh water pump.  With a small compressor that takes out most of the water from the system.  I still run antifreeze through the system and remove most of the antifreeze for the winter storage.  I installed the AC last year and have winterized it once.  Was a bit of a pain.  Would like to simplify.  How do you blow the water from the AC?
It sucks talking about winter so soon.
Jim

[mregan]

Jim please stop.  We haven't even gotten to summer yet.

[Indian Falls]

This is just my 2 cents...and I don't mean to insult anyone's ideas...  it does get cold here in WNY ... Don't waste good (or bad) Vodka!

I would never put that pink nontoxic antifreeze in my potable water system.  Drain your lines, run your pumps dry, use a shop vac or air pressure, and there's no reason to waste money on cheap vodka or R/V antifreeze.  Un-necessary!!  However the raw water inlet plumbing, heat exchanger, impeller,head, sanitation plumbing etc... is where I use pink stuff.  5 seasons with the boat, no problem,  10 seasons with a camper, no problem.

The previous owner let our boat freeze..  It cost him a new head and me a new hot water heater (wasn't caught or noted in the survey).  The tank was popped like a beer can left in the freezer too long.  I'm assuming the china bowl and or the "bottom end" of the head was wrecked.  But this underscores the fact that nothing else was injured. Not the holding tank, macerator, plastic elbows, faucets, check valves...   In my opinion, this hysterical overkill is just allowing some folks to sleep better at night. (sorry!) A few ounces of water in your hot water heater all winter will not cause any harm, nor will 2 inches of water laying in the low spot of a hose.   I only treat my water system with a bit of bleach in the spring like you would with any water storage system.  There is no smell and no plastic flavors and the vodka is mixed with ruby red grapefruit juice...where it does the most good!

[Ted Pounds]

I have to say I agree with Dan's post.  The last few years I owned my boat I just drained everything and never had a problem with freeze damage.  I did put anti-freeze in the head and shower drain (actually I used the shower sump pump to pump the anti-freeze into the head) but that never required "summerizing".

Ted

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

   Well...... the vodka worked really good during prohibition......