White plastic pipe/fitting sealant?

[localboy]

Anyone know what to use on the white plastic water system fittings? I'm not a plumber. It's not Teflon tape. It looks like a liquid sealant.

Today I decided to go thru the systems on board to learn more and make sure no last minute issues would arise. Filled the water tank added some bleach, since I didn't know what was done or not done for two plus yrs it sat. Turned on the water system; leak at the head. The pressurized inlet fitting was dripping. I attempted to tighten it, but only made the leak worse. I think I need to dissasemble the fitting, put new sealant on it and re-install. Hence, what to use? The drain pump in the plastic box also didnt' work, so I started simple first. Blown fuse. Easy sneezy. Flushed the entire system with the bleach water solution (~1c per 10 gallons). Gonna let it sit for a few hours, then flush with fresh water from a new water hose a few times and fill it.

Didn't someone mention Vodka in the tank to keep it "clean" and potable? What's the recipe? One 750ml per tank? Seriously, I'm not a bartender either.

[SeaSpray]

You might try teflon tape on plastic fittings.

Steve

[JamesTXSD]

Hi Mark,

That white crap the factory used (hope they don't still) was somebody's idea of how to fill gaps in plumbing caused by using incompatible fittings. Plastic on plastic shouldn't need any white crap (technical term). We wound up replacing the leaking plastic fittings with metal. Metal on metal, we used a bit of teflon tape. With the plastic (we actually had some that didn't leak), if you over-tighten, they will leak. The fittings on our shower and water heater were different size threads, so the only thing you could do to prevent the leaks was replace them. A trip to Lowes took care of our leaking situation.

Now, regarding how to sanitize your fresh water tank. We haven't tried using vodka (Bill's recommendation, as I recall), but have been sanitizing RV tanks for a couple decades. For our size water tank (20 gallons), I use 4 ounces of bleach. Mix it with some water and pour into the tank (careful to not spill it on your aft cushions). Let it sit an hour or so, run the boat to slosh it around some, then pump it through all your faucets to sanitize all the lines until the tank is empty. Then fill with fresh water. If you still smell bleach, pump that tank out. To eliminate any bleach smell, you can put a bit of baking soda in water and put that in the tank. Fill with fresh water and use. I sanitize each time after the boat has been in storage for any length of time. If I think I have "suspect" fresh water, I will put an ounce of bleach into the full tank. When cruising away from civilization, we carry a couple 5 gallon water containers... a few drops of bleach keeps those fresh smelling.

I think the idea of using booze is during the winterizing of the water system. I don't do that, either. When we lived up north, I'd use the pink RV antifreeze stuff. Better solution: move where it doesn't freeze.

Best wishes,
Jim

[thataway]

As always Jim is correct--The Factory used Bostik sealant on the pipes, and it is not a good idea. We finally got rid of most of it on our boats. You should not need any sealant, or just teflon tape on most fittings. If you must use something "plumber's Goop" is as good as anything.

[localboy]

Well, thanks, as usual. I'll go check it tomorrow and see if I can replace it with metal. If not I'll disassemble, clean and re-assemble w/ a little Teflon tape if needed. I found another, slower leak at the water heater fresh water hose that is towards the bow. It's a lot slower, but still a leak. I drained the tank after letting it sit pressurized for a couple of hours. I flushed it thru the sink, water heater and shower; re-filled the tank and flushed fresh water thru (two full tanks full). Water looks clear, smells slightly "cloroxy" but I can live with it if it's not a biological experiment.

Now the bad news. I dragged it out to fill up on fuel in hopes of getting out this week and figured it would slosh the bleach/H2O mix around. Leaving the local Fred Meyer I impatiently made a left turn in the parking lot...and curbed the front driver's side trailer wheel. Hit it hard enough I saw the entire trailer/boat "jump" right. Crap, sh*t...tire's got a nice cut in it now and the rim took the brunt of the force. NOTE TO SELF: WIDER TURNS. Guess I now know which tire/wheel will be my spare. I'm just hoping it'll hold air. Sprayed some soapy water on and didn't see any bubbles, but it could be a slooooooooow leak. Son of a b*#%h....

...my father in law made me feel a little better by relating his story of the first time he fueled his 35' motor home. Seems he had an unfortunate meeting of his rear bumper and a steel pole at the gas station. Live and learn.

[Jack in Alaska]

localboy,

I did the same exact thing today in the Burlington Fred Meyer store. Why do they put all those G>>D>>> concrete curbs etc. in their parking lots. It is like an obstacle course.
In Alaska they do not put them in as the snow plows "wear" them down to a nubbin. I don't think I damaged the tire as I have come 500 miles today on it.

[Adeline]

[Dreamer]

Mark,

Here's a tip I got from Jim on Wild Blue. While you're putzing around with the plumbing at the head, install an on/off valve in the inlet hose. This will save some of that precious fresh water.
There are just times that you don't need additional water when you flush In the photo, the bowl has been removed for maintenance and you can clearly see the valve location. Good luck with the leaks.

[colobear]

Mark,

If the connections for your water system are white plastic they are most likely PVC, CPVC is slightly smaller diameter, yellowish and designed for hot water. I'll go out and take a look in the boat tomorrow look at my system and then try to help. If you do have threads that leak two kinds of sealant are used. Teflon tape put on in a clockwise direction and 2-3 layers deep, and a Teflon pipe sealant that comes in a small tube. Often plumbers will use both sealants on copper compression fittings, tape first, then a coat of the grey goop.

Sorry about the tire but look on the bright side: it could have been the boat!!

[localboy]

Roger, you read my mind. Yesterday I told myself, if I'm gonna have to take it apart, I'm gonna install a ball valve or similiar to cut the water off to the head completely, when not needed.

Thanks, Barry. They appear to be regular white plastic plumbing connections; didn't know they were made of PVC though. They're not CPVC. I know that stuff from remodeling my downstairs bath. I'm gonna go to HD or Lowe's and see what I can find.

As far as the tire, yep could've been WAY worse. I pounded the lip of the wheel back as well as I could with a BFH, filled the tire to 50 psi and I'm going outside now to see if it held air. I am usually so damned careful when trailering. I was just impatient to make the turn prior to a lady in a car making it tighter. Mea culpa.

[Sea Wolf]

Speaking of saving precious drinking/cooking/washing tank water when flushing, do any of you just use a bucket of fresh water and shut off the incoming tank water when on freshwater lakes? (I know using salt water would be not good, as the salt water contains bacteria and other microscopic organisms that would give the sewage stored a really bad case of gas-off, and smell up the boat.)

Joe.