Sterilising water system
Hi
Will be using the caravan for the firest time since October this weekend and are planning on sterilising the water system by running a milton solution through. It's something we've never done before.
Could anyone tell me if I have to leave the solution standing in the pipework for a while or will just running it through do the job?
Thanks
Cheers Roger, will do
Thanks for your prompt reply 
When using Milton ensure you adhere to the makers dilution instructions, ie 1 Tablet or 30ml liquid, to 5 ltrs water.
Do NOT let it stay in the system longer than 20 minutes as the Milton can have an adverse effect on the stailess steel of the water heater.
Flush through with at least 2 full aquarolls of clean fresh water.
When using Milton ensure you adhere to the makers dilution instructions, ie 1 Tablet or 30ml liquid, to 5 ltrs water.
Do NOT let it stay in the system longer than 20 minutes as the Milton can have an adverse effect on the stailess steel of the water heater.
Flush through with at least 2 full aquarolls of clean fresh water.
All of the cleaners recommended by Truma are chlorine-based, like Milton, so there should be no problem on stainless steel.
Quote "so there should be no problem on stainless steel."
What "should be" and what actually is are two different things.
Milton is Ok as long as the makers instructions are adhered to, which is 15 minutes to sterilise a system at the correct dilution.
Milton is known to attack the stainless steel water heater if left too long.
As a Truma approved engineer I "think" I know what I am talking about.
Or use Puriclean, much safer.
Or use Puriclean, much safer.
Puriclean is a stronger form of chlorine than Milton !!
It's what I use though.
As a Truma approved engineer I "think" I know what I am talking about.
In Truma's case, there's conflicting advice.
The Operating Instructions for my Ultrastore from 2001 specify using wine vinegar to descale and recommends using "Certisil-Argento" for sterilising. As "Certisil-Argento" isn't available in the UK, I obtained written advice from Truma UK to use any chlorine-based sterilising product in accordance with it's manufacturer's instruction - despite the fact that the Operating Instructions specifically state "Other products, particularly those containing chlorine are unsuitable".
The instructions for my Puriclean state "leave for 1-12 hours". I therefore follow Truma UK's advice to follow Puriclean's instructions.
The British Stainless Steel Association recommend leaving Chlorine-based sterilisers in contact with stainless steel for no more than 24 hours http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=38
I use either Puriclean or Milton, but before dosing the system I always run a full 40litre Aquaroll of fresh water through, then drain and then fill and dose for an hour with the sterilising solution, followed by another full flush (40litres) this last one mainly to remove any aftter taste in the drinking water. Then I drain the system so that when I arrive on site it has to be filled with freshwater. I only sterilse once per season when the van comes back into life for the early spring (Feb that is!) .
I once poured neat Milton into the caravan kitchen sink in the assumption that it would do away with any bacteria in the waste pipeline. I was horrified to find that on the next day the area around the plughole (where a little of the Milton had been left) had become discoulered and flakey.
B32 
Let it stand for an hour - then drain the complete system - then refill and drain system with plain water.
Don't forget to take out any filter elements if they're rechargeable or change the complete filter - not all caravans have filters.