Inhibitor in wrong tank
- Thread starter Davek73
- Start date
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I think you mean you put it in the large cold water cistern rather than the small CH Feed and Expansion tank. Try not to use any hot water until you have cleaned the tank, because this will draw contaminated water into the cylinder.
Draining the tank will be much more effective than just running the tap and letting it get slowly diluted with fresh.
Turn off the supply (or tie up the valve float) and run the *cold* bath tap. With luck it will be fed from the tank and will empty it. Once it has drained (there will be a few inches of water left) untie the float or turn on the supply and stir the water round as it runs through until the scent of inhibitor is gone. This will also allow any fine sediment to wash away and out of the cold tap without getting into the hot cylinder. If you want, you can scoop out the remaining water using a plastic dustpan into a bucket, and sponge the sides and bottom dry. Then let it fill right up again with fresh water. If the cold bath tap is fed from the mains, not the tank, use a hosepipe to syphon out the tank into the bath or other convenient drain.
Get the HW cylinder fully hot, then turn off the boiler and open the *hot* bath tap. The hot water will come out first, because it rises, then the cold water from the tank. Because you have already drained away all the contaminated water from the tank, the cylinder will refill with clean water.
The kitchen tap should, and almost certainly will, be fed from the incoming mains supply, so will be uncontaminated and safe to drink.
There will still be traces of inhibitor, but it will be very dilute, and is not a dangerous chemical anyway. If you want, for example if you have a baby in the house, you can repeat the process, and don't brush your teeth in it for a day or two. By the time you have used a day or so's water, and had a bath, it will have been rinsed away.
Draining the tank will be much more effective than just running the tap and letting it get slowly diluted with fresh.
Turn off the supply (or tie up the valve float) and run the *cold* bath tap. With luck it will be fed from the tank and will empty it. Once it has drained (there will be a few inches of water left) untie the float or turn on the supply and stir the water round as it runs through until the scent of inhibitor is gone. This will also allow any fine sediment to wash away and out of the cold tap without getting into the hot cylinder. If you want, you can scoop out the remaining water using a plastic dustpan into a bucket, and sponge the sides and bottom dry. Then let it fill right up again with fresh water. If the cold bath tap is fed from the mains, not the tank, use a hosepipe to syphon out the tank into the bath or other convenient drain.
Get the HW cylinder fully hot, then turn off the boiler and open the *hot* bath tap. The hot water will come out first, because it rises, then the cold water from the tank. Because you have already drained away all the contaminated water from the tank, the cylinder will refill with clean water.
The kitchen tap should, and almost certainly will, be fed from the incoming mains supply, so will be uncontaminated and safe to drink.
There will still be traces of inhibitor, but it will be very dilute, and is not a dangerous chemical anyway. If you want, for example if you have a baby in the house, you can repeat the process, and don't brush your teeth in it for a day or two. By the time you have used a day or so's water, and had a bath, it will have been rinsed away.
N
Newboy
You might want to rethink the 'not a dangerous chemical' line.
Depending on which inhibitor has been used, a significant proportion of them are classed (under COSHH) H302 (Harmful if swallowed), P301/P312 - If swallowed seek medical attention - poison.
Ideally, stop water entering the cistern (tie up ballvalve or isolate), siphon the tanks contents to a drain, clean the tank out, refill tank and repeat. If there is a hint of odour or taste then repeat the process.
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but I think "not a dangerous chemical" in the sense that when greatly diluted with water, you should not be alarmed if you get it on your skin.
For example X100
http://www.sentinelprotects.com/sites/default/files/sds/sentinel_x100_3_en.pdf
and MB1 is described as "Non-toxic, environmentally friendly" and "Fernox Protector MB-1 is classified as non-hazardous"
Though I agree contact with the undiluted chemical, or drinking it, would do you no good at all.
For example X100
http://www.sentinelprotects.com/sites/default/files/sds/sentinel_x100_3_en.pdf
and MB1 is described as "Non-toxic, environmentally friendly" and "Fernox Protector MB-1 is classified as non-hazardous"
Though I agree contact with the undiluted chemical, or drinking it, would do you no good at all.
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I'd try to siphon it out with a length of hose pipe.
Just run the cistern dry a couple of times using the cold tap ONLY. Once it has been diluted to that extent it will be fine - it's not as if you drink that water anyway. After a few days normal usage you might even stop smelling funny 
.
.
It won't be anything too harmful, its made with the thought that if your cylinder coil gives up it will enter your DHW system anyway.
As Dan says, flush it through, just leave the taps on for a few hours!
As Dan says, flush it through, just leave the taps on for a few hours!
As Mr D said, you need to Isolate the incoming supply first.
And for the umpteenth time. COLD not HOT.
In which case, you'll be pouring lots of water down the drain
Keep going until the discharged water stops whiffing
Keep going until the discharged water stops whiffing
If you can't empty it by syphoning with a hose, yes, you can empty it using the hot bath tap. It will be more effective to run the tap until the cold tank is empty, then wipe or brush the sides and bottom of the tank clean, then fill the tank up with cold again, and let it empty again. This does unfortunately mean that the contamination will get into the hot cylinder.
You will probably find you can detect the scent of the inhibitor.
You will probably find you can detect the scent of the inhibitor.
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