Diesel in fresh water tank......!

[BerndRos]

Am I angry !!

Cali on half full, went to a fuel station to fill up. No English spoken. So got the guy fixed up filling the Cali. pointed at the empty water carrier in my hand and he pointed me towards a tap, I unlocked and removed water filler cap and went to get water. On my return he pointed to the fuel meter showing he had put 80 litres in. My immediate reaction is to think he is doing me as the van was half full, then it dawns, the bloody idiot has also filled the water tank with diesel !!

Have drained the diesel out and refilled three times and flushed. Now refilled it to use for washing dishes etc.

What else should I do re further cleansing of the tank ?

And to add injury to insult they charged me for the extra 30 litres.

 

[california180]

:censor
Not sure what would be best to use but water alone will not shift it as it is basically oil.... :idea: detergent :?:

Chris

 

[calikev]

This will do the job https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product/biomagic-ultimate-fresh-water-tank-cleaner


Hope you can get it sorted soon
Kev

 

[Californiaman]

I'm really sorry to hear this -

I've found one related thread - this one recommends Chlorine http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35387

 

[KernowLad]

That is really bad! What country are you in? The garage needs a complaint - the water filler is marked with a pretty clear picture! Not sure on a solution but I'd get medieval with the offender. I know fluent speakers of most Euro languages if needed.

 

[BerndRos]

Tunisia.......normal rules as we would take for granted don't apply here !

Thanks guys, think when I know I am going to a campsite ( next week ) I will add a couple of bottles of something like ' flash all purpose cleaner ? ' to an almost full tank, then drive a couple of hundred miles to agitate. Then at the camp see if they will let me have a hose running into the filler hole while at the same time draining the tank and leave that running for an hour or so. Then drain and put a few kettles of near boiling water in, hope this will further agitate. Then later in the month when in UK use some chlorine.

 

[KernowLad]

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product/biomagic-ultimate-fresh-water-tank-cleaner ?

 

[BerndRos]

Thanks, Kernowlad.....just ordered off the Amazon link.

 

[sebking]

Lost for words!

 

[barry]

bad luck.
my younger son put 10L of diesel in the fw tank the first time he used it away.
nightmare!

three days later i drained it and ran water through the tank for a few hours.
then i put a cupful of washing up liquid in, filled the tank with water, drained it and repeated this process about a half dozen times.
i thought the water was taste-free but the missus reckoned it tasted of something.
(i've always thought that pre-disaster the water tasted a bit brackish
anyway, i repeated the process with the washing up liquid for a few days and we both agreed it was fine.

i wouldn't mind of knowing of some test for traces of diesel if anyone knows of one.

i was intrigued to read reference to a suggestion above of using chlorine to flush a dieselled fw tank.
we've used steriliser stuff from time to time but i'd be keen to know of anyone's use of 'chlorine.'
domestos maybe?

i might add that my younger son's mistake was under serious weather stress in a garage with failed external lighting.
otherwise he is an intelligent human being and has done some 5K miles with the cali during the first 12 months we've had it.
we do now, though, take the p*ss out of him a lot

 

[jts46]

I've also used fairy liquid as a good degreaser for fresh water tanks

 

[Anonymous]

OMFG.

ops

 

[Chris]

Feel gutted for you if this has happened. Great to see the forum come to the rescue and recommend a product to clean your tank. Seems a common accident in the boating world.

On hindsight it would be advisable to always keep it locked and don't leave the fresh water key on your normal bunch to hopefully make you or "other family members" make the mistake!!

 

[Gazellio]

I have to admit I put half a litre in one dark morning when half asleep ........

Found the perfect cure though.......

After flushing with water for ages mix two or three quality dishwasher tabs (Finish powerball) in Boiling water and let cool a little then pour in tank at least 1/8 to quarter full then drive around for awhile to flush it into every nook a cranny then leave for an hour before re flushing with water.

THe smell and taste of Diesel should be completely gone!!!!

PS: DO NOT TURN ON TAPS UNTIL THIS IS DONE :headwall

 

[BerndRos]

Can confirm that the product recommended by KernowLad above has finally solved the problem 100%

 

[KernowLad]

Brilliant!

 

[BerndRos]

Thanks KL.....just spent a nice night at Gwithian Farm campsite, I guess quite near you ?

 

[KernowLad]

Thanks KL.....just spent a nice night at Gwithian Farm campsite, I guess quite near you ?

About 20 minutes away! You guys sure do cover some miles!!

 

[SimonSpain]

I am reading as many stories and ideas on this site as I can and just want to say, THIS FORUM IS INCREDIBLE!!!! So many folk with solutions to almost all the problems a future Cali owner (pick mine up at the beginning of December!) may face! Fanblooditastic!!!! :cool :cool :clap :clap

 

[BerndRos]

It was a real problem ' SimonSpain ' but that stuff worked a treat........are you in Spain at the moment. I am on the border at Vila Real de Santo Antonio right now, River Guadiana, this side Portugal, other side Spain........

 

[simonizzy]

hi I know this is an old post but can tell me what the product is that was recommended by kernohlad as this link doesn't work. we have the same problem !

thanks

Simon

 

[Meoncoast]

http://www.biomagicuk.com/page2.html

but not had to test it

 

[sidepod]

Clearly the word "WASSER" writ large on the filler cap isn't moron proof.

 

[simonizzy]

http://www.biomagicuk.com/page2.html

but not had to test it

thanks very much