Cleaning and sanitizing a M149a2

[2deuce]

HI,
I just brought home a M149a2. I've read here a little about cleaning and sanitizing with chlorine, but I've read online not to use chlorine and I don't want that taste or smell. I certainly don't want to damage the stainless tank and I'd like to remove the iron water stains. I also wonder how often the tank needs to be sanitized if I keep it full of water as in an emergency supply. What successes have you guys found?

Thanks

 

[emmado22]

Scrub brush and bleach, we would put the smallest soldier in there and have them scrub away. I would not keep it full. Water doesn't store well without growing bad things in it.

 

[212sparky]

Have the tank steemed. Then go to a commercial food store like gfs and get some quatsan sanitizer no taste or smell. Just put in 50-75 and quatsan then drive around to let it slosh then run it through all the plumbing and you should be good to go. Oh yeah, water sitting for some time is very bad.

 

[FireFighterHill]

Climbing inside an enclosed space with chlorine or household bleach is asking to die, dont do it.

 

[wsucougarx]

Ahhh, now Im know who I was bidding against on GSA

 

[flibob]

Check some of the RV forums they deal with this all the time. Your city water probably has some chlorine in it. If you live in the city. Call the water dept and ask how long you can keep it. If it is emergency use a little chlorine is better than drinking out of the creek I peed in.

 

[lavarok]

The attached document titled "SANITARY CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE OF FIELD WATER SUPPLIES", may be of some help.

 

[lavarok]

Also, PM aboonski as he has compiled a lot of information on how to sanitize these units.

 

[2deuce]

Are you guys saying not to store water in it? I'm on a well and when the power goes out it has stayed out for days in the past.

I used to work next to a chemical plant that vented off chlorine at night(not always sure how accidental it was). It would close off your breathing, you would have to run and hope for clear air before you dropped.

WSU- Were you #2 bidder? if so I'm glad you stopped when you did or I wouldn't have gotten it. I used to see them go under $1000 all the time, but when I want one somebody else always does too. I went down and inspected it, did you?

 

[wsucougarx]

LOL, no I was bidding on it sight unseen. It looked pretty good in the pic. One thing I was a little leary about was whether or not fuel was stored in it. Looks like it wasn't. Congrats! It's a good thing you won. I've been saving up for a M925. This potential win would have cut into my funds. It all worked out for the best

 

[Recovry4x4]

Chlorine is super effective as a sanitizer. Once thoroughly sanitized, baking soda can be used to neutralize the taste/odor. BTW, chlorine has a very low odor, it starts smelling when its battling bacteria.

 

[2deuce]

Recovery4x4,
What I have read online is that chlorine eats into stainless making it harder to clean. The damage may not be visible at first. Temperature also affects it's effectiveness. I expect my tank already has had chlorine in it from previous military cleanings, but there is no way to know for sure. I have read oxiclean works well on stainless. Safe to use but if your water is hard like mine is then an acid soak is also needed to remove residue from minerals. I'm leaning toward trying the oxiclean. Then vinegar. Then sanitize with chlorine diluted to a safe enough level. Anyone see any problems with this approach?

 

[quickfarms]

I'm on a well and when the power goes out it has stayed out for days in the past.

Since you have a well, why not get a generator instead of storing water?

 

[2deuce]

Generators make noise and attract zombies.

 

[AN/ARC186]

I checked with my spouse who is a Preventive Med Officer. She said follow FM 21-10.
It will tell you the correct procedures for sanitizing your water storage.

 

[2deuce]

I decided to get in the tank with a scotch brite and some dish soap. I had already taken a pressure washer to it and took out the dust and whatever but the water scum remained and the pressure washer had no effect on it. The combo of scotch brite and dish soap wiped the scum off very easily without scrubbing. There was rust like stains on some of the seams like where condensation had formed but that was not hard to get off either. I ran the pressure washer until I saw no soap and she looks really clean now. Now I need to sanitize it. It is about as clean as my dishes are when I'm camping right now.

wsucougerx, Yeah it worked out ok, but it would have been better if I got it more reasonable. You could be set up for a fall if you bid that high without knowing condition better, like it was an oily tank. I live 40 minutes from salem and preview everything I'm interested in there. Some stuff gets bid up way past it's value, at least that's what I think. If you are serious about something let me know and I could check it out for you. I might be going there anyway. Send me a PM. That goes for anyone here, I'll help if I can.

Greg