Fresh Water System leak in the head

M

mrsrobinson

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2006
7,704
Virginia
Boat Info
2001 380DA
Engines
Caterpillar 3126
Filled up the fresh water tank and turned on the fresh water pump on my new to me boat for the first time today. The breaker was tripping after about 10 seconds. Checked the bilge in front of the head door and noticed there was water in it. It was some still mixed with pink antifreeze so I knew it was fresh water. Dried everything up, tried dock water with very low pressure, heard a hissing noise from under the shower area, and had water in the bilge again.

Dockmate thinks it's a cartridge behind the shower water handle. I took a look at the handle but can't see how to remove it. Looks like there could be an allen screw at the bottom but my allen wrench goes all the way through, no screw.

Any ideas?
PXL_20220416_195301703.jpg
 
mrsrobinson said:
Filled up the fresh water tank and turned on the fresh water pump on my new to me boat for the first time today. The breaker was tripping after about 10 seconds. Checked the bilge in front of the head door and noticed there was water in it. It was some still mixed with pink antifreeze so I knew it was fresh water. Dried everything up, tried dock water with very low pressure, heard a hissing noise from under the shower area, and had water in the bilge again.

Dockmate thinks it's a cartridge behind the shower water handle. I took a look at the handle but can't see how to remove it. Looks like there could be an allen screw at the bottom but my allen wrench goes all the way through, no screw.

Any ideas?View attachment 124565
Click to expand...
 
I believe it is an Allen wrench, but can’t remember. I had a leak in mind sometime ago. I do recall having to remove the diverter valve from the back. On the 06 380, there’s an access panel in the closet behind the shower. Grohe makes the diverter. I was able to find new internal parts and keep the brass shell.
 
mrsrobinson said:
Filled up the fresh water tank and turned on the fresh water pump on my new to me boat for the first time today. The breaker was tripping after about 10 seconds. Checked the bilge in front of the head door and noticed there was water in it. It was some still mixed with pink antifreeze so I knew it was fresh water. Dried everything up, tried dock water with very low pressure, heard a hissing noise from under the shower area, and had water in the bilge again.

Dockmate thinks it's a cartridge behind the shower water handle. I took a look at the handle but can't see how to remove it. Looks like there could be an allen screw at the bottom but my allen wrench goes all the way through, no screw.

Any ideas?View attachment 124565
Click to expand...

do you have the storage thing above the shower handle? Ours comes out with 4 screws and you then have access behind the shower to all the plumbing.
 
Removed the four screws from that box but unfortunately it's caulked in as well, didn't bring a blade to cut it.

Turning the handle did seem to kind of work but I could never find the Allen bolt to get the wrench on.
 
Nice @Chris-380, seems I'm not the only one that was challenged.

I talked to a local service guy, he's going to try to get out this week, I'm going to have to turn this one over to him unfortunately because of time.
 
Wow, guy got out to the boat in less than 24 hours, impressive. He was referred to me, I tossed a name out when I called him, must have been a good name :)

Split hose behind the shower wall. Fresh water pump is drawing too many amps and needs to be replaced.
 
mrsrobinson said:
Wow, guy got out to the boat in less than 24 hours, impressive. He was referred to me, I tossed a name out when I called him, must have been a good name :)

Split hose behind the shower wall. Fresh water pump is drawing too many amps and needs to be replaced.
Click to expand...
That will be a tough line to replace, let us know how he does that please
 
He's going to remove the shower box to see what the access is like. His thinks he will have to patch/split it in. I am not a fan of that, though I don't know how one would replace the entire line.

That has me thinking though: can of/on valve be installed in these lines? If yes I could install one go the shower and turn it off it it starts to leak again. I have not thought this through, just popped in my head.
 
mrsrobinson said:
He's going to remove the shower box to see what the access is like. His thinks he will have to patch/split it in. I am not a fan of that, though I don't know how one would replace the entire line.

That has me thinking though: can of/on valve be installed in these lines? If yes I could install one go the shower and turn it off it it starts to leak again. I have not thought this through, just popped in my head.
Click to expand...

yes, if it’s like our 410 there is a distribution set of Tees at the transom that feed each line. You could replace the whole line by pulling it back but it’s tough to get it through the silicone blob between the ER and cabin

I toyed with shutoffs too but for now I at least bought a bunch of plugs and labeled each line to where it goes so if I ever spring a leak I can shut that circuit down
 
I replaced the head sanitation hose in my 2001 Regal 3780. It went from the head, which was in the forward port, back to/thru the firewall, into the vacuflush, back thru the firewall and into the holding tank, which was in the cabin floor. That, was not fun.
 
Strecker25 said:
yes, if it’s like our 410 there is a distribution set of Tees at the transom that feed each line. You could replace the whole line by pulling it back but it’s tough to get it through the silicone blob between the ER and cabin

I toyed with shutoffs too but for now I at least bought a bunch of plugs and labeled each line to where it goes so if I ever spring a leak I can shut that circuit down
Click to expand...
My 2000 380 is not like that, I think as they got a little newer, they went with distribution points from the engine room to each point. So @mrsrobinson may be that way, but the older ones are not….
 
I haven't checked the schematic yet for the location of the freshwater tank, but I assume it's forward since that's where the fill is? If that's the case why would all the lines run back to the engine compartment to a distribution point, just curious?
 
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mrsrobinson said:
I haven't checked the schematic yet for the location of the freshwater tank, but I assume it's Ford since that's where the fill is? If that's the case why would all the lines run back to the engine compartment to a distribution point, just curious?
Click to expand...

very good question. Ours is under the main berth, the pump is near the bow thruster, then it runs all the way to the transom wall on a main line to distribution. Weird, maybe has to do with the hot water heater location?
 
Strecker25 said:
very good question. Ours is under the main berth, the pump is near the bow thruster, then it runs all the way to the transom wall on a main line to distribution. Weird, maybe has to do with the hot water heater location?
Click to expand...
Same here on the pump, and yeah, kind of a weird design, must be for a good reason.
 
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