fresh water system perplexed-stumper....

[True North]

'88 Sundancer 270. Since I've owned the boat (4 years now) the fresh water system system on the boat hasn't worked properly. Hasn't really bothered me too much since we don't overnight on it a lot. My head has a freshwater pickup through a seacock so that is fully functional. I have both a dockside water inlet and a fresh water tank with a functioning pump and hot water heater.

My symptoms:
no matter if I have the dockside water hooked up, or water in the fresh water tank with pump on, when I turn either the bathroom faucet or galley sink faucet, I get barely a trickle, sometimes nothing. No rush of air, a few drops that's it. Disclaimer, I had replaced the OEM faucets with regular high quality delta faucets last year thinking that may have been the problem, plus it was time to upgrade.

My thinking tells me I have a faulty check valve somewhere, but I have been replacing lines/connections with pex and shark bit fittings up to the point where it runs from the junction of the dock water/pump to the faucets. 1) I have verified by cutting the line that I have full flow from dockside water inlet leading to the HWH, 2) I have verified by cutting the line that I have full flow from pump from fresh water tank to the line going to the faucets. 3) I replaced the check valve that separates the dockside water from the water pump (in the correct direction), 4) I referenced a schematic and believe I understand (makes sense to me) how the water lines should be configured between the dock side water, HWH, fresh water tank and out to the faucets.

So that means my "issue" is down stream from the "T" that goes from the pump/dock water to the faucets (I have replaced everything to that point). I do not get water at the faucets, and I can't see any other fittings that could potentially have a check valve in it, from that point it is two single lines (one hot, one cold) that connect to the original "T" fittings at the bathroom sink on way to the galley sink. When I hook up the dock side water, I can tell by sound that the hot water heater fills up, and pressure is good. I also get pressure from the pump, but something is keeping it from going to the sink faucets??? I have verified I do not have any leaks and can't hear water in non-visible areas. Only thing I can think of is the original SeaRay OEM fittings (T fittings and elbows) have check valves in them and one is faulty? I was hoping the issue was in an "easy to see and reach" area, but now the only lines/fittings to replace are above the gas tank and along the side wall from the bilge to the bathroom/kitchen faucets, which is not easy access....

Any thoughts before I tear into that? Sorry so long, wanted to give as much detail to help troubleshoot process. Thanks for any assistance.

 

[Lazy Daze]

The regular T-fittings and such that you are referencing have no check valves. Unscrew the aerators at your faucet... do you get water flow then? You mentioned you have water flow LEAVING the pump (after the filter?), so that means the obstruction is somewhere between the filter and the faucets... the most likely place being the aerators.

 

[Jus the two of us]

The aerators on our boat get stopped up every spring when we DE winterize. There is also a filter on the discharge of the pumps.

 

[True North]

have not checked that. Why would the aerators block water flow completely? Basically I have confirmed through process of elimination that I have good flow leaving the pump going to the line where it combines to the dockside cold water line (after the checkvalve). I also have good flow in the dockside cold water line after it circulates through the HWH and the junction where it connects to the line from the pump. So from that point its a couple of T connectors, and then 2 long individual lines going to the sink. I will check the aerators, didn't know that could cut off flow completely. After that before I try replacing those lines, I will disconnect at the fittings to the faucets and see if I have water there (that requires a 2nd person to hold a catch container as not to get water everywhere!). Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[True North]

filter is clean and has good flow through it (before connecting back up to the main line after the filter)

 

[Lazy Daze]

have not checked that. Why would the aerators block water flow completely?

The aerators, just like the ones in your home, are kind of like filters. Junk from the tank and/or hot water heater that forms over time (especially if the water is not treated or not used up quickly) will collect at either the filter on the pump or at the aerators.

The only thing that is a little odd is that it sounds like you had the problem both before and after replacing the faucets. New faucets can sometimes have manufacturing junk in them and it's best to flush them (with aerators removed). But it's kind of odd that this happened. Still, it's a good first step to check the aerators and also to see if you get water flow with the aerators off. In order for their to be a clog in an actual line, it would have to be quite big.

 

[True North]

I bought the boat in a winterized state and it had actually been sitting in closed storage for 3 years prior to when I bought it. It was a guy who was getting ready to retire and wanted to take the boat down to FLA with him, but realized a newer, closed water cooling system would be better in salt water. The guy was pretty meticulous and had owners manuals for every piece of equipment, work receipts, and everything labeled and I negotiated a great deal to buy it without having it surveyed for a ridiculous deal. After thinking about it, I actually changed out the faucets in the boat when I bought it when I redid the interior, even before checking the water system with the old faucets, so I'm not sure what came first, chicken or the egg? When I brought everything online after maintenance to the motors, etc. the water never worked and never became a high priority because other updates were more important (new flooring, interior, etc.) I will check water flow before the faucets, but I doubt the aerators are the issue as the faucets are brand new and have never had water run through really......

I'm not even sure the HWH is fully functional, I know it fills up, doesn't leak and has power going to it, and the lines from the motor, but never tested it because never could get the water to run out the faucets! LOL

 

[bbwhitejr]

Our boat came from FL. Cleaning and then replacing the aerators made a good impact on flow. If you don’t find anything there, I would take the hose/pipe loose from the faucet and see if you have flow there. If so, got to be the faucets.

Do you have a transom shower or a transom washdown spigot in the rear trunk? Do they work properly?

Bennett

 

[Lazy Daze]

Sitting for 3 years... all depends on how it was put up. In most cases, gunk doesn't really collect in lines, but ends up at the aerators. But then again, 3 years could equal a clog anywhere. Continue with the plan to pull the aerators first, then before the faucets.

 

[True North]

Hoping to get to it wed night. I'll report back then. Thanks for all the replies!

 

[True North]

well, as a follow up.....that's why I enjoy this forum.......
Apparently there was enough crud in the lines while it sat in storage before I purchased it that it completely clogged off the aerators in both sink faucets. So, after removing those, and then flushing the system, it appears I now have working water. I haven't turned on the HWH yet as I want to do a better job cleaning the system of the pink, fresh water and then treat the system with some bleach water. Once I have that all cleaned out and the filter after the pump taken apart and cleaned again, I will add some fresh water and kick on the HWH to see what I got! Thanks again for the replies, something so simple that I overlooked and didn't think to check! Happy and safe boating this season!

 

[Prosideus]

Glad that was all it was.