Issue with Fresh Water Fill Leaking, Water in bilge . . .

[ptallen]

When we are at the dock and have our dock side water hooked up, water begins to leak out of the fresh water inlet (cap) on the side of the boat. It also appears that our fresh water tank is gaining water when the dock side water is turned on? Furthermore, water is somehow leaking in the bilge when dock side water is turned on - however, after a quick look I cannot find the source of the leak.

Any help or feedback?

 

[src]

Dockside water shouldn't be able to get into the water tank. There is supposed to be a check valve in the system - I think the water pump acts as the check valve in some or all of the systems, but I don't have deep knowledge there. As for the leak, I would say that it's probably a by-product of pressurizing the water tank. You may have a loose joint on the filler hose or something. It probably would't show up if you just overfill the tank normally (it all spills out the top and also out the overflow), but since you are pressurizing the system it can turn up leaks that otherwise wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Jaybeaux]

Resurrecting an old thread. Last weekend, we spent two nights at the boat. When we stay at the dock, I hook up the "city water" rather than listen to the freshwater pump cycle on and off when we demand water. Anyway....when we were getting ready to leave, I just happened to check the level on the Freshwater Tank. It read completely full. I thought it was odd as I generally keep it between 1/4 and 1/2 full.

I got to the boat this afternoon, and decided to monkey with the freshwater tank level indication. Thinking that I was somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 full, I began adding water. In no time at all, water began "puking" out of the fill port (sorry, old refinery guy term). Obviously, the tank was full. So I began running water, and after a bit the "FULL" indicator went out. Continued running water and after some time the 3/4 indicator went out, as expected.

So what started out as a possible indication problem, has changed into a city water problem. How am I filling the Freshwater Tank while on city water? After checking the Owners Manual, it states that when connecting to City Water make sure that the Freshwater Pump Breaker is OFF. I will say that I was playing with keeping the breaker ON vs OFF to see if it enhanced the water pressure at the faucets. Maybe I am answering my own question here, but without seeing a "flow diagram" of the complete system, is it possible to fill the Freshwater Tank from City Water if the Freshwate Pump breaker is left in the ON position?

Hmmm.....

Jaybeaux

 

[techmitch]

Resurrecting an old thread. Last weekend, we spent two nights at the boat. When we stay at the dock, I hook up the "city water" rather than listen to the freshwater pump cycle on and off when we demand water. Anyway....when we were getting ready to leave, I just happened to check the level on the Freshwater Tank. It read completely full. I thought it was odd as I generally keep it between 1/4 and 1/2 full.

I got to the boat this afternoon, and decided to monkey with the freshwater tank level indication. Thinking that I was somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 full, I began adding water. In no time at all, water began "puking" out of the fill port (sorry, old refinery guy term). Obviously, the tank was full. So I began running water, and after a bit the "FULL" indicator went out. Continued running water and after some time the 3/4 indicator went out, as expected.

So what started out as a possible indication problem, has changed into a city water problem. How am I filling the Freshwater Tank while on city water? After checking the Owners Manual, it states that when connecting to City Water make sure that the Freshwater Pump Breaker is OFF. I will say that I was playing with keeping the breaker ON vs OFF to see if it enhanced the water pressure at the faucets. Maybe I am answering my own question here, but without seeing a "flow diagram" of the complete system, is it possible to fill the Freshwater Tank from City Water if the Freshwate Pump breaker is left in the ON position?

Hmmm.....

Jaybeaux

Pretty sure most pumps have a check valve in them for just this reason.

 

[Jaybeaux]

Pretty sure most pumps have a check valve in them for just this reason.

So Freshwater Pump is 2 seasons old....so you're saying that the City Water and Freshwater Pump outlet "merge" downstream of the Freshwater Pump, so the only way to backfill the freshwater tank through the freshwater pump is if the checkvalve is bad?

 

[bbwhitejr]

For what I know...there are 3-lines to the FW tank. Vent line, fill line, and hose/pipe to the FW pump. For water to get to the FW tank, it would have to back feed through the FW pump. Someone please correct me.

Bennett

 

[markrsimon]

Generally Speaking: There is one cold water line on your boat. That line is fed from either the fresh water pump, or the dock side water connector. So yes, both merge together - although maybe not in the same physical spot. The cold water line may run down one side of the boat, with the dock water connecting into it aft, while the fresh water pump might connect into it mid ship.

What is the water pressure like when connected to dockside water? I wonder if your dockside regulator is bad/missing, and the high water pressure is pushing water back through the pumps check valve.

If the check valve in the pump is bad, you would either (a) hear the fresh water pump cycle on/off continuously as it cant build/maintain pressure, or (b) slowly lose pressure and hear the fresh water pump kick on occasionally even when no water is being used.

- - -
There are two check valves. The dock connector on the boat is normally a regulator and a check valve. The other check valve is typically built into the fresh water pump.

The dock check valve ensures that while running the fresh water pump, water is not pouring out of the dock connector.

The check valve on the fresh water pump ensures that when your running on dock water, its not feeding back into your fresh water tank, filling it up.

Two supplies for water (dock and tank) and each with their own check valve too prevent cross flow contamination. The check valves also allow the system to hold pressure.

Also of note, some hot water
tanks also have a check valve on the output side. If this gets reinstalled backwards, hot water doesnt flow.

 

[Blueone]

It’s been a long time since I used shore water but for sure it didn’t fill the tank. The only way for that to happen is to go thru the pump. You could disconnect the filter before the pump on the tank side and see if that’s the case

 

[boatmailster]

Resurrecting an old thread. Last weekend, we spent two nights at the boat. When we stay at the dock, I hook up the "city water" rather than listen to the freshwater pump cycle on and off when we demand water. Anyway....when we were getting ready to leave, I just happened to check the level on the Freshwater Tank. It read completely full. I thought it was odd as I generally keep it between 1/4 and 1/2 full.

I got to the boat this afternoon, and decided to monkey with the freshwater tank level indication. Thinking that I was somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 full, I began adding water. In no time at all, water began "puking" out of the fill port (sorry, old refinery guy term). Obviously, the tank was full. So I began running water, and after a bit the "FULL" indicator went out. Continued running water and after some time the 3/4 indicator went out, as expected.

So what started out as a possible indication problem, has changed into a city water problem. How am I filling the Freshwater Tank while on city water? After checking the Owners Manual, it states that when connecting to City Water make sure that the Freshwater Pump Breaker is OFF. I will say that I was playing with keeping the breaker ON vs OFF to see if it enhanced the water pressure at the faucets. Maybe I am answering my own question here, but without seeing a "flow diagram" of the complete system, is it possible to fill the Freshwater Tank from City Water if the Freshwate Pump breaker is left in the ON position?

Hmmm.....

Jaybeaux

It will destroy pump on long run when you leave breaker on. City water has higher pressure than pump can provide and it simply pushes water against flow what pump is designed for. Other boat manufacturers ( like Formula Boats) designed their system differently and allow for tank to be filled with small portion of city water pressure while providing rest to boat water system. That way water tank is practically full all the time. There is dedicated switch to activate that feature or it will act like normal Sea Ray.

 

[carterchapman]

When we are at the dock and have our dock side water hooked up, water begins to leak out of the fresh water inlet (cap) on the side of the boat. It also appears that our fresh water tank is gaining water when the dock side water is turned on? Furthermore, water is somehow leaking in the bilge when dock side water is turned on - however, after a quick look I cannot find the source of the leak.

Any help or feedback?

Many of you use the city water hookup with great success. We prefer to fill our FW tank and refill as necessary to keep the water fresh in the tank - thus we do not use the hookup. So first, disconnect city water, dry your bilge, fill your tank and see if you still have a leak. On my 340, I had a crack in the pvc elbow above the tank and I had to empty the tank, confirm no leak, then refill and confirm the leak. My dock mates former 400DA that Cocktail Time now has has a known crack in a tank corner. The PO's solution to that was to not fill the tank above 3/4...

 

[mbartlett!]

Many of you use the city water hookup with great success. We prefer to fill our FW tank and refill as necessary to keep the water fresh in the tank - thus we do not use the hookup. So first, disconnect city water, dry your bilge, fill your tank and see if you still have a leak. On my 340, I had a crack in the pvc elbow above the tank and I had to empty the tank, confirm no leak, then refill and confirm the leak. My dock mates former 400DA that Cocktail Time now has has a known crack in a tank corner. The PO's solution to that was to not fill the tank above 3/4...

 

[northern]

The manual on our boat says if you are hooked to city water "Turn of water supply when not in use" Last year we had a leak at a fittings by the ice maker that is near the shore supply water inlet. The shore water just enters the boat at that point there was no check valve into the boat but there is a check valve going from the boat to shore supply so your 12 volt pump does not pump water over board. I have looked at the entire water system on the boat as it has grey PEX pipe and brass fittings that leak and need replacing periodically. I have never found any check valves going into the water tank or on the discharge of the 12 volt pump. Never thought of it but the pump must act as a check valve.