Problem Draining the Fresh Water Tank

ZZ13 said:
Thanks a bunch. Appreciate the advice. Related to this, what's the mechanics for filling up the hot water heater. Assume an empty HW tank, when the water pump goes on does it automatically start filling the hot water tank until the HW tank is full or the supply water tank is empty? I don't think I have a HW tank level gauge anywhere to help out with knowing this?
Click to expand...

Exactly, there is no way around this except to bypass the tank. It is super easy and cheap. I bought some 5/8 inch tubing (about $6.00) and two plastic press-fit male fittings ($1.00 each) at home depot and viola I have my bypass hose. Also the remaining 4 feet or so of tubing (only used about a foot for the bypass) serves as my input line for winterizing to dip into the pink jugs.
 
Lazy Daze said:
ZZ: Yes, the pump will always try and fill the hot water tank. As hot water is drawn off, the pump replaces it with more from the holding tank. A home hot water heater works the same way.
Click to expand...

yours comes from the holding Tank? ewwww
 
kkalsch said:
By chance do you know what size thread the fitting you bought where?
Click to expand...

1/2 inch.

A short piece of tubing with two press-fit male 1/2 connectors on each end. This will be used to "jump" between the cold in and hot out lines from the tank. Then I have one female 1/2 connector on the remaining piece of hose (about 4 feet or so) that I use to connect to the fresh water pump, after you disconnect the line from the tank. Then I dip the open end of the hose into the bucket of pink to run through all the faucets. Run both hot and cold at each faucet to get all the lines (this is where the bypass comes in)... don't forget to drain the hot water tank!
 
kkalsch said:
By chance do you know what size thread the fitting you bought where?
Click to expand...

There are two different sizes that have been used. 1/2 inch and 12.5mm. they are close but not interchangable. Best to check your tubing size first.
 
CliffA said:
i do just the opposite...with the deck fill off i use the shop vac exhaust as a blower to blow all of the remaining water out of the tank...this is after i disconnect the supply line from the pump...
Click to expand...

Can you imagine all the microbes you are blowing into your drinking water supply using this method?
 
sbw1 said:
Can you imagine all the microbes you are blowing into your drinking water supply using this method?
Click to expand...


a little bleach in the FW tank next spring will take care of the 'microbes'......
 
Sounds like a neat way to do it but I will still stick to what works for me and that is blowing out the lines with low pressure air.
As for the microbes, we never use our boat freshwater except to wash, shower, and flush. Always carry bottle water from our home well for coffee, tea and other uses. That's the really great thing about this site. So many ideas and ways to do things and you can pick the one that works best for your situation. After all besides our home and our mountain cabin, our boat is the next largest investment and I would like to keep it in good running order. Because of this great site and the good folks who post on it we are able to do just that. George
 
Sous;1/2 inch.

A short piece of tubing with two press-fit male 1/2 connectors on each end. This will be used to "jump" between the cold in and hot out lines from the tank. Then I have one female 1/2 connector on the remaining piece of hose (about 4 feet or so) that I use to connect to the fresh water pump, after you disconnect the line from the tank. Then I dip the open end of the hose into the bucket of pink to run through all the faucets. Run both hot and cold at each faucet to get all the lines (this is where the bypass comes in)... don't forget to drain the hot water tank!
Click to expand...

Thank you.....I am 3 hours away from the boat and plan on pulling it out this weekend -It goes so much faster when you have everything with you instead of part chasing (which we all have done)

Ken
 
Last edited:
Bodkin Creek George said:
Sounds like a neat way to do it but I will still stick to what works for me and that is blowing out the lines with low pressure air.
As for the microbes, we never use our boat freshwater except to wash, shower, and flush. Always carry bottle water from our home well for coffee, tea and other uses. That's the really great thing about this site. So many ideas and ways to do things and you can pick the one that works best for your situation. After all besides our home and our mountain cabin, our boat is the next largest investment and I would like to keep it in good running order. Because of this great site and the good folks who post on it we are able to do just that. George
Click to expand...

same here....we don't use the FW system for drinking.....mainly for rinsing off a few dishes/glasses and for the transom shower to rinse off when we come on the boat from swimming or floating in the water and occasionally topping off the porta-pot water tank if/when needed...we also carry bottled water for drinking and i intstalled a 2 gallon portable liquid container in the galley that we put tap water in from home each time we go out...it has a pouring spout which is located beside the microwave and directly above the galley sink to catch any drips...we use that for coffee/tea, cleaning contact lens, brushing teeth, etc....we don't use the boat and/or the FW sysyem enough to keep it sanitized to the point we would feel comfortable drinking the water....for large boats like yours where you likely spend long periods of time on the boat i could see going through the effort to keep the water system as clean and sanitized as possible....i like to use the low pressure and high volume of air from the shop vac to blow out the water system...that way no possible damage can be done from using high pressure....another reason is the vac is portable and can be brought on the boat easily with just a long drop cord...
 
Last edited:
Westie said:
There are two different sizes that have been used. 1/2 inch and 12.5mm. they are close but not interchangable. Best to check your tubing size first.
Click to expand...

Ok .....with the boat 3 hr's away and I have never winterized this boat before I do not mind buying both ...however went HD and they do not have a 12.5 mm fitting -so....RV supply?
 
Sous said:
1/2 inch.

A short piece of tubing with two press-fit male 1/2 connectors on each end. This will be used to "jump" between the cold in and hot out lines from the tank. Then I have one female 1/2 connector on the remaining piece of hose (about 4 feet or so) that I use to connect to the fresh water pump, after you disconnect the line from the tank. Then I dip the open end of the hose into the bucket of pink to run through all the faucets. Run both hot and cold at each faucet to get all the lines (this is where the bypass comes in)... don't forget to drain the hot water tank!
Click to expand...
Thanks a bunch. I bought the 1/2" plastic fittings and a 10' roll of clear hose all for under $10. I still went through 3 full gallons of pink flushing it through all the lines (three 3 sinks, a toilet, transom shower). One thing I forgot to do was zip tie around the tubing to keep it from slipping off the fitting. It came off one of the HW bypass fittings at the very end of the flushing and made a little of a mess in the bilge.
 
Instead of guessing on fitting sizes you could just buy and install a heater by-pass system for about $25.00. Comes with nylon and brass fittings and 3 way valves with hose. I installed one and works like a charm.
 
tbirdvet said:
Instead of guessing on fitting sizes you could just buy and install a heater by-pass system for about $25.00. Comes with nylon and brass fittings and 3 way valves with hose. I installed one and works like a charm.
Click to expand...


Understood, but how are you going to order it, if you don't know the size?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,251
Messages
1,429,303
Members
61,128
Latest member
greenworld
Back
Top