Water manifold leaking, 510 Sundancer, Model year 2000

[TheWolfTC]

Hey CSR, I need some help if possible. I made my regular check of the sump area and noticed I had water on the deck in there. Not a lot but enough to need the vacuum to suck it all up easily. Maybe about a pint or so?? Anyway, as I was searching for the culprit I saw that the bottom pex feed on the right side for the washdown at the bow was dripping. Obviously it hasn't been dripping too long or there would have been a lot more water.

The manifold had an open feed so I disconnected the pex from the bottom feed and moved it to the open feed. I watched it for a few minutes, it didn't drip at either location so I figured I was done. 15 minutes later I looked again and there was fresh water under the manifold. I reached under it and sure enough it was wet and water would drop from one of the screw heads underneath it. I put a Tupperware container under it to watch more closely and it drips about every 25 seconds.

For the life of me I can't figure out where it is coming from, how it started and most importantly how to stop it. The bolts that hold the manifold together must be 16-18" long and they are outside of where the water is contained so how it is dripping at the screw head is baffling.

Anyone run into this before?

 

[PlayDate]

Fortunately it isn't that big of a deal to change it. As to why......that would be a complete guess but I have seen these manifolds leak after 20 years in a house.

As to the clue.....your outside hose bib was leaking water. You changed the port position of the supply tube on the manifold and it stopped....but started leaking from the bottom of the manifold instead. So it must be related to the port on the manifold. You could try inserting a small piece of pex into the original port with a cap on it and see if it stops all together.

https://www.amazon.com/Viega-50243-...ds=20+port+pex+manifold&qid=1694718800&sr=8-8

 

[Skybolt]

Pex does leak from time to time. I would try cutting the pex back an inch or two. If it gets scratched it can leak. That is if it is coming from that hose.

I would try taping or holding a dry paper towel under the connection of a hose one at a time. Also take better close up pics and inspect the black (manifold) for cracks.

 

[Lazy Daze]

The screw head is likely the lowest point so it's simply dripping "off" that... but not necessarily originating there.

Water doesn't go uphill so either feel or use some paper towels to find the highest "wet spot". You leak should be right in the vicinity.

 

[TheWolfTC]

Fortunately it isn't that big of a deal to change it. As to why......that would be a complete guess but I have seen these manifolds leak after 20 years in a house.

As to the clue.....your outside hose bib was leaking water. You changed the port position of the supply tube on the manifold and it stopped....but started leaking from the bottom of the manifold instead. So it must be related to the port on the manifold. You could try inserting a small piece of pex into the original port with a cap on it and see if it stops all together.

https://www.amazon.com/Viega-50243-...ds=20+port+pex+manifold&qid=1694718800&sr=8-8

I actually keep extra 15mm PEX parts on hand and I have a cap and some line. Thank you

 

[TheWolfTC]

Heading to the boat now and will inspect further. I am going to try the idea from PlayDate to cap that bottom feed and see what happens.
Thank you for all of the ideas and quick responses.

 

[TheWolfTC]

It is very interesting. There are 6 threaded rods holding it together. Back row I'll number as 1,2,3 and from row 4,5,6 left to right. The nut and washer on bolt 6 is dripping. (once every 25 seconds or so). The end of the threaded rod shows signs of rust.

I tightened the nut on the bottom as it seemed a little loose compared to the others but that didn't help. Then I noticed that a couple of the other ends of the rods show signs of a blue loc tight possibly. If I take the cover off the front to expose the rods, there is not water above the housing 2" up from the bottom so it must be an internal leak to the rod at this point.

Is blue loctite waterproof and acting as a sealing agent?? If in fact it is loctite? I would need to find that 20 space manifold PlayDate linked me too in the metric version as all the pex pipe is 15MM on this boat.

I haul the boat for storage in a couple weeks so I guess I will add this to my winter schedule.

Thanks again

 

[PlayDate]

It is very interesting. There are 6 threaded rods holding it together. Back row I'll number as 1,2,3 and from row 4,5,6 left to right. The nut and washer on bolt 6 is dripping. (once every 25 seconds or so). The end of the threaded rod shows signs of rust.

I tightened the nut on the bottom as it seemed a little loose compared to the others but that didn't help. Then I noticed that a couple of the other ends of the rods show signs of a blue loc tight possibly. If I take the cover off the front to expose the rods, there is not water above the housing 2" up from the bottom so it must be an internal leak to the rod at this point.

Is blue loctite waterproof and acting as a sealing agent?? If in fact it is loctite? I would need to find that 20 space manifold PlayDate linked me too in the metric version as all the pex pipe is 15MM on this boat.

I haul the boat for storage in a couple weeks so I guess I will add this to my winter schedule.

Thanks again

The last time I had to use adapters to get the 15mm down to 1/2". I'm sure where you source the manifold will have an answer for that. Funny how we are all supposed to be metric at this point and virtually all plumbing in the US is inches.

 

[TheWolfTC]

Follow up:
The manifold is leaking between the bottom 2 cold water outlets on the right side. So STRANGE!!! It is an incredibly small/slow drip, but nonetheless a drip it is. I guess I can start my winter projects list with this item.

On another note, I did get the 2nd water pump working finally. It hasn't worked since we got the boat last August and I just hadn't gotten around to figuring out why. Turns out the automatic pressure switch was seized up. I replaced the upper assembly in about 15 minutes. Had I know it was going to be that easy I would have done it last winter. LOL