odd fresh water issue, thoughts?

[Craig Cook]

The latest problem on the new to us, 2008 Hunter 27 is with our fresh water system. I was flushing the antifreeze out this past weekend and discovered(among other things) that there is no pressure to the hot water side of any of the fixtures on the boat. I was dealing with so many other things that I ran out of time to troubleshoot. I see that there is some sort of temperature control on the front of the tank, looks like a mixer for hot and cold water to keep from scalding people. I don't know if that could act as a shutoff valve? I have the hot water tank manual but the description of the valve is just that, no details. Anyone have any experience??

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I'm assuming you put antifreeze in the system?

If so, the typical process is to first bypass the hot water tank. Would that explain it?

 

[Craig Cook]

We have had the boat for a week

Someone winterized the fresh water system although the previous owner paid that person, he was not a hands on kind of guy. And no, the hot water tank does not appear to ever have been bypassed, I opened the drain on the tank and it is full of pink antifreeze. My guess is that the winterizer did not want to bother bypassing the tank and just filled the entire system with RV antifreeze.

 

[Capt jgw]

That's what happens when you pay someone to do the simple jobs. Less work and more a/f that they probably made a profit on. If its not bypassed there must be something plugged up or a closed valve somewhere. I'm not sure how the mixing valve works, but I would think that of it failed you would just get cold water out of all the taps. That would be a "fail safe" condition.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

If you emptied the hot water tank, did you allow the pump to refill it before concluding there is a problem?

 

[Bill Murray]

Is the high pressure relief valve cocked in the open position?

 

[Craig Cook]

didn't empty it

I just checked to verify that it was full, with the power issues we were having if it wasn't full it would have burned out or caught fire.

Pressure relief valve is closed.

Friday is "fix it" day. I'm going to start at the "T" under the galley sink and see if I have flow there. Thanks for all the suggestions, I will dou ble check everything just to make sure.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

There is most likely a mixing valve on the output from the hot water heater. There is a screen in the connection. Most likely the screen is blocked. Remove the connection at the hot output to access the screen.

 

[Craig Cook]

Thanks, that would follow what I found

All of the faucets/sprayers on the boat are broken (another surprise), when I removed them they were packed with debris that looked like it was left over from construction and never flushed through. I will take that apart on Friday.

The surveyor never found anything because there was no water in the water tank, everything was still winterized and the boat was in storage. Our theory is that whoever was hired to do the winterization broke things and dummied them up to look fine.

 

[Capt jgw]

That's why I do my own work whenever possible. Besides I'm cheap.

 

[Craig Cook]

Jake n Eggs, thanks

You were correct about the screen. There is a screen built into a vinyl washer that is just before the inlet to that safety mixing valve on the tank. It is not mentioned as a maintenance item in either the owner's manual or the tank manual. It was completely blocked with sediment. Once you know it's there it is a 10 minute job to remove, clear and replace.

It turns out that one of the other Hunter owners in the club had the same problem. He had been using the chlorinating tablets in his fresh water tank and believes that those were partially to blame for clogging his screen. With all the faucets and sprayers replaced and the screen cleaned we have a fully functional fresh water system!!