Water fill and vent hoses
- Thread starter Smunkey
- Start date
7/8 should be right for the ID (inner diameter) of the hose barb on a 1" fitting, 'cuz the ID is the nominal size for all hoses and the OD is the nominal size for all hose fittings. That's 'cuz the inside of a hose has to be a match for the outside of a fitting. That's something most newbies don't know, so they check the OD of hoses they need to replace, then go nuts trying to find hoses that are the same size.
The pumpout fitting is the only one that should NOT have a chain, for the reason you cited: a chain makes a sealed connection impossible...and without a sealed connection, the tank cannot be pumped out. Most pumpout fittings do have a hole for a chain chain, though, but only because all deck fittings--at least all those installed by the boat builder--are identical except for "waste," "water" or "fuel (can be "gas" or "diesel" instead of "fuel") stamped into the flange.
Uhh... you could clean them, just like you clean dishes after a meal (a knotted rope and dish soap work well). Not trying to be sarcastic.For me, sitting on the deck holding the hose watching Earth happen, and not thinking about much of anything, is part of the design. I just wanted to replace the hose to get rid of the funky black stuff instead of drinking it.
Certainly you can replace them, but the dirt is coming back. You could consider installing a filter on the vent (required by the plumbing code) and chlorinating the tank occasionally. That's why the lines are dirty.
Those hoses will never look like anything I'd want to drink water from. I'd replace 'em with #148 and then recommission the system every spring (complete directions in the plumbing & sanitation forum archives and also in both my books) to keep 'em clean inside.
Will the 148 stay cleaner than clear vinyl (in a dark place)? No, based on the testing I have done, it will not. Can both come biologically clean? Yes, obviously they can. Both will be about the same over time, you just won't see it. Many folks wouldn't drink out of the average water main or well if they saw the inside, which has nothing to do with safety.
You are right, of course, about a good ANSI commissioning. Sanitation always starts with cleaning. The real down side of clear vinyl in this application, to me, is kinking. That is reason enough.
Yes, clear vinyl is relatively common in these applications. I've seen it from the factory on 4 production boats. Perhaps it is regional.
If it were up to me, I have the ability to be a caveman and just drink whatever. My gal, on the other hand, cannot un-see the black funk, so no amount of cleaning can overcome the images in her head. We have only owned the boat since July, so we find all kinds of nifty surprises.
So, between the funk in the hoses and the eggy water from the 30 year old water heater with no anode, I think the only way to get her to trust it is to just hack and slash. I have the new water heater in hand (and anode), and I have ordered the hosing for replacement from the fill to the water heater (already have a new pump and accumulator installed). The only part left is between the cold and hot water outputs to the faucets themselves. I am still trying to decide between standard hoses or switching to PEX. I am sure that is another whole can of worms.
So, between the funk in the hoses and the eggy water from the 30 year old water heater with no anode, I think the only way to get her to trust it is to just hack and slash. I have the new water heater in hand (and anode), and I have ordered the hosing for replacement from the fill to the water heater (already have a new pump and accumulator installed). The only part left is between the cold and hot water outputs to the faucets themselves. I am still trying to decide between standard hoses or switching to PEX. I am sure that is another whole can of worms.
Hello Smunkey, my wife and I are in a similar situation to you. We bought a 1984 Hunter 31 last August and are fixing it up. We are finding most all the hoses are near the end of their life. Even if they are still functional, there is peace of mind knowing they are brand new!
For the freshwater system we replaced all the original polybutylene with blue/red pex. I think it's a good upgrade and is easy/fun to do. I bought the crimp tool for about $50 and crimped all the fittings. One feature of our new system is I installed a five port manifold from pexuniverse.com that has an on/off valve for each outlet. This allows us to isolate any faucet while leaving pressure to others. May be something you want to consider doing?
I actually just ordered an accumulator on Amazon today, the 2 gallon model instead of the 21oz shurflo one, which is probably overkill! I can post a picture after it's installed.
For the freshwater system we replaced all the original polybutylene with blue/red pex. I think it's a good upgrade and is easy/fun to do. I bought the crimp tool for about $50 and crimped all the fittings. One feature of our new system is I installed a five port manifold from pexuniverse.com that has an on/off valve for each outlet. This allows us to isolate any faucet while leaving pressure to others. May be something you want to consider doing?
I actually just ordered an accumulator on Amazon today, the 2 gallon model instead of the 21oz shurflo one, which is probably overkill! I can post a picture after it's installed.
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As promised, here are some pictures of our install of the 2 gallon accumulator ($40 on Amazon) as well as the water filter ($28 for the housing and $25 for four 1-micron carbon activated filters).
I can now run the tap on full about 20 seconds or low for nearly a minute before the pump kicks on. Note that instead of putting the accumulator in-line before the manifold, I attached it directly to one of the manifold outlets instead.
The manifold still has two empty outlets. One will be for the hot water tank, which I don't have hooked up yet, and the other will be for a deck shower. For hot water, I pulled the old hot water tank out and threw it away, even though it was still kind of working. It was rusted out. Now we just need to save our pennies for a new one.
I can now run the tap on full about 20 seconds or low for nearly a minute before the pump kicks on. Note that instead of putting the accumulator in-line before the manifold, I attached it directly to one of the manifold outlets instead.
The manifold still has two empty outlets. One will be for the hot water tank, which I don't have hooked up yet, and the other will be for a deck shower. For hot water, I pulled the old hot water tank out and threw it away, even though it was still kind of working. It was rusted out. Now we just need to save our pennies for a new one.
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Cool. I may put off my replacing my hoses from the water heater and accumulator to the faucets until winter rolls around again because now its time to sail and not work . We just got the galley cabinet rebuilt and put back together this weekend from the transmission switch out, and I still have to replace the water heater and the hoses from the deck fill through the tanks to the pump.
. We just got the galley cabinet rebuilt and put back together this weekend from the transmission switch out, and I still have to replace the water heater and the hoses from the deck fill through the tanks to the pump.
This has been an EPA and building code requirement for many years. It is nothing more than 14-24 mesh (varies with jurisdiction) and can external screen, though it is supposed to be screened from dust and precipitation (obviously seawater on a boat). It could be plugged by mud daubers or such, but that would happen anyway. Unlike a holding tank, the water is clean and has no effect on this. The most I have ever found in one is a few dead bugs, which seems better than finding them in the tank, which I also have.
Typically you would clean the filter with either spring or fall maintenance. Should take only a few seconds if wisely located.
https://19january2017snapshot.epa.g...2014-05/documents/tech_tip_24_mesh_screen.pdf
Look at the outside of the stanchion base outside the window over the hanging locker, you should see a small hole. That is the vent for the fresh water system. (The small hole FACING the window for the head is the BLACK WATER vent. Be careful to close the window before you flush!) The fresh water tanks have a small 5/8" hose that runs up and forward towards the hanging locker. It goes up behind the drawers to the stanchion. The same vent is shared between the forward and starboard tanks.