Weird water tank problem

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Nov 23, 2008
79
Hunter 29.5 Big Ridge Marina, Hixson, Tn
Rakuflames, So Glad you found the problem... and thanks for the most interesting post...
 
Apr 3, 2012
21
Hunter 31' St. Petersburg, FL
Rakuflames, So Glad you found the problem... and thanks for the most interesting post...

And the answer is ...

It WAS kitty litter making the silt. Came back from another sailing trip on someone else's boat, and there was water in the tank again. Marked the water level, pumped it out into the cockpit.

The next day, the water was at the same level ... things that make you go hmmmmmm!

So I went to the store and got food dye, and poured some in the scupper, and ... the water in the tank turned red.

So I called my friend who had helped me with a dirty fuel tank. He had to disconnect hoses. At my boat doing something else, I went to run an errand, and he climbed back into the hold ... and found that after he reconnected everything, he had reconnected the water tank to the scupper hose instead of the water fill hose. I've been gone so much this summer, and I knew something was up with the tank and I just didn't use it this summer. You'd be surprised how much you can work around an unusable water tank if you have to!

So now it's all connected the right way.

My big concern now is that I *know* kitty litter clay has gone through the water pressure pump. I'm thinking, clean the tank out thoroughly, put fresh water in, suck some up into the pump and ... leave it there, give the clay a chance to re-dissolve? There was a pot in the sink when I drained the tank through the galley sink, so the water flowed in an arc. It actually made a hard "dam" of clay in the sink when it dried. That can't possibly be good for the water pump. Any thoughts on this? Should I put anything in the water to make it more likely that the clay would dissolve? If so, what could do that, that would not damage the pump?
 
Jun 1, 2009
1,737
Hunter 49 toronto
Pardon me but...

And the answer is ...

It WAS kitty litter making the silt. Came back from another sailing trip on someone else's boat, and there was water in the tank again. Marked the water level, pumped it out into the cockpit.

The next day, the water was at the same level ... things that make you go hmmmmmm!

So I went to the store and got food dye, and poured some in the scupper, and ... the water in the tank turned red.

So I called my friend who had helped me with a dirty fuel tank. He had to disconnect hoses. At my boat doing something else, I went to run an errand, and he climbed back into the hold ... and found that after he reconnected everything, he had reconnected the water tank to the scupper hose instead of the water fill hose. I've been gone so much this summer, and I knew something was up with the tank and I just didn't use it this summer. You'd be surprised how much you can work around an unusable water tank if you have to!

So now it's all connected the right way.

My big concern now is that I *know* kitty litter clay has gone through the water pressure pump. I'm thinking, clean the tank out thoroughly, put fresh water in, suck some up into the pump and ... leave it there, give the clay a chance to re-dissolve? There was a pot in the sink when I drained the tank through the galley sink, so the water flowed in an arc. It actually made a hard "dam" of clay in the sink when it dried. That can't possibly be good for the water pump. Any thoughts on this? Should I put anything in the water to make it more likely that the clay would dissolve? If so, what could do that, that would not damage the pump?
You're worried about your water pump. My personal concern would be drinking water that came out of your cat's litter box. Sorry, but someone had to say this.
 
Apr 3, 2012
21
Hunter 31' St. Petersburg, FL
You're worried about your water pump. My personal concern would be drinking water that came out of your cat's litter box. Sorry, but someone had to say this.

The cat litter was the least of it. Think about your cockpit floor -- how much bird poop is on the dock? The cockpit gets rapidly dirty because docks are dirty.

I didn't know where the water was coming from. Believe me, I don't drink "mystery water."

What I really am concerned about is not burning up my water pressure pump, and if anyone has any advice, I'm all ears. Don't worry. I'm not dumb enough to drink mystery water.
 
Apr 3, 2012
21
Hunter 31' St. Petersburg, FL
Re: Pardon me but...

I've had no reply to my water Pressure pump problem. I'm concerned that any dried clay in it will damage if I try to flush it out. Does anyone have any experience with gunk sucked up into a water pressure pump?
 
Jul 8, 2011
704
Catalina 30 Sidney B.C.
Re: Pardon me but...

Put a filter in line before the pump and sanitize your tank
 
Jan 22, 2008
1,654
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
I've had no reply to my water Pressure pump problem. I'm concerned that any dried clay in it will damage if I try to flush it out. Does anyone have any experience with gunk sucked up into a water pressure pump?
it has probably passed through the pump already. The pump is typically some low volume diaphrams that cycle back and forth. If you really want, you can take it apart and clean it. Sanitizing it by passing a mild bleach solution through it is recommended.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,885
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I am with Allan on the pump.. it is probably fine but I would pull it and take the pumping head apart and rinse out the diaphragm sheets with a bleach solution and make sure the pressure switch port and diaphragm is clear of silt. I would not re-install the pump until you've made sure that all of the silt (gritty kitty?) is out of the tank. You may have to cut a hole in the tank top to clean it as you did the fuel tank.. If it is not cleaned, the first time ya get into some waves, all the silt will be re-dissolved into the water and start plugging up stuff.
 
Nov 23, 2008
79
Hunter 29.5 Big Ridge Marina, Hixson, Tn
Rakuflames,

let me say that I am glad you got this problem solved.... ive had water problems my self and it dominates one's thinking...

Please forgive this question....I am confused.... you said that your friend accidentally attached the scupper hose to the water tank, and the water tank fill hose to the scupper! Are these attached hoses not one and the same?
 
May 6, 2013
1
Coronado 28 NC
I realize this is an old thread but I found it trying to solve my problem and thought the solution to my problem might be helpful for others that end up here.

I'm certain I made an error here that the more experienced will find humorous but maybe other neos like me will find the problem/solution useful.

I too found my freshwater tank overflowing with fresh h2o. But I have shore water hooked up so after ruling out rain, I traced all hoses and it occurred to me that the the shorewater must be getting in by way of running through the pump back to the tank. The faucet has two knobs, one for shore, one for tank. I'd inadvertantly opened the tank valve to turn on the water in the sink and hadn't bothered to turn it back down. So shore water was passing between the two valves, back through the pump, and into the tank. The pump doesn't currently function so I hardly ever think about it.

:^P

I hope this helps someone else who finds their v-berth soaked, or even better, prevents it from happening in the first place.
 
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