I just bought a 1987 Hunter 34. I filled the water tank from a fill amidships on the port side and everything is fine. However, I found what appears to be another water fill aft on the transom under the cover for the emergency tiller. Anyone know what that is for?
Aft Water Fill
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Manuevers...
you have another similar sized water tank in the aft end of the boat, behind the aft bulkhead in the aft cabin. Most of us don't fill it as it puts a lot of weight in the stern. If you need it for going cruising, it doubles your capacity. The valve the controls which tank you draw from is under the port settee next to the water pump, ahead of the tank.
you have another similar sized water tank in the aft end of the boat, behind the aft bulkhead in the aft cabin. Most of us don't fill it as it puts a lot of weight in the stern. If you need it for going cruising, it doubles your capacity. The valve the controls which tank you draw from is under the port settee next to the water pump, ahead of the tank.
I have an H-31 and my water fill is above the transom behind the rear lockers/seating. Are you sure you didn't fill the holding tank? I ask because my holding tank pumpout is more or less where you filled the tank only on the starboard deck. How many water tanks do you have? Did you fill the holding tank?
Breal,
The 34 does in fact have two water tanks. One filled from amidships port side. One at the stern under the teak step platform where the emergency tiller access port sits.
The holding tank pumpout is amidships starboard side.
The 34 does in fact have two water tanks. One filled from amidships port side. One at the stern under the teak step platform where the emergency tiller access port sits.
The holding tank pumpout is amidships starboard side.
H-34 Tank Selector Valve
Tank selector Valve notes:
The tank selector valve has a non-stainless spring inside which will eventually corrode away. When the happens, the valve will leak air into the pump suction line and cause a lot of spitting at the faucets and cause the pump to run excessively. The valve can be rebuilt by unscrewing the round top plate where the stem enters. Once this is apart, the body seats and the plug seating surface can be cleaned up, the spring and o-rings can be replaced with stuff you can find at a good hardware store. New valve is a lot more than the $3 in parts that were required for the rebuild. Attached pics are of valve, without top, and rebuilt.. I was a dummy for not taking pics of the internals.
Tank selector Valve notes:
The tank selector valve has a non-stainless spring inside which will eventually corrode away. When the happens, the valve will leak air into the pump suction line and cause a lot of spitting at the faucets and cause the pump to run excessively. The valve can be rebuilt by unscrewing the round top plate where the stem enters. Once this is apart, the body seats and the plug seating surface can be cleaned up, the spring and o-rings can be replaced with stuff you can find at a good hardware store. New valve is a lot more than the $3 in parts that were required for the rebuild. Attached pics are of valve, without top, and rebuilt.. I was a dummy for not taking pics of the internals.
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Claude...
great point about the tank selector valve! I never thought about that. It may explain why my pump can't hold pressure for very long without running sporatically. I previously replaced the pressure switch which solved a major part of that issue.
As I don't use the aft tank at all, I may just bypass the three way valve entrirely and run my filter connect directly to the tank.
PS: Where did you hide your pressure pump?
great point about the tank selector valve! I never thought about that. It may explain why my pump can't hold pressure for very long without running sporatically. I previously replaced the pressure switch which solved a major part of that issue.
As I don't use the aft tank at all, I may just bypass the three way valve entrirely and run my filter connect directly to the tank.
PS: Where did you hide your pressure pump?
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Hey, Dan.. My pump is one of the new variable speed ShurFlow ones. It is in that same compartment but is mounted tucked up in the outboard upper side .. I don't think I have a good picture of it .. This shot (looking down into the space) almost shows it.. ya can see the water line going to the pump and the fitting on the pump on the right side. The pump is mounted vertically on a wood plate which is screwed to the liner. PO had changed thte mount, I think. I'll be back there in a couple of days and will get abetter shot
. ya can see the water line going to the pump and the fitting on the pump on the right side. The pump is mounted vertically on a wood plate which is screwed to the liner. PO had changed thte mount, I think. I'll be back there in a couple of days and will get abetter shotAttachments
This spring I replaced the washers in my galley and head faucets. That seemed to improve the ability of the system to hold pressure and reduce pump cycling. In the past I regularly took off the pump head and cleaned grit out of the check valves, which also helped reduce cycling.
Dan and Claude,
Looking for some advice on a leak in my forward water tank. Last fall I first noticed that after filling the tank there was water leaking our from the base of the settee where the tank is located. Stopped after a while, so I assume it is near or on the top of the tank. Have pretty much avoided a repeat by stopping filling the tank before it runs out the vent.
I was going to take off the top of the settee to have a look, but got discouraged when it looked like I would have to tear apart most of the port side of the cabin to get to the tank.
Considering cutting an access hole in the settee over the tank. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Noel
Dan and Claude,
Looking for some advice on a leak in my forward water tank. Last fall I first noticed that after filling the tank there was water leaking our from the base of the settee where the tank is located. Stopped after a while, so I assume it is near or on the top of the tank. Have pretty much avoided a repeat by stopping filling the tank before it runs out the vent.
I was going to take off the top of the settee to have a look, but got discouraged when it looked like I would have to tear apart most of the port side of the cabin to get to the tank.
Considering cutting an access hole in the settee over the tank. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Noel
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Man, Noel.. I am surprised that the polysomething-or-other tank is leaking.. Not hoses or nipples at the tank inlets? Figured you’d checked that already.. Access hole.. I think the tank is VERY close to the underside of the settee base.. I am afraid I’d pull the top off rather than try to cut a hole through it. I think you can get inside the storage ports above the setee and take those screws out and the top board may slide out to starboard from under the fore/aft wooden piece .. I don’t know how you’d patch the poly tank unless it would be with a screwed on patch with some kind of sticky on the bottom to keep it from leaking. Most adhesives do not stick to polyethylene.. Good luck with it!
Thanks Claude. I did check the fittings on the forward end of the tank and they're all dry. When I saw all those screws in the storage ports I just assumed I was facing a major disassembly job. I'll check your suggestion that I may be able to slide the board out after the screws have been removed.
Claude and Noel...
Claude: I followed up on my comment on your water valve rebuild and disconnected the feed from the 3-way valve and ran it directly into my filter then water pump. Once the tank was filled and I had the water system flushed out, I left the pressure pump on to see if it would periodically cycle as it did last year. It went for hours without so much as a murmer! I think that the 3-way valve was leaking down pressure into the rear tank feed (no apparent external water leak), causing the pressure pump to cycle. Thanks for the idea!
Noel: As Claude pointed out, I doubt that the tank itself is leaking but would bet on one of the connections to it. Because your problem seems to happen with a full tank, loosen your hose clamps on your fill and vent lines and give the fittings a twist to further tighten them, then reclamp the hoses back on. Have someone fill the tank while you watch for the results.
Claude is also right about the clearance between the tank and the settee panel. There are screws behind the cubbies that need to be removed before that panel can be slid inboard to remove it. Giant PITA. I haven't taken mine apart because of this.
Claude: I followed up on my comment on your water valve rebuild and disconnected the feed from the 3-way valve and ran it directly into my filter then water pump. Once the tank was filled and I had the water system flushed out, I left the pressure pump on to see if it would periodically cycle as it did last year. It went for hours without so much as a murmer! I think that the 3-way valve was leaking down pressure into the rear tank feed (no apparent external water leak), causing the pressure pump to cycle. Thanks for the idea!
Noel: As Claude pointed out, I doubt that the tank itself is leaking but would bet on one of the connections to it. Because your problem seems to happen with a full tank, loosen your hose clamps on your fill and vent lines and give the fittings a twist to further tighten them, then reclamp the hoses back on. Have someone fill the tank while you watch for the results.
Claude is also right about the clearance between the tank and the settee panel. There are screws behind the cubbies that need to be removed before that panel can be slid inboard to remove it. Giant PITA. I haven't taken mine apart because of this.
Port Water Tank and Pump, H 34
Dan, It took me a while to get the pictures but here is a shot of the area and where the pump is mounted. I keep tools and spares in the compartment to try to correct the normal stbd list that the boat has. Glad to know that the valve air leak was letting air in.. That is what mine was doing too.. air from the stem and the empty aft tank..
Dan, It took me a while to get the pictures but here is a shot of the area and where the pump is mounted. I keep tools and spares in the compartment to try to correct the normal stbd list that the boat has. Glad to know that the valve air leak was letting air in.. That is what mine was doing too.. air from the stem and the empty aft tank..
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Thanks, Claude...
for the pictures. I may move my pump and filter further outboard like yours to give me more storage room. Like you do and for the same reason, I keep two small tool boxes in there--one mechanical tools, one electrical tools. Anything else heavy gets stored either on the centerline in the aft cabin or in one of the port side storage bins.
I shut down the pressure pump after washing dishes last Saturday morning and went out racing on the boat I drive. When I came back to my boat in the afternoon, there was still strong pressure in the water lines, confirming that the tank selection valve was the culprit for leaking down pressure. One more problem solved!
for the pictures. I may move my pump and filter further outboard like yours to give me more storage room. Like you do and for the same reason, I keep two small tool boxes in there--one mechanical tools, one electrical tools. Anything else heavy gets stored either on the centerline in the aft cabin or in one of the port side storage bins.
I shut down the pressure pump after washing dishes last Saturday morning and went out racing on the boat I drive. When I came back to my boat in the afternoon, there was still strong pressure in the water lines, confirming that the tank selection valve was the culprit for leaking down pressure. One more problem solved!
Noel- I had a leak that acted just as you described- it was around the filler fitting where it entered the tank. I went for a couple of years doing the "dont fill to the top thing" then I mended it with something called Ez-Poly which I got from Lee valley. It seems to stick to poly and the leak is stopped. There are companies that can mend (spin weld) plastic tanks- Holland marine here in Toronto claims to be able to
There was a post from Fred Ficarra that showed the top off teh port tank locker.. Search on his name, Noel and you'll find some really good stuff.
Dan, yeah, right below that mechanical tool box is the electrical box, which is a Tupperware flat (maybe 6" deep?) box that is on the bottom of the compartment and just leaves enough room to tilt the RubberMaid tool box into teh compartment. The Tupperware box is maybe 12X18 and holds spare filters and impellers as well as crimp on connectors and shrink tubing.. There are 24" bolt cutters and a Bosun's chair in there too.. and teh fog bell..
Dan, yeah, right below that mechanical tool box is the electrical box, which is a Tupperware flat (maybe 6" deep?) box that is on the bottom of the compartment and just leaves enough room to tilt the RubberMaid tool box into teh compartment. The Tupperware box is maybe 12X18 and holds spare filters and impellers as well as crimp on connectors and shrink tubing.. There are 24" bolt cutters and a Bosun's chair in there too.. and teh fog bell..
Richard,
Thanks for the suggestion. When I first had this leak I did check the three hose connections on the forward end of the tank (fill, vent and outlet) and didn't find a leak. Also the place where the water seeps out seems to be about the middle of the tank. But your experience gives me the impetus to fill the tank to the top and check it again.
Claude,
Good idea. I've looked at Fred's pictures to answer other questions I had about my boat.
Thanks for the suggestion. When I first had this leak I did check the three hose connections on the forward end of the tank (fill, vent and outlet) and didn't find a leak. Also the place where the water seeps out seems to be about the middle of the tank. But your experience gives me the impetus to fill the tank to the top and check it again.
Claude,
Good idea. I've looked at Fred's pictures to answer other questions I had about my boat.
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