We have a 1995 42 Hunter Passage with two large water tanks. Short of running the water pump all day, is there a way to drain the tanks?
Draining the Water Tanks
- Thread starter cjmatz
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there should be a open/close valve at the water tank, close valve disconnect the pipe from the valve and open it will gravity drain into bilge and overboard with bilge pump. You could also disconnect the pipe before the pressre pump. If you have a shop vac use the exhaust side to blow out the tanks.This assumes you have a clean bilge and will only be pumping clean water overboard. Even if you use the pump to empty the tanks it should only tank 15 to 20 minutes the most to drain them. Most pumps will pump 3 to 5 gallons a minute 100 gallons=20 mins. That will not hurt the pump.
Unfortunately some of the tanks are below the level of both the manifold valve and the pump and cannot be "drained" to anywhere without pulling a siphon. I have used the following to drain my 20 gal center tanks.
Disconnect the manifold of valves from the pump.
Attach a hose nipple to the manifold outlet
Attach a hose long enough to go to the bottom of the bilge to the nipple.
Position yourself over the bilge and suck on the hose (don't forget to open the valves first) till you get water flow.
Put your thumb over the end of the hose and lower it to the bilge.
Don't remove your finger till the end of the hose is below the level of water in the tank.
Remove your finger and go take a coffee break.
This is a good time to count bilge pump cycles. Since you know the tank capacity you can calculate the gallons pumped per cycle so the next time you have a leak you can determine the magnitude just by noting the time between pump cycles.
Disconnect the manifold of valves from the pump.
Attach a hose nipple to the manifold outlet
Attach a hose long enough to go to the bottom of the bilge to the nipple.
Position yourself over the bilge and suck on the hose (don't forget to open the valves first) till you get water flow.
Put your thumb over the end of the hose and lower it to the bilge.
Don't remove your finger till the end of the hose is below the level of water in the tank.
Remove your finger and go take a coffee break.
This is a good time to count bilge pump cycles. Since you know the tank capacity you can calculate the gallons pumped per cycle so the next time you have a leak you can determine the magnitude just by noting the time between pump cycles.
On our P42, the tank drains are not accessible unless you want to really tear up the interior and move AC and holding tank.
I use the drain at the hot water tank...and now (after the first time, more on that in a bit) attach a hose and run the hose to the bilge. Then use air to "blow" the lines. This leaves a bit in the tank, but have not found a better way.
IF you, as I did the first time, allow a "boat mechanic who knows Hunter" to winterize your boat, he simply opens the water heater valve and lets all that water run in to the area between the liner and the real bilge. Water stands in places that you can not get too...which then REALLY stinks. He then runs the water pump, but since there is a air hole at the water heater, it does not work.
He gives me a bill, while the water is running into the space between the liner and the bilge. I NOW do the winterizing on my boat.
I suggest you do the same thing, but either pump the water out (hard on the pump) or make sure it runs to the real bilge, where the pumps are.
I use the drain at the hot water tank...and now (after the first time, more on that in a bit) attach a hose and run the hose to the bilge. Then use air to "blow" the lines. This leaves a bit in the tank, but have not found a better way.
IF you, as I did the first time, allow a "boat mechanic who knows Hunter" to winterize your boat, he simply opens the water heater valve and lets all that water run in to the area between the liner and the real bilge. Water stands in places that you can not get too...which then REALLY stinks. He then runs the water pump, but since there is a air hole at the water heater, it does not work.
He gives me a bill, while the water is running into the space between the liner and the bilge. I NOW do the winterizing on my boat.
I suggest you do the same thing, but either pump the water out (hard on the pump) or make sure it runs to the real bilge, where the pumps are.
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