Freshwater Plumbing Leak

paulj · Jun 11, 2011

jimtidwell

Thanks to our below the equator friend, Albanach, for starting this thread.

:theman:

Something to dwell upon.

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=750012&highlight=water tank

paulj :troll:

Witzend · Jun 11, 2011

Is water collecting in the lazarette, or any of the 3 rear compartments?
If so, try to isolate where it is coming from with baby powder. The HWH and it's connections would be where I would start, by the use of a bypass as you would to winterize.

paulj · Jun 11, 2011

jimtidwell

If I was trouble shooting and I had to do the work......I saw this in a submarine movie:Liar:

Use some vicegrips and/or clamp and isolate the CW in hose to the water heater.

Then starting at the first hose CW joint connection and clamp the line with vicegrips and/or clamp and check for leaks.

Then just keep working from joint to joint, where you have access, down the line checking for leaks between pressureized water pump and the next joint.

paulj :troll:

WellerH · Jun 12, 2011

Silly, but maybe.....

check the pressure relief valve at the top of the hot water tank. When pressurized water will flow out the top of the tank via the pressure relief if it's open. When the pump stops it won't leak.

Keith13371 · Jun 13, 2011

jimtidwell said:
I filled the water tank, and when I turned on the pump, it didn't shut off as quickly as usual. Upon investigation, I found fresh water running from the compartment under the sole, in front of the engine compartment into the adjacent compartment, then to the bilge, where it was being pumped out. Before I begin removing everything to get to the hull, I'd like to hear from anyone else who might have had this problem. I'm thinking it could be a pop-off drain or some other drain from the water heater, which is in the aft compartment on the port side of the cockpit; the area under the water heater is dry, as is the area under the engine. Any advice is appreciated from someone who knows more about this particular system than I.

Since you said that the area under the water heater is dry, I'm guessing that it may be coming from the head area. There is a white plastic fitting that connects the freshwater tubing to the hot and cold water lines into the faucet. Over the last two years, I have had two of these fail. One in the head and one in the galley. I replaced them with brass fittings.

jonfreeman · Jun 13, 2011

At Roche Harbor last year, I came back to the boat and heard the pump running. The hose to the hot water side of the galley faucet had popped off, and emptied both tanks of water into the bilge. Check your hose clamps.

Jon Freeman

rpwillia · Jun 13, 2011

Don't forget the hand shower

Actually, since it is leaking when pressurized, turn on the pump and stick your head back there and look. You should be able to check out the hw heater and aft shower all at once.

SBinNSB · Jun 14, 2011

jfreeman said:
At Roche Harbor last year, I came back to the boat and heard the pump running. The hose to the hot water side of the galley faucet had popped off, and emptied both tanks of water into the bilge. Check your hose clamps.

Jon Freeman

Same thing happened to us a few weeks ago...one of the lines going to the transom shower came off and we pumped all the freshwater into the bilge....glad we were on the boat and cut the pump off before it was able to burn up. I will never leave the freshwater pump turned on when leaving the boat.
We have all heard it a thousand times but check all hose clamps...freshwater into the bilge is no big deal but a different hose could sink the boat.

Witzend · Jun 14, 2011

Another point of trouble is the filter that is attached to the input side of the pump. Mine cracked and was dripping. If it were to separate it would dump your fresh water load into the bilge without the need for the pump to run, just from gravity feed.