Help with a fresh water system issue

Feb 6, 2010
154
hunter passage456 kemah
I've owned my 2002 passage 456 for 13 years and just recently I noticed my fresh water system started spitting and acting like I was out if water..i filled the starboard tank and issue persisted ..i changed to another tank and eventually the air or whatever cleared. So my issue is with the starboard tank.., it's full of water but when you open a faucet you get water but it spits like it's emptying....looking at the filter bowl it's not full ...it appears there's air in that line..but from where? And why no water leak? Pump does not run so clearly water isn't leaking....im stumped so anybody who might have encountered something like this please give me a suggestion...i have no idea how I would access the pick up from the starboard tank but if there was a leak water would be coming out also would it not. Help?
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Could be a leak on the suction side of the pump, before the filter?
 
Sep 11, 2011
390
Hunter 41AC Bayfield WI, Lake Superior
You may want to check the line from starboard tank to the on off valve. That entire line all the way back to the tank is under vacuum. It sounds like there is a small air leak on that segment so you still get some water, but air mixed in. May potentially be a bad dip tube.
 
Feb 6, 2010
154
hunter passage456 kemah
You may want to check the line from starboard tank to the on off valve. That entire line all the way back to the tank is under vacuum. It sounds like there is a small air leak on that segment so you still get some water, but air mixed in. May potentially be a bad dip tube.
Thanks..line is blue pex.thats pretty thick stuff..suprised if there could be a pin head in that..i really don't know how I could access that water tank pick up.. The floorboards are covered by furniture..wow what a nightmare that would be...dont want to tear that apart unless im sure.. Not sure how to trouble shoot from the valve back?
 
Dec 2, 2003
751
Hunter 260 winnipeg, Manitoba
If your system uses the push together whale fittings the pex can back out a bit and allow air in but show no evidence of a water leak. The oring seals in these fittings can also harden and crack over time.

Since our boat is trailerable we have had this occur somewhat regularly - have replaced most of these fittings with crimped pex fittings.
 
Jun 14, 2007
170
Hunter 45cc Florida
Had a similar problem, turned out to be a broken pickup tube. Not sure where your access is located. On my 45cc there are small floor panels that allow access to sensors and tubing
 
Oct 29, 2018
24
Hunter MH37 Mississauga
Agree with others that it sounds like a leak on the suction side of the pump. For their more recent models, Hunter uses pex fittings called Flair-it instead of Whale or Sharkbite type press fittings. Flair-it fitting use a rubber washer which can degrade over time. They can be easily crushed during installation and will eventually leak. They work great, but like most things need to be used / installed as intended. You can buy replacement fittings and washer on Amazon. Finding the fitting that leaks may be trial and error. Hunter is pretty good and giving you access, but you'll find there are a lot of fittings.
 
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Apr 2, 2021
404
Hunter 38 On the move
At your water manifold swap the lines for the port and starboard tanks and see if the problem follows the tank or not. That's your first step.
 
Apr 2, 2021
404
Hunter 38 On the move
Agree with others that it sounds like a leak on the suction side of the pump. For their more recent models, Hunter uses pex fittings called Flair-it instead of Whale or Sharkbite type press fittings. Flair-it fitting use a rubber washer which can degrade over time. They can be easily crushed during installation and will eventually leak. They work great, but like most things need to be used / installed as intended. You can buy replacement fittings and washer on Amazon. Finding the fitting that leaks may be trial and error. Hunter is pretty good and giving you access, but you'll find there are a lot of fittings.
Pretty sure these are standard hydraulic fittings. There's a billion vendors of these fittings and they are easy to replace. I just all the pitot/static system on my airplane with them. Amazon.
 
Feb 6, 2010
154
hunter passage456 kemah
When I close the starboard valve and work off forward tank air leak goes away so I know it's in the line to the starboard tank. Just don't know how to find it....tank is under floorboards and will require days of dismanteling to get to tank itself..would not want to go thru that if the leak is vaI've or just past it.
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Not sure exactly what you have for a freshwater tank. On my forty year old boat I have an aluminum fresh water tank. The welded on pick-up tube was also aluminum and became porous. I had to cut in a large access hole on the top of the tank to fit a port fitting with a removable cover. After that I could reach inside with a hacksaw and cut the pick-up tube off about 1" below the tank top. I sleeved a PVC hose over the tube stub and secured that with a hose clamp. The PVC hose is the new pick-up tube and the air infiltration is gone. Did that about ten years ago and no problems since. The covered port also lets you completely dry the tank bottom in the off season further preventing corrosion on the bottom.