Low fresh water pressure

[Rodd]

I have very los pressure both on dock water and from onboard pressure pump. I checked my filter by eliminating it from the line, and no improvement.
Now I am wondering about the check valves over at my hot water heater. Has anyone had experience with this? Can these valves be serviced, or just replaced?
Thanks.
Rodd

 

[dlochner]

The check valve in the water heater is there to keep the hot water from backing into the cold water system as it heats and expands. I doubt this is the cause of your problem.

Have you checked the screens in each the faucets? These are prone to catching the crud that is in the pipes and hoses.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I have very los pressure both on dock water and from onboard pressure pump.

I’m unaware of any water source, dock or onboard tanks, which doesn’t pass through and pumped by the onboard water pump. Consequently, that is the common link here.
Assuming voltage is good to the pump, my guess is you found your source.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I have very los pressure both on dock water and from onboard pressure pump.

If you have dock water entering your boat under pressure you are looking at the possiblitiy sinking your boat if :

1. a water tube fitting in your boat should fail.
2. the dock side pressure reducing valve should fail.

Just sayin'.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Here's an article which I think @Rodd should read carefully, as well as anyone else who thinks it's all right to have dock water fed into your boat.

https://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/know-how-shore-water-supply-flooding-precautions

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Failed dock water connections have sunk or come close to sinking many a boat that was left on while no one was aboard even for an hour. Relying on the pressure reducer valve is a big mistake because no matter how expensive that valve is, there are only two kinds of them--those that have failed and those that will. So you need to be aboard and AWAKE to hear the first sounds of gushing water when it does. I remember a post on sbo.com years ago...an owner had to get up to pee in the middle of the night (prob'ly awakened by the sound of gushing water)..stepped out of the v-berth into calf deep water. A sailboat owner in my marina took his dog for a run one Sunday morning...came back just an hour later to find his deck shoes afloat in the cabin. And every summer there were at least two houseboats in that marina that had sunk or capsized due to dock water being left on when no one was aboard. So turn the water off and disconnect the hose on the dock or at least disconnect it from the boat and let the water run off the dock if it's raining and you don't want to get wet!

Dock water is a wonderful convenience, but like everything else on a boat, it requires paying close attention and ALWAYS following necessary protective procedures....and oh..keeping a spare pressure reducer valve on hand.

--Peggie

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Here's an article which I think @Rodd should read carefully, as well as anyone else who thinks it's all right to have dock water fed into your boat.

https://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/know-how-shore-water-supply-flooding-precautions

i Think most people understand the risk of a pressure leak but I doubt most people shut off the water every time they leave their house which, although it won’t sink, can incur far greater catastrophic damage than many boats because of a hose/pipe failure.

Have you or anyone else a link or reference to how many/how often boats are damaged or sunk from dock water failures? Sometimes it’s hard to separate hyperbole from fact.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

i Think most people understand the risk of a pressure leak but I doubt most people shut off the water every time they leave their house which, although it won’t sink, can incur far greater catastrophic damage than many boats because of a hose/pipe failure.

I think the big difference between boat piping and a house piping is that the house piping is stationary while the boat piping sees a lot of rock n' rolling which can weaken pipe joints at fittings.

 

[dlochner]

Have you or anyone else a link or reference to how many/how often boats are damaged or sunk from dock water failures? Sometimes it’s hard to separate hyperbole from fact.

Good question. The raw number is probably pretty low when compared to the total number of boats mostly because so few boats have shore water on their boats. Since the casualty numbers are probably even lower, because few if any die from flooding at the dock, nobody is really interested in counting them. The other data source would the insurance industry, how many people who have experienced this kind of flooding actually filed a claim? In the article Ralph cited, the boat owner cleaned up the mess himself and any damage was likely below his deductible.

For the me, the risk/reward ratio is just not in favor of adding shore water. It isn't that difficult to refill a water tank at a dock.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Good question. The raw number is probably pretty low when compared to the total number of boats mostly because so few boats have shore water on their boats.

I’ve never seen any data yet people often say it’s a big problem.

Looking around docks here and throughout the Caribbean, dock water supply is pretty common.

I think the big difference between boat piping and a house piping is that the house piping is stationary while the boat piping sees a lot of rock n' rolling which can weaken pipe joints at fittings.

not getting why that’s a consideration as boats typically have flexible piping.

 

[dlochner]

I’ve never seen any data yet people often say it’s a big problem.

Depends on how "big problem" is defined. There's a risk-reward-PITA equation here. Is the risk of flooding vs the reward of an uninterrupted water supply smaller than the PITA of filling the tanks more often? For some the rewards are greater than the risk and greater than the trouble of refilling water tanks. Filling the tanks is not a big deal for me, certainly much less of a chore than cleaning up after a flood.

not getting why that’s a consideration as boats typically have flexible piping.

The flexible vinyl hoses most boat builders have used get old, dry out, and eventually leak. I went through that last year, fixing leaks every couple of weeks. As the hose ages it is more difficult to clamp the hose to a fitting as the vinyl hardens. If you have a boat with PEX plumbing there is less of a risk.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

not getting why that’s a consideration as boats typically have flexible piping.

That flexibility will diminish over time. It's just a "maybe" but why push your luck ? You may look at your own potable system and say "no way, solid as a rock" but if you were to look at some other people's potable systems you might not be so confident as to how long it will hold up before something lets go.

The author of the article I referenced :

Stunningly beautiful boat. Was the potable water system ever inspected ?

How do I answer my own question ?

happens. Try to play it safe as much as reasonably possible and "don't put dock hoses in your boat."

 

[WayneH]

When we bought our boat, she was a project. Surveyor said to replace the water lines as they were not reinforced hoses. After 30 years (I assume they were original), the vinyl was way past its expiration date and we ended up using a saw to cut the lines. But that night was the first time the water pump didn't come on several times during the night.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

But that night was the first time the water pump didn't come on several times during the night.

Ya also kind of hope the bilge pump was also coming on as well !

 

[dlochner]

Ya also kind of hope the bilge pump was also coming on as well !

That’s not a big concern for a leaky fresh water system. The total volume of water that can enter the bilge is limited by the tank size. It can’t sink the boat.

On the other hand if connected to shore water you will need a massive bilge pump.

 

[edwardc]

I have very los pressure both on dock water and from onboard pressure pump. I checked my filter by eliminating it from the line, and no improvement.
Now I am wondering about the check valves over at my hot water heater. Has anyone had experience with this? Can these valves be serviced, or just replaced?
Thanks.
Rodd

back to the original poster’s question.
I agree that it’s likely the aerator/strainer that is clogged with lime scale. I have seen and cured this problem on several different boats by simply unscrewing the aerator and cleaning it.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Try to play it safe as much as reasonably possible and "don't put dock hoses in your boat."

I find it interesting that the guy in the sail magazine article thought that adding additional gear that can fail (normally open, solenoid valve), was a great solution. he even calls it fail-safe.

Why not just solve it 100% and just don't ? I fail to see how dock water is a big enough advantage.

Like shore power, it also seems like a great way to fuel an addiction to wasting water.

by simply unscrewing the aerator and cleaning it.

Or removing it and not reinstalling.
A faucet works fine without them IMO.

In my previous life we had techs remove screens from solenoid valves, and any other components... Due to repeated customer equipment failure from water flow restriction from scale build up.

 

[jviss]

As the hose ages it is more difficult to clamp the hose to a fitting as the vinyl hardens. If you have a boat with PEX plumbing there is less of a risk.

Yes, I hated that reinforced vinyl water hose. It didn't take very long at all to harden, and was always a bear to pull off a hose barb.

My Tartan has polybutylene tubing and Parker O-ring/Grab-ring fittings. I love them! poly is no long used, so new work I've done is with LLDPE tubing. The only tool you need is a tubing cutter you can get at the homeowner store, it's like a plier with a razor blade and holds the tube square to cut it. Everything else is hand assembled. It can be done and undone, and re-done innumerable times. You only must be mindful to not cross thread the fittings.

Sorry for the tangent, I just love that stuff.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Sorry for the tangent, I just love that stuff.

I can see liking the Parker O-ring/Grab-ring fittings and nylon tubing as being good, even being great, having quality, also being up to scratch, as well as up to the mark, but isn't "just loving that stuff" taking it just a bit to the extreme ? Almost sounds more like a passionate relationship.

But hey, what do I know ? Just my humble observation.

 

[jviss]

I can see liking the Parker O-ring/Grab-ring fittings and nylon tubing as being good, even being great, having quality, also being up to scratch, as well as up to the mark, but isn't "just loving that stuff" taking it just a bit to the extreme ? Almost sounds more like a passionate relationship.

But hey, what do I know ? Just my humble observation.

Perhaps I should have said I'm delighted that this works so well, is so economical, and is so easy to install and maintain. And, when I return to the boat after even 2 or 3 weeks, I still have water pressure, and the pump doesn't run when I turn on the main breaker! Ha, ha.