Plumbing in an Additional Water Tank?

[Cool Beans]

I want to add another water tank to the forward bow under the v-berth. Boat currently has only a 20 gallon tank under the port settee near the galley. I live on the boat and just would like to have more water capacity on the boat. Leaning towards a bladder tank. . .run the fill up through the chain locker to the deck. . .

How do I connect it to the rest of the water system? Do I plumb it to drain into the 20 gallon tank? Or a T connection at a low point that runs to the pump? Should I segregate it to the head and leave the 20g for the galley? Other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Ron20324]

The best plan is to have an A-B selector. You really should not have the ability to swap water between tanks, lest one may be contaminated. Or if someone puts diesel in a water tank. B323s have a 40-gallon tank under the vee.

 

[kloudie1]

I agree.. run some PEX back to the pump and tee into the existing suction line. Put a valve on each side so the tanks can be isolated..Homey Depot or Lowes has everything ya need.

 

[Cool Beans]

hmm, that's a solution i wouldn't have thought of. So I should have a. . .i guess it's a water manifold?. . .with a valved inlet for each water tank I would introduce to the system?

That's pretty slick. Even better since I have run out of water during 2-3 days of rain. . .which means I'm living out of bottled water till the weather clears This way I can just switch to tank two until I can bother myself to fill up!

 

[Sumner]

I put in...

... four 20 gallon tanks in the Endeavour where there was a 90 and .....

a 6 gallon tank up in the cockpit coaming that can be filled from the others and is gravity feed.

I have a manifold system for the 4 tanks in the bilge and it might give you some ideas. I can fill the tanks with either a pressure line that goes out the side of the cockpit coaming or below or above by hand from smaller containers I could take ashore in the dinghy. Likewise the tanks are connected to the pressure pump but could be pumped into containers with a 12 volt transfer pump I have and taken to and put into the 6 gallon gravity tank above.

You can find a lot more pictures and info here...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-plumbing/plumbing-index.html

Sumner

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[FastOlson]

As others have pointed out, a manifold made up of plastic valves will work fine. You will want to select one tank at a time. Our boat came with two tanks. When one runs dry we switch over and start planning a marina stop to replenish.
About the whole filling question... Our boat did not come with deck fills. The screw out access port on each tank top is also the fill point. This seemed odd, for a minute or two, when we bought the boat. Turns out it's a great idea. With a small shut off ball valve ($1.99) on the hose end, I pop up a settee cushion and fill the tank and put lid and cushion back in place.
And no fears about a bad O-ring allowing contamination from a deck fitting, either.
LB

 

[Cool Beans]

The pic's and explanations are excellent! Fastolson, I like the "in boat" fill idea. My tank doesn't have an access port. . .but it would be easy to install one. I would like one anyways for cleaning regardless. I do hate going on deck to fill the tank. Main reason is the vent just terminates in a locker, with the fill hose going higher. . .I can't just shove the hose in and let it run till it over flows

Can a flexible tank be filled via the interior as well?