Problem winterizing fresh water system

[GKuffner]

The other day I winterized the fresh water system. I drained the fresh water tank, drained and by-passed the hot water tank, and installed a T- fitting on the fresh water line close to where it exits the fresh water tank. I then fed a hose from the T-Fitting to a gallon jug of antifreeze and started the fresh water pump. Opening the faucets one by one (hot and cold) I drew antifreeze from the jug through the hot and cold water lines until there was a steady discharge of pink antifreeze in the sinks.

My problem is that when I tried to draw the antifreeze to the back of the boat to the stern deck shower fixture I got nothing (or at least very little). This puzzled me because the stern deck shower worked when I was draining the fresh water tank, my setup to winterize all the other fresh water lines worked and the antifreeze jug still had lots of antifreeze in it.

Any ideas as to why I'm not getting any flow of antifreeze at the stern deck shower fixture?

Gary

 

[sailingdog]

Might it be that the deck shower has its own line out of the water tank? Does the shower have its own pressure pump?? It might, especially if it is a cold water only shower fixture.

 

[Ed Schenck]

One thought.

I find on my boat that the elevation of the outlet can be a problem. If your source(the jug) is low in the boat and the transom shower is much higher the pump might have a problem. It is different when coming from the tank(s) which is usually higher and with more volume which provides a little help for the pump.

Edit: Sailingdog questions pressure as the problem. He could be right. But I know that when using a bucket(2 gal.) in the bilge the pressure drops as the anti-freeze nears the bottom. To keep a good flow in the forward shower I have to keep the bucket more than half full.

 

[sailingdog]

I'm doubting that it is a pressure problem if he's getting antifreeze out of all the other faucets on the boat.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

pull the shower head off the hose and see if you still have a problem - it could be the head

 

[Ross]

Re: One thought.

The pressure change due to elevation is about one half pound per square inch per vertical foot. Ten psi will push water up twenty feet.

 

[sailingdog]

On several of the boats I've sailed on, the transom shower is on a separate pressure pump from the internal plumbing and has its own feed from the water tank. Often, this pump is switched separately, actually on a timer, from the internal plumbing fresh water pressure pump to prevent accidentally leaving the shower head open from draining the fresh water supply—you'd have to leave the pump on and the shower head valves open.

If this boat is new to you, you may need to trace the transom shower line to see how it runs and where it is getting its water from.

BTW, I've also seen transom showers that were switchable between salt and fresh water. I doubt that is the case on your boat, since, when you were draining the tanks, it was letting out water.