Shore Water

[wufibugs]

I am planning on adding a water hose bib so I can use shore water when my boat is in slip. I planned to have the shore water enter the system after the pump so I can take advantage of the city's shore pressure. After reading Peggy's article about cleaning and keeping the water tank clean and fresh, it occurred to me that having the shore water cycle through the tank would be ideal. The project then raises sesveral questions:

1. Where is the best place to locate the hose bib? I mused about modifying the tank filler cap to include a bib, but that compromises it's flush mounting and assumes I can solve question 2.

2. Can I have my cake and eat it too by having the shore water go through the tank and also by pass the pump? I suppose that would require installing a two positiion diverter valve of some kind that was readily accessible to direct the water from the tank to either the pump or directly into the water flow system.

3. Do I need something to reduce the shore water pressure?

4. Are there check valves normally installed in the system already? Where would they need to be added?

5. If someone has accomplished this, would they mind sharing a rough plumbing diagram with me?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Boat water tanks are not pressure vessels (no pun intended) and cannot hold shore water pressure. If, for no other reason, the tank(s) are vented so one has only to picture what happens when you attempted to pressurize one. Regardless of the vent, these are typically thin-walled tanks not designed for pressurization.
The ONLY way to add shore water is as you originally understood - that being to T it in after the pressure water pump and it's a good idea to include a check valve at the pump as well as to add a pressure reducer at the shore connection.
There is a good diagram of a proper connection on the West Marine Advisor pages

 

[wufibugs]

Of course you are right, Don. Thanks for setting me straight. I looked at the West Marine site and the DIY projects but saw nothing about shore water in plumbing or any other section there. Could it have been deleted?

 

[kloudie1]

Here is a hose hook up for the boat. http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|51|305312|614253&id=10361 You can put these in the combing or in the cockpit. It has the regulator built in. From there, you could tee with a valve to the water tank ONLY to fill it manually, but not to pressurize the tank. The other side of the Tee should have a cut off in it too and it should go to downstream of the waterpump. I think there may be some diagrams on the West Marine web site.

 

[Stu Jackson]

...I looked at the West Marine site and the DIY projects but saw nothing about shore water in plumbing or any other section there. Could it have been deleted?

Nope, it's right in the WM Advisor page in plumbing, not the DIY section: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...dvisor/10001/-1/10001/Fresh-water-Systems.htm

 

[Steve Dion]

Remember your boat is plumbed with Qest plastic. This is great stuff for low pressure systems, but as you may or may not remember there were some large law suits from this stuff leaking.

Just keep filling up that water tank. You may want to think about adding another tank in your aft lazarette. It will allow you to fit an additional 10-15 gal. back there.