I'm not sure if you answer non-head questions but I have one about my freshwater system. I have an O'Day 28 with two water tanks, a pump, a water heater and two sinks. I can get water pressure when the pump is on but can only hold water pressure on the hot water side of the system. When the pump isn't running there's no cold pressure. I've checked for leaks and can't find any. Any suggestions? Is it possible the hot water tank is acting as an accumulator on the hot side and I need an accumulator for the cold side? Thanks.
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
You've figured it out...
The hot water tank acts as an accumulator. Whether you need an accumulator for the cold side is debatable...only needed if the sound of the pump is annoying. There's no reason to keep turning the pump on and off, though...turn it on when come aboard, turn it off when you leave. As long as it's on, it'll hold pressure. It doesn't draw any current unless it's running, and it shouldn't run except when you open a faucet. Turning it on and off just puts more wear and tear on it 'cuz it has to re-prime every time.
The hot water tank acts as an accumulator. Whether you need an accumulator for the cold side is debatable...only needed if the sound of the pump is annoying. There's no reason to keep turning the pump on and off, though...turn it on when come aboard, turn it off when you leave. As long as it's on, it'll hold pressure. It doesn't draw any current unless it's running, and it shouldn't run except when you open a faucet. Turning it on and off just puts more wear and tear on it 'cuz it has to re-prime every time.
How can the hotwater tank work as an accumulator?
How can the Hotwater tank act as an accumulator? The accumulator has a pressurized bag inside that gets pumped up. It puts pressure on EVERYTHING downstream from it (including the Hotwater Heater). The accumulator tank is between the pump and the rest of the system before the water tees off to the cold side and the hot water heater. How is your system set up? Do you have a tee to turn off one supply tank or the other? Does your secondary tank flow into your primary?
How can the Hotwater tank act as an accumulator? The accumulator has a pressurized bag inside that gets pumped up. It puts pressure on EVERYTHING downstream from it (including the Hotwater Heater). The accumulator tank is between the pump and the rest of the system before the water tees off to the cold side and the hot water heater. How is your system set up? Do you have a tee to turn off one supply tank or the other? Does your secondary tank flow into your primary?
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Peggie Hall/Headmistress
I dunno, Steve...it just does sometimes
I've never had an accumulator in any fresh water system. On one boat, I couldn't get any water out of the cold OR hot water unless the pump was on. On the next boat, I had to turn on the pump to get cold water, but could get hot without doing so...something I discovered by accident--actually thought the pump was on and couldn't figure why I couldn't get cold water. When mentioning to others, some said the same thing was true on their boats, others said it wasn't. I have no idea WHY the hot water tank can act as an accumulator on one boat, but not on another...I just know it does. I suspect it may have something to do with how the plumbing is routed. So...is it POSSIBLE? Yes.
I've never had an accumulator in any fresh water system. On one boat, I couldn't get any water out of the cold OR hot water unless the pump was on. On the next boat, I had to turn on the pump to get cold water, but could get hot without doing so...something I discovered by accident--actually thought the pump was on and couldn't figure why I couldn't get cold water. When mentioning to others, some said the same thing was true on their boats, others said it wasn't. I have no idea WHY the hot water tank can act as an accumulator on one boat, but not on another...I just know it does. I suspect it may have something to do with how the plumbing is routed. So...is it POSSIBLE? Yes.
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John Young
depends.
John: If you were going to sea in your boat, you would not one tank to run thru the other. If your water got contaminated you would end up without anything. The 'Tee' on our tanks is setup so we use the primary tank until it is dry. Then we open the valve and the secondary tank drains into the primary. When the secondary tank has emptied we turn the valve to the close position again and we are ready to to. The reason that we need to close the valve is because we would be sucking air and the system would not work. I would suggest that you make a schematic of your system and see which tank is feeding what. This does not make too much sense unless you hot water heater is elevated so it is pressurizing the system on that side and your fresh water (cold) is lower (and you are sucking air). Has the system always done this or have there been some changes?
John: If you were going to sea in your boat, you would not one tank to run thru the other. If your water got contaminated you would end up without anything. The 'Tee' on our tanks is setup so we use the primary tank until it is dry. Then we open the valve and the secondary tank drains into the primary. When the secondary tank has emptied we turn the valve to the close position again and we are ready to to. The reason that we need to close the valve is because we would be sucking air and the system would not work. I would suggest that you make a schematic of your system and see which tank is feeding what. This does not make too much sense unless you hot water heater is elevated so it is pressurizing the system on that side and your fresh water (cold) is lower (and you are sucking air). Has the system always done this or have there been some changes?
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John Young
I got the boat a year ago and haven't changed the system. It's acted like this since I've had it. My two tanks don't run through each other now - there's a valve between them to switch back and forth. The hot water heater may be a littler higher than the tanks, but not by much. There's a chance that my hot water tank isn't completely full since I de-winterized. I'm going to check that first to make sure it's full and, if it's not, see if there's any improvement when I know it's full.
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