Weird water tank problem

[Saillife]

Condensation was my next thought but there's too much water from your description for that. The silt is interesting & leaves me to think bilge (I'm assuming this silt is brown not white). I don't understand how the water would get up to the tank though. Checking the hose connections would be next. How fast is it filling? gallon, quart, pint an hour? It's not that disruptive, just an annoyance. Might poor some food coloring on your deck by the fill cap and see if it shows up in the water.

Please keep us posted as to what you find.

 

[Rakuflames]

I don't mean to be argumentative, but actually it's very disruptive. It's not clean water. It's contaminated. I would not use it for anything. Until this is solved, I'm living on a boat without a usable water tank.

 

[Allan12210]

Does your boat have more than one water tank with a selector valve? Is it possible that there is some re levelling of water contents between two tanks via a faulty selector valve?

 

[Rakuflames]

Does your boat have more than one water tank with a selector valve? Is it possible that there is some re levelling of water contents between two tanks via a faulty selector valve?

Nope. One, and only one, water tank. I have figured out a temporary solution, because I simply cannot deal with the uproar of pulling the lid and possibly the tank out.

I have some camping jugs that each hold five gallons of water. I got them for a trip to the Dry Tortugas. I will bring them back on the boat and use them for water supply so I can at least wash dishes.

Maybe a cracked hose is the problem, and water has been leaking below the tank as well as going into it. If so, it could explain why the boat has a persistent 2 1/2 - 3 percent list to starboard, although I don't know where it would have gone or why it would suddenly (yes) be appearing in the water tank. I haven't noticed a big improvement in the list problem but something is causing that list.

In spite of the list, the boat sails beautifully. I don't hear water sloshing around in the hull ... but it might only shift when I'm sailing, and I doubt I'd hear it then.

 

[Saillife]

I don't mean to be argumentative, but actually it's very disruptive. It's not clean water. It's contaminated. I would not use it for anything. Until this is solved, I'm living on a boat without a usable water tank.

Yes you do,. I understand your frustration but, if trying to remove hoses is too disruptive than I don't know what else to tell you.

 

[Steve Dion]

All of these models had a list. We added a tank in the aft lazarette and a battery to help this situation. If you have a leak aft of the engine pan or forward of the vberth you can have water trapped in the liner.

 

[Allan12210]

Yes you do,. I understand your frustration but, if trying to remove hoses is too disruptive than I don't know what else to tell you.

This is the only way to diagnose the problem. If the water isn't coming in through the vent, fill, inspection plate or output to the pump then it has to be osmosis from an unknown source. I don't think so. You need to dsconnect the lines an see which produce a stream of water.

 

[Rakuflames]

I didn't say removing hoses would be disruptive. Someone who has had the problem described something that sounds as if it's *under* the water tank. That would mean removing the water tank, and that would be horrendously disruptive.

No, I DON'T mean to be argumentative. I'm just venting. It's a very discouraging thought, but then you don't know what else has gone on with this boat recently, or how that has affected living on the boat.

 

[Rakuflames]

Update:

Haven't had time to research this, and there will be a delay before we can trace it down, but I believe a friend has figured out the "silt" -- it is very clay-like (we joked about making ash trays from it in the cockpit) -- and I have a cat.

Kitty litter.

How is it getting into the water? All part of the mystery.

 

[HeeledOver]

Maybe a cracked hose is the problem, and water has been leaking below the tank as well as going into it. If so, it could explain why the boat has a persistent 2 1/2 - 3 percent list to starboard, although I don't know where it would have gone or why it would suddenly (yes) be appearing in the water tank. I haven't noticed a big improvement in the list problem but something is causing that list.

I have an '83 H31 that also lists to starboard. It was a design flaw for that year. I've tried countering it with as much ballast as possible to port (including keeping a full fresh water tank) but little helps. I don't think the list is contributing to your problem. All the utilities and dense appliances (head, galley, water heater, batteries, etc., were put on starboard).

 

[Benny17441]

Its time to get your hands dirty. No amount of speculation or ranting is going to solve the mystery.

 

[Rakuflames]

Its time to get your hands dirty. No amount of speculation or ranting is going to solve the mystery.

Well, actually it's time to go to plastic collapsible water bags. I'm moving Nov. 1, and committed to helping someone move a boat to here from Miami, and it's going to wait.

The "silt" MIGHT be ... kitty litter. Don't know for sure; gonna dissolve some and see what it looks like. I pumped the tank out with a hand pump on Monday, and tonight, it's more than half full again. By Monday I had -- conservatively -- pumped out 100 gallons. Now there's 15 - 20 more in there.

No, it hasn't rained.

 

[anchorclanker]

Your boats in salt water? The tank is filling wit fresh water? And the boats not hooked up to water? And it hasnt rained?

That is simply not possible. I would disconnect all electrical power and watch that tank. Something is making water and putting it into the tank. Dirty or clean makes no difference, there is no other explanation.

 

[Ed H]

Your boats in salt water? The tank is filling wit fresh water? And the boats not hooked up to water? And it hasnt rained?

That is simply not possible. I would disconnect all electrical power and watch that tank. Something is making water and putting it into the tank. Dirty or clean makes no difference, there is no other explanation.

I agree and my money is on a watermaker... The "silt" is from a dirty filter/diaphragm on the watermaker. Especially since she says she was able to sit there and watch it fill up.

 

[healeyman]

My suggestion is to haul your boat.... has not rained, when your boat is in salt water... your tank is filling with fresh water...... could you have a freshwater hose somehow connected that fills the tank... I know this is a stretch... Haul the boat...

 

[healeyman]

I like anchorclanker's suggestion, if the water tank is still filling, then a haul is the only option.

 

[Nelsonhow]

Please solve the mystery

Rakuflames,

Interested to know if you found where the water is from? Is it salty?

 

[anchorclanker]

So, have you disconnected power yet? Disconnected the battery, pulled fuses or thrown breakers to kill everything, and watched the tank?

Unless someones toying with you, or a hose is connected your not seeing, its impossible to get fresh water from salt water without a watermaker. Impossible.

 

[Rakuflames]

All of these models had a list. We added a tank in the aft lazarette and a battery to help this situation. If you have a leak aft of the engine pan or forward of the vberth you can have water trapped in the liner.

I've wondered about that myself, except that I have really good hearing, and I think I'd hear the water sloshing/moving around.

 

[Rakuflames]

So, have you disconnected power yet? Disconnected the battery, pulled fuses or thrown breakers to kill everything, and watched the tank?

Unless someones toying with you, or a hose is connected your not seeing, its impossible to get fresh water from salt water without a watermaker. Impossible.

Well, I can't see the hoses. If I went down into that bilge I'd never be able to get out -- folks would have to pass me food for the rest of my life --

BUT -- I figured it out.

Back in April, I had a significant fuel problem. A friend came over, climbed into the hold, nestled my fuel tank in his lap for at least five hours -- and cleaned the considerable amount of accumulated gunk out of it. He cut a hole in the top. I went to a local fabrication shop and had a cover and gasket (along with a spare) that would hold up to diesel fuel.

So my friend came back to put everything back together. He had had to disconnect several hoses to get the tank out.

He accidentally attached the scupper hose to the water tank, and the water tank fill hose to the scupper!

I finally figured this out. The dissolved kitty litter was the first clue. Then I pumped the tank out, after first marking the water line in the fine clay on the side.

The next day the EXACT same amount of water was in the tank. So I thought ... hmmm... the pumpout hose had gone into the cockpit and down the starboard scupper, since that's how she lists.

So I went to the store and got some red food dye. I saturated a folded piece of paper towel with it, put it over the scupper, and added water.

In the amount of time it took to do that, I went back down to the view port and found ... red water.

So my friend came back today, found the mistake, and re-connected the hoses properly.

I was honestly rather freaked out when I realized cockpit water was going into the water tank. Could have been very bad if we had had a storm like Sandy.

Thanks to all for your brain-storming. It really helped.