Leaking wash down pump fitting

onthewater · Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 9:40 pm Post subject: Leaking wash down pump fitting

Hello All:

Last year was a total washout as far as boating was concerned.

We became involved (entangled/entrapped?) in a substantial home re-model project that not only sucked up all available energy, but also severely depleted our financial resources.

Accordingly, Sal Salis Vita didn't even make it out of the storage shed. (I know, very sad). This year we've promised ourselves to do much better!

One problem that needs addressed is a leaking fitting on the cockpit wash down panel. The only way we can use the fresh water pump is to connect a hose, and nozzle to the fitting, relying on the nozzle alone to stop the flow. Otherwise, the water just pours out.

We'd like it properly fixed, but I can't find any indication of who made/makes this panel. Do any of the Brats have a suggestion on how to solve this problem?

Thanks in advance for your help.

http://www.c-brats.com/albums/Sal-Salis-Vita/Washdown_panel.sized.jpg

Best wishes,
Bob

thataway · Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2015 11:30 pm Post subject:

My recollection is that these are slightly different than the standard "aeroquip" fittings. But there are many versions. A good hydraulic shop will probably have one which matches the female on the boat. I would take the male with me, and see what is available. Start with the hardware store/big box store.

ghone · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 1:00 pm Post subject:

Hi do you mean the panel fitting itself is leaking or flow doesnt stop with pump cycling. You say you rely on the nozzle to stop the flow I think thats normal as the pumps have a higher pressure capacity than your galley pump you may have a faulty pressure switch, or a pump without a pressure switch that shuts off

Sometimes a pump is fitted with no on off pressure switch, just the cockpit switch So you manually cycle it
Does the panel switch work?
Maybe the fitting has crud keeping it open?

Aurelia · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 6:43 pm Post subject:

Also, is your washdown water coming from the freshwater tank using the same pump as the sink or is this salt water and a second pump. I have heard of them plumbed both ways.

Our 25 was salt water plumbed along with the original head and the pump was demand and only ran with the switch on and the trigger pulled. If yours is similar but runs all the time, it might be leaking somewhere else or is simply a different type of pump that is on/off and not demand sensing. Try to find the pump involved and find a model #.

Greg

onthewater · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 10:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks Bob! That's a good place to start.

onthewater · Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 10:27 pm Post subject:

Hi George and Greg:

I guess I wasn't totally clear on the nature of the problem. This fitting is fed from the fresh water tank, and the pump is the same one that runs the sink faucet.

Up until the year before last, if we didn't have a hose attached to the female fitting on the wash down plate, there was no problem, as the fitting itself stopped the flow.

Something changed though, so that now the fitting does not stop the flow of water if the pump is energized. The only way to prevent the entire content of the water tank from being pumped into the cockpit is to attache a hose to the female fitting, and rely on the hose nozzle to, in effect, stop the flow, while the pump is turned on.

I don't know if something may be preventing the female fitting from seating closed
(insects, etc). I looked into the fitting with a light, and it didn't seem "out of order".

The water pump is on a pressure switch, and will shut down as long as the water isn't flowing. The leak is at the female fitting.

Thanks for your help.

Bob

ghone · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 1:24 am Post subject:

Hi Bob I get it now You'll want a new fitting or a cap at least. If you want a washdown system that is more versatile you'll want another pump plumbed to that panel Washdowns run 60-70 psi so much more than the galley pump. Plus you get unlimited water, you're floating in the supply. Kits are available You could get water off a tee into one of your other thru hulls. Thereby you aren't compromising uour drinking water thru loss.
In the meantime if it were my boat I'd find the tee into your water system and cap it off.
George

Will-C · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2015 9:21 am Post subject: Leaking washdown pump fitting

We just added a standard hose bib. This t'd off of the fresh water tank pressure line. It's handy for washing down the boat after salt water use, even flushing the engine. We use it to empty the water tank quickly before trailering. The standard fresh water pump is still hanging in there after 5 plus years. We have a raw water wash down although we had our through hull intake glassed over. We use a hose connected to the same raw water wash down pump and a screened end on the hose we just throw over the side or we can use it to pump out the dinghy or as an extra bilge pump. We also take the raw water wash down intake hose for winterizing. We cut open a one gallon container and keep pouring in RV anti freeze and suck it through and out the wash down fitting to a hose which we have running into the freshwater tank. We run the hot and cold water faucets in the sink until we have pink anti freeze coming out. Pretty easy.Everyone has their own idea what works for them.
D.D.

tsturm · Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 11:04 am Post subject:

onthewater · Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2015 10:33 am Post subject:

Thanks tsturm! I'll give that a try first.