Water System Problem on CD25

[Pat Anderson]

OK, starting to panic, heading out tomorrow for four days. The water in the plastic tank tasted awful (new plastic taste), so I drained it and refilled it last night. This morning went to drain and refill again (flushing). Opened the faucet and turned on the water pressure breaker, but nothing comes out. I am thinking, OK, the hot water tank has to refill first. I let the pump run for maybe 15 minutes or more, as the Jabsco manual says "self-priming" and "can run dry." There is no spot where you can visually confirm that water is going into the hot water tank (it is empty), but after running the pump, when I tried to put more cold water in the tank, it was full, indicating nothing had been pumped...the C-Dory so-called manual has NO information in it other than manufacturer's manuals for the individual components - nothing about how the systems operate. So I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if some component is not working...any ideas? (I emailed Jeff and Scott early this morning with a request that somebody call me, but I would love to solve this problem without depending on a call back).

[My IRA]

Pat,

Make sure that the drain from the hot water tank is closed, then open the sink faucet (hot and cold). You should hear the pump run as it seeks prime and also air coming from the faucet fixture. It sometimes takes several minutes in our boat to evacuate the air in the system.

Good luck, love your new boat,enjoyed the pictures of the manufacturing process.

[captd]

Pat,
I had that happen to me a couple of times. I put my mouth over the fill tube with the pump running and blew to build some pressure in the tank. It worked , I think you get an air lock with the impeller. Try it.
Capt D

[Helen O]

Pat

Been there, done that a lot. While I'm not sure of the exact reason, I think it has to do with trapped air.
I do what My IRA did.

A teaspoon of baking soda in the fresh water tank can help get rid of that plastic taste.

[TyBoo]

Pat -

It happens to me any time the tank goes empty. I find it easiest to apply negative pressure at the sink spigot. No matter how you do it, it's gonna suck or blow, so don't let your tank go dry again. Don't worry about the hot water, because once the pump suction is primed, the water heater (being on the pressure side) will fill just fine.

We have a GE brand wall mount filter with a replaceable element on the pressure side of the system. Makes a huge improvement on the water quality. Ours has a separate pump for the hot water, so we use another one of those filters between the pump and the heater. The things are about $30 at Home D, and the element (yearly replace) is about ten bucks.

Now get out there and suck on your spigot.

[El and Bill]

Maybe the new microwave is on, the tv and stereo going, the toaster toasting, and Patty has the hair dryer blowing --- PAT -- Hook up that generator!!! otherwise, how can the electric pump ... pump? Hmmmm!! Eyes are rolling, Pat.
Have a great weekend, you guys. Looking forward to seeing you next weekend at Lankford -- Yee Ha! The waters of the Chesapeake are full of rivilets from all the quaking crabs fearing your arrival.

[JamesTXSD]

Now that you've gotten advice on how to prime that tank, here's a suggestion from years of RVing/sailing. Before drinking any water from that tank, you may want to sterilize it with a small bit of bleach in the water (not sure of your tank size, but we used less than 1/4 cup in a 110 gal tank). You should be able to smell the bleach as the water runs. Run all that out and refill with fresh. Run all that out. If there is still any bleach smell, put a bit of baking soda in the tank. From then on, if you suspect any water not being fresh, a tablespoon of bleach should take care of that. Be sure you are filling the tank with a hose for potable water (NOT the green plastic hoses you use for your lawn! That will guarantee that nasty smell/taste). Even with all that, we use bottled water to drink as much as possible.

Enjoy that new boat!

Still scheming,
James TXSD

[Pat Anderson]

[Pat Anderson]

OK, chapter one of the real C-Dory 25 Manual - the so-called "self-priming" water pressure pump isn't! Couldn't cut it with negative pressure - all that did was fill my 12 volt air pump (in vacuum mode) up with water! For positive pressure I would not blow in the fill tube - there is no place in the world with more bacteria than the inside of a human mouth. Solution, as Tyboo says, is either negative pressure at the faucet or positive pressure upstream. What better positive pressure than plain old water pressure? Solution was to fill the tank, put the hose down the tube, seal it off with a rag, thumb over the overflow outlet, and turn the hose on. Presto, we have water priming the pump, and coming out the faucet...

[El and Bill]

Sorry, Patty -- didn't mean to imply that you can't (or don't) wash hair over the side and then let the air dry it -- merely concerned that with the microwave, you (and others in the family) might be considering the joys of an electric hair dryer.
Oh, and next time we're anchoring next to Daydream, we'll probably want to raft up to heat up the leftovers ...
So, to make amends, I owe you one local home-brew beer from the Eastern Shore (and you can mess up what little hair I have left ) ((And when you have a hair-dryer aboard, can I raft up for a puff or two??))

[Sea Angel]

I had let Sea Angel 's tank run dry for winterization and a couple over uses... I drained it cleaning. What I had done was fill my gas tank and filed the water tank. There was enough pressure from the fulling of the water tank with the pump on and source water supply on that I have not had the problem with prime since. I have since done this with a half full fuel tank with the same results and not ever having to block the overflow vent. This basic function was given before, so if there is still a problem.. could there be a crimp or restriction in the supply line to the pump, or a weak pump?...

I hope the factory, or a second source, will come up with a way of keeping track of the quantity of fresh and black water in our CD25's tanks. It was a 'crap shoot' with the 200 mile run to Lankfort from Va Beach on how much??? There was well water a plenty, but not stuff you want to put in your tank. We did find some 'city' water with some searching.

The Va. Beach to Lankford [abt 500NM total] trip was with heavy fog, storms, water spouts, 4'-6' seas and is another story for another forum.... GREAT trip and all were safe... Great boat! GREAT time and people!

[john schuler]

I've had the same thing on my CD25 and other RVes. You are right negative
pressure sucks and can collaps hoses causing more problems than it solves.
MILD positive pressure always seems to work for me. Use a pressure reducing valve (wall mart ) or the more common leekey rag method.
john