<![CDATA[Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Plumbing Systems and Fixtures]]> https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/ en Sat, 13 Jun 2026 03:01:04 GMT vBulletin 60 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Plumbing Systems and Fixtures]]> https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/ Old fridge system https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/old-fridge-system-300632.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:49:07 GMT Hi everybody. First post on the forum, I juste registerded today. I live aboard my sailboat, a french built Jouët 920. Great boat, but I still... Hi everybody.

First post on the forum, I juste registerded today.

I live aboard my sailboat, a french built Jouët 920. Great boat, but I still have a few issues to adress. The biggest one at the time is the fridge.

It's an old Danfoss BD35 compressor , doesn't cools very well.

I was maybe looking to get it replaced, but had first to see if it could be fixed. I wasan engineer onboard passenger ships a few years back, but my knowledge of refrigeration systems is very limited.

What bothers me the most is that there is only one gas pipe running from the condenser to the evaporator plate. The other pipe is closed.

Is this normal ?? I mean, all the new plates I've seen online seem to have two pipes, one inlet and a return pipe. Is that why the fridge isn't doing its job ?

Thanks for the advices
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]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Steinrick https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/old-fridge-system-300632.html Spectra Watermaker High Pressure https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/spectra-watermaker-high-pressure-300595.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:49:14 GMT Running into some issues with a Spectra watermaker, looking for some guidance/help with troubleshooting. Thanks in advance! I have a nearly brand... Running into some issues with a Spectra watermaker, looking for some guidance/help with troubleshooting. Thanks in advance!

I have a nearly brand new Spectra Cape Horn 330 (compact/split membrane). It was installed in Rhode Island and worked there (running at 100-110 psi), but now up in Maine it's hitting high enough pressure (125-135 psi) that the feed pumps cut out, so am unable to make water. While briefly in a brackish harbor (Camden, ME) I was able to make harbor, but pressure was 115-125 psi.

The pressure rises "slowly" over multiple clark pump cycles when I start hte system, presumably as the ratio of previously flush'ed fresh water and salt water in the system changes.

I've tried diverting both the brine output and the product output to rule out any back-pressure issues, but found no change. Also just put in a brand new pre-filter. The clark pump shifts around 135 psi (around where the pumps cut out), and seems to be symmetric.

Anyone seen something like this/have any advice on troubleshooting? ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures smulumudi https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/spectra-watermaker-high-pressure-300595.html Watermaker Resurrection https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/watermaker-resurrection-300525.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 20:24:40 GMT Hi all,

I've never owned a water maker or operated one, but this isn't my first rodeo with boat systems.

Our new-to-us boat has a water maker that the previous owner never used. He bought the boat in 2013. The first owner had used it extensively and I was told it had been "shut down properly and pickled." It's been 13 years.

All the parts had tags on them with the previous owner's name, so I think it was decommissioned professionally? FWIW.

I'd like feedback on my game plan and welcome any tips!

The system:
Water Makers Inc WMS 6001M3ARNY6
Built July 2001

There was some dampness in the bilge where the pumps were located and I've since remedied that, but hence the corrosion on the pump housings.

I removed the membrane skid and pulled the old membranes. It's all very clean.


My plan:

1 - Install a 30 micron pre filter and a 5 micron pre filter and fill the Hydra-Cell pump with oil.

2 - Open the seacocks, check for leaks

3 - Power it up. See if the panel and TDS meter is alive.

4 - Run the feed/boost pump, and try to purge any air from the system, and see if I get enough PSI to run the high pressure pump. If so...

5 - Turn on the high pressure pump and run the system with no membranes installed and let it just run water through for a bit to the reject setting.

6 - Wait for more problems and leaks - the Dutch on the masking tape says "valve not fully connected", so I guess we'll find out what that means.

7 - If all goes well, I'll put new Dow membranes in it and try to make some water.

What do you all think?
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]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Peregrine1983 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/watermaker-resurrection-300525.html Lectrosan Switch https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/lectrosan-switch-300514.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:34:49 GMT Hello, I have this switch for my system on my Gibson and it is becoming harder and harder to use. I can’t seem to locate a replacement of this... Hello, I have this switch for my system on my Gibson and it is becoming harder and harder to use. I can’t seem to locate a replacement of this vintage. Is there an updated switch that will work in place of this one? Thanks for any help!
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]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Ferno https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/lectrosan-switch-300514.html Vacuflush keeps running when on discharge, but works normally on holding tank! https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/vacuflush-keeps-running-when-on-discharge-but-works-normally-on-holding-tank-300511.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:57:56 GMT Ecovac 140, rebuilt S pump, new bellows and duckbills, new pressure switch. Issue is keeps running when the 3 way valve is set to discharge to... Ecovac 140, rebuilt S pump, new bellows and duckbills, new pressure switch.
Issue is keeps running when the 3 way valve is set to discharge to seacock, however if switch it to holding tank, pump will cut off.
No leaks evident.
Discharge from the S pump goes direct to the diverter valve.


Could this be a blockage/restriction in the discharge pipe from 3 way valve to seacock? Seems to be discharging ok. ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Mattzilla https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/vacuflush-keeps-running-when-on-discharge-but-works-normally-on-holding-tank-300511.html New Water Maker Company - Vital Lyfe https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/new-water-maker-company-vital-lyfe-300503.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:43:14 GMT Just stumbled across this. It features several ex. Space X engineers who decided to make a compact and cheap water maker. I’m sure they are currently... Just stumbled across this. It features several ex. Space X engineers who decided to make a compact and cheap water maker. I’m sure they are currently going to ship them at a loss but they have raised $25M to date. It is going to be tech heavy (they say they are a tech company) but it will produce 6gph and has a built in battery that gives it a 1 hour run time. You can reserve your spot in line for $8 (refundable) and the unit is currently projected to cost $750 with a late 2026 ship time.

It doesn’t have a ton of output but I might risk spending the $750 since the next closest one out there is a Seawater Pro at $3500. I don’t need a watermaker by any means but that’s my guess as to what they are trying to market.

https://www.vital-lyfe.com/ ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Letterkenny https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/new-water-maker-company-vital-lyfe-300503.html Cheap watermaker membranes https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/cheap-watermaker-membranes-300502.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 02:14:30 GMT Hi all,

Curious where you are getting your RO membranes in the US. Looking for 2.5" x 40" for a Watermakers Inc. system.

Allfilters.com has great deals, but I don't know of them. Are they a solid choice?

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you! ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Peregrine1983 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/cheap-watermaker-membranes-300502.html PUR Powersurvivor win https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/pur-powersurvivor-win-300483.html Sun, 31 May 2026 09:54:35 GMT Gday all, It has been a couple of years since I was gifted an old PUR 80e. I worked out quickly that Katadyn were not keen to help me recondition... Gday all,

It has been a couple of years since I was gifted an old PUR 80e. I worked out quickly that Katadyn were not keen to help me recondition it cheaply. So I ditched the pressure vessels and membranes and converted it to a standard 2514 with a much cheaper membrane.

When I connected the thing up a few months ago - nothing happened. So I pulled the pump apart and found that the seals were no good. Reading the very good PUR watermaker book had me on the road to replacing the seals. The only problems was buying them. I could pick a seal kit of for $580 AUD. The book recommended getting a second kit to take cruising too.

The watermaker was getting seriously problemantic - it was costing money and it hadn't produced any water. So I did some digging.

The seals and O ring sizes are shown in the back pages of the manual. Putting these sizes into CoPilot AI, I found out that they were actually totally common stock items. I was told I could get them at any normal seal supplier.

In this the AI was wrong. I turned up to a bearing/seals retailer in the middle of an industrial area and was given the two largest O ring seals for free. They couldn't help me with the the piston rings but sent me to Hydraulic seals Australia.

I was a little on edge as I walked up to the counter of the place only 1 km down the road. I popped my old seals on the counter and the clerk, got out his micrometer, half listened to my story of this coming from a watermaker, glanced at the dimensions on the printout, mumbled something about "yeah that's just a BAS 540 mumble jumble splish splash thingo", walked out the back and was back 5 minutes later with the piston seal, the shafts seals, a wiper seal and more O rings. All up cost was $65.

So over the last few days I have been putting the watermaker back into a working state. I added, then removed a feed pump, added thread tape to leaky bits and fiddled some more. Then I let it run for an hour, I had doubts as to whether I would get good water out of it because the membrane had been out of its plastic cover for months and had not been cleaned as well as could be after first testing.

So I worked on the boat doing electrical stuff and let the thing whir away - then I popped the water into a glass and tested it with a meter - I got 250 ppm! Great news and validation for lots of diffuse effort.

So I would urge anyone with an old watermaker to consider bypassing the incredible mark ups the Katadyn distrubutors charge and heading on to your local friendly hydraulic seals retailer. I can afford to take along a couple of complete sets of seals and O rings on the next cruise and thumb my nose at retailers with over zealous mark ups.

Cheers

Phil ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures catsketcher https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/pur-powersurvivor-win-300483.html Raritan PHII compact seat replacement https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/raritan-phii-compact-seat-replacement-300477.html Sun, 31 May 2026 00:46:51 GMT Does anyone make a decent replacement seat/lid for a Raritan PHII compact head? The last one I bought is total garbage with hinges of cheap... Does anyone make a decent replacement seat/lid for a Raritan PHII compact head?

The last one I bought is total garbage with hinges of cheap plastic that broke the first time I sat on the toilet with the lid closed to install a towel rack. The seat is actually a beamis brand but the hinges were brittle soft plastic, easily broken with a light twist with two fingers. ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures AuroraGH https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/raritan-phii-compact-seat-replacement-300477.html Holding tank pump out issues https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/holding-tank-pump-out-issues-300456.html Fri, 29 May 2026 04:22:28 GMT I need help solving mystery with my holding tank. I can’t get either the holding tank pump to empty the tank, nor the dockside pumpout to empty the... I need help solving mystery with my holding tank.
I can’t get either the holding tank pump to empty the tank, nor the dockside pumpout to empty the tank.
Originally the problem was only the dockside pumpout but the onboard pump was still working. Even with the sending unit removed as back up venting it is not emptying. I did verify the vent lines were clear as well.
I snaked the dockside hose all the way to the tank after removing the hose from pickup tube and no clogs.
There are no valves between the holding tank and the deck fitting. The plumbing run is from holding tank pickup tube about 10” to a y fitting. At the y fitting one leg goes to overboard pump, the other leg to the deck fitting.
From overboard pump goes through check valve, another y fitting, then an anti siphon valve at top of loop and down to through hull fitting. The other side of this last y fitting is for direct overboard flushing. ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures boaterholic https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/holding-tank-pump-out-issues-300456.html Dometic AC taking time to go on https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/dometic-ac-taking-time-to-go-on-300439.html Thu, 28 May 2026 09:07:03 GMT Hi, I have a 9000btu Dometic AC on my boat with passport I\O controller. It takes about 8 to 15 minutes until the AC turns on (as if there is no... Hi,

I have a 9000btu Dometic AC on my boat with passport I\O controller. It takes about 8 to 15 minutes until the AC turns on (as if there is no power). It happens with both the generator and shore power. I checked the circuit board, and I realized that there is a small red LED light that keeps blinking, and once this light is solid red only then the AC will turn on and function normally. When the led is solid I can turn on and off the AC as many times as I want and it will work perfectly fine. As soon as it looses electricity, when I’m switching from shore to generator or the other way around I have to wait again until the led light is solid red to turn on the AC. I already changed the capacitor and it did not do a difference.
Does anyone know what might be the issue ?
Thanks

Jad ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures JadT https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/dometic-ac-taking-time-to-go-on-300439.html In Praise of Cheap Chinese Battery Fans https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/in-praise-of-cheap-chinese-battery-fans-300411.html Tue, 26 May 2026 11:35:35 GMT We've had a record-breaking heat wave over the bank holiday here in the UK; yesterday it was 32C and blazing sun.

We have no aircon.

Last year I bought a couple of Chinese battery powered fans off Amazon, and liked them so much that I bought a couple more.

They are earning their living right now.

We had built-in fans on the last boat (which also had aircon), used a lot at anchor (no generator).

This boat never had either fans or aircon.

The Chinese fans are remarkably good and remarkably effective. They are far quieter than the hard-wired fans in the previous boat -- progress in blade design, I guess. There are about 20cm in diameter so I think a bit larger than in the old boat. At low and medium speed almost inaudible.

You can set them on a table or other surface, or they have built in clamps so you can clamp them in various places and positions.

The battery life is amazing -- by my estimation nearly 24 hours at medium speed.

And in our bunks it's unlimited because we have USB outlets in each bunk light.

I thought I would share in case someone is looking for some kind of fan solution. ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures Dockhead https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/in-praise-of-cheap-chinese-battery-fans-300411.html to flush TP or not to flush https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/to-flush-tp-or-not-to-flush-300383.html Sun, 24 May 2026 19:47:26 GMT I searched around but did not find this question. On our recent charter, but not the prior ones, we were told not to flush toilet paper. ... I searched around but did not find this question.


On our recent charter, but not the prior ones, we were told not to flush toilet paper.


The heads are electric and probably as old as this Moorings 4500 around 5 years old.


Another charterer we talked to stated they never put paper down the head.


And, though maybe due to the prior charterer not following this rule, one of our heads did get clogged - macerator would turn but no pumping action.


Interested in everyone's protocol for flushing or not toilet paper. ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures yelkenli https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/to-flush-tp-or-not-to-flush-300383.html lg mini sidekick washing machine https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/lg-mini-sidekick-washing-machine-300373.html Sat, 23 May 2026 22:55:00 GMT Greetings folks
my boat came with an lg mini sidekick washing machine. Of course it is not working. It gives a code that it can't drain. And sure enough water goes in but will not drain. I was finally able to remove it and realize it is 240v. The boat has 110 but some plugs are advertized as 240 and the one where the machine was plugged in was one of them. And the washing machine was installed by the factory in Vietnam.

I took out the back panel and was able to get to the drain pump. I suspect it needs to be replaced. But not sure where to get one in the USA.

My options are
1- Try to figure out where and how to get one
2- Buy a US machine (110) and buy tranformer. I really hate to do some rewiring
3- Any other option/suggestion?

BTW, option 1 may not be the end of the story, I might find out that there are other problems. And I would not be competent enough to do the rewiring myself which means a sizeable electrecian bill.

Appreciate your advice.
Thanks, ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures AST https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/lg-mini-sidekick-washing-machine-300373.html <![CDATA[AC retrofit 8k --> 6k??]]> https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/ac-retrofit-8k-6k-300366.html Sat, 23 May 2026 13:39:50 GMT Secondary AC unit for aft cabin needs replaced. Had recharged last summer and not cooling again and thinking about just swapping out. Current... Secondary AC unit for aft cabin needs replaced. Had recharged last summer and not cooling again and thinking about just swapping out.

Current model is Dometic DTU8-1161-410A

West Marine does not have a 8k btu model on website but has the GT6-1171-454 6k model with a bit smaller footprint and energy requirements. Less expensive than i've found the 8k GTX units from Dometic and the 5x points this weekend.

Thoughts? Anyone else downsized and regretted it? Mid-atlantic region. ]]> Plumbing Systems and Fixtures SheetHappens https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/ac-retrofit-8k-6k-300366.html