Compressed Co2 Pressurized Water

[downunder]

Trying to find a complex solution to a simple situation. Water supply should not be made complex.

[Andrew Troup]

In concept it's simpler than a pressure system relying on an inherently complex pump (reliable, but ONLY if you pick one of relatively few brands and models), a generally notoriously flaky (at statistical scale) pressure switch, and a potentially problematic but in practice usually reliable accumulator.

And hoses which are continually under pressure, AND frigging pumps which tend to cycle in the graveyard watches, just as you are stacking some hard-won zzzs.

I'm certainly not convinced the usual pleasure-boat pressure water system is a 'mature technology' ... for instance, it's still as far as I know one of the common failure points even on superyachts, and I'm sure it can be improved on.

But in practice I think controlling your proposal would be a complication, perhaps a bridge too far, because you will need to shut off the CO2 as well as the water every time you close a tap. Otherwise the pressure in the hoses and tank will build above the regulator set pressure, as CO2 tries to escape. To save this bulging the tank you would have to fit a pressure relief (you will have to anyway) and you would end up running out of CO2 in short order.

You may well have thought all this through, and have simple, affordable solutions (I have done neither)


But I would personally pursue air in preference to CO2. And I thought dive bottles was an excellent suggestion. Preferably with an on-board compressor. True dual-use, and self reliance ... (including when you drop your wallet over the wall) unless nobody you care about cares for diving ...

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by downunder

Trying to find a complex solution to a simple situation. Water supply should not be made complex.

Agreed.

If continuous pressure in the lines and the occasional midnight activation is your also your concern, either turn it off at the breaker or add a simple on/off switch that's easily accessible and power the pump only when you need it.

[Dale Hedtke]

If you want to keep it simple, use hand or foot pumps. Eliminate the electrical option. The pressurized gas idea is a poor one, sorry to say. Yeah, it will work, but.....

[Bill_E]

Why pressurize everything? More problems with tiny leaks. You have a heavy pressurized CO2 tank that you have to maintain and unless it's aluminum will surely rust out. You should (technically) pressure test the CO2 tank every 5 years or so.

My system has a pretty good "on demand" 12 v pump so the plumbing is not under much pressure. It is easy to turn off the pump when not using it, in case of a break or large leak in one of the hoses. Seems simple and very convenient.

Bill

[noelex 77]

Crusing sailors are great lateral thinkers and do come up with some great solutions to problems.
To counter this simple, proven, solutions are often the best.

KISS.

Foot pumps are cheap, and can be easily sourced and replaced. In addition they allow fine control of the water delivery which helps conserve this precious resource. An electric pump provides a great back up.

A salt water pump is also a great addition. So identical pumps/systems for salt and freshwater are sensible.

Using these pumps 365 days a year does mean a reasonably short life. I think they are usually constructed with a design usage of few weeks continuous usage a year, but they are cheap and easily replaced so I feel your ingenuity could probably be better directed to more worthwhile areas.

[MarkJ]

It costs money to refill the CO2.

A foot pump is free forever.

They dont break down and if they do they can be pulled apart and fixed.

I had the Chinese version of the Whale galley gusher foot pump and when installing it wondered about the screws... Yep, not SS, so,changed them and got a good pump for just a few dollars.

Of course I finally chucked it out for an electric one. But for the price they cant be beat.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

C02 does not carbonate water with just pressure, it needs a 'carbonator' to do that...

Don't know where you got this idea, but you are quite wrong. I used to make flavored soda water for my daughter simply by putting some flavoring in plain tap water, in a corny keg, and hooking it up to a CO2 bottle. It took a couple of days to get well carbonated, but it most certainly DID get well carbonated.

Frankly, your plan sounds like the exact opposite of keeping things simple. You can get a cheap, simple, demand pump from any RV store that will provide you with water. This will take up far less space, and be much easier, than the whole CO2 plan.

[bornyesterday]

But now I want fizzy coffee, fizzy porridge, fizzy eau de toilet...

[hellosailor]

You know, Jack, there's a reason why the world uses small electric pumps for pressure water, and not CO2 systems. Sure, pumps fail. pressure tanks leak. But someone has to compress the CO2, and refill the tanks, and certify the tanks, and the gas plumbing can spring a leak too.

Just saying...the entire world might not have gotten it wrong when they chose to use electric pressure pumps for pressure water systems.

[pistarckle]

Someone said it already , a foot pump , worked for me , but only for twenty years .
For safety reasons you would need a manual system as a back up anyway , so why complicate it .

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by bornyesterday

But now I want fizzy coffee, fizzy porridge, fizzy eau de toilet...

I'd even be willing to give up my composter for a Fizzy Bidet.

[MarkJ]

Lol. Thats made my day, Tellie!

[brutb]

The simplest way would be to strap your 5 gal water jug to the side of the galley sink and install a manual valve and open it when you need water. Turn it off when you don't need water. If you use the plastic blue water jugs sold world wide you can see have much water you have left and then remove and replace with a full jug. when the first jug is empty or at least no water comes out when you open the tap...

[s/v Jedi]

How do these foot pumps work for the hot water?