Fresh water foot pump

[Quirocat]

We,re about to install a fresh water foot pump in our galley. We were wondering if we could tap into our existing cold water hose from the tanks to the existing tap, splicing into it with T junctions to and from the foot pumps intake and out take ports. It's a pressurized system, but I can't see a flaw in the plan.

[472426_L]

Whale foot pumps are not meant to be pressurised. The input from ours is from before the FW pump and has shut-off taps before and after.

[familycruisers]

I suppose you mean t in before the pump? Not sure if the pump would end up pulling air from the foot pump? Good question.

[Quirocat]

OK, just realized that we need the foot pump intake to go between the tanks and the electric water pump. The question remains, can we splice into the cold water tap line close to the tap for the foot pump out take, or do we need to install a separate spigot just for the manual foot pump?

[sailorchic34]

You'll need a separate spout for the foot pump. Even if you could tap between the faucet valve and spout, there would be too much pressure on the whale pump if the pressure valve was opened. The whale foot pump is only rated for 10 feet of head or a tad less then 5 psig.

[Quirocat]

Thanks again sailor chic. You are a wealth of información!

[familycruisers]

Shouldn't be much pressure on the spigot post valve, if you can find a way to tie in there

[janice142]

Hello Quirocat. I have a Whale hand pump and she's plumbed after the filter and prior to the pressure water pump HOWEVER in order for all to work together, I had to put in a one-way valve after the tee- (on the line that feeds the hand pump) ... That valve allows water to go to the whale at the sink and not effect the water pressure side of the system. I can't remember what happened prior to the one-way except that my system didn't work, and now it does.

[nhschneider]

We have a Whale foot pump at our galley sink and the intake is a 't' that's installed between the tank and electric fresh water pump. The previous owner had installed a water filter in that same circuit so any water from the foot pump is filtered - no 'tank taste'. Our system has a dedicated spigot for the foot pump. I'm very old and easily confused but it's still embarrassing when I hold my hands under the pressure water fixture and step on the foot pump!

Fair wind and calm seas.

[familycruisers]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

We have a Whale foot pump at our galley sink and the intake is a 't' that's installed between the tank and electric fresh water pump. The previous owner had installed a water filter in that same circuit so any water from the foot pump is filtered - no 'tank taste'. Our system has a dedicated spigot for the foot pump. I'm very old and easily confused but it's still embarrassing when I hold my hands under the pressure water fixture and step on the foot pump!

Fair wind and calm seas.

Guessing I should say it ews drawing air back through the whale as I eluded to earlier.

[Matt Johnson]

We have a tee between the tank and the pressure pump that feeds the Whale foot pump. I also installed a three way valve for the intake of the faucet.... One side comes from the foot pump, one comes from the pressure pump. Just turn the valve to control which system is feeding the faucet at that time. Works great and saves having another faucet cluttering up the galley.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

I'm very old and easily confused but it's still embarrassing when I hold my hands under the pressure water fixture and step on the foot pump!

Fair wind and calm seas.

Sheesh, you think that's embarrassing?? We don't have pressure water to our sinks... only foot pumps... and it is somewhat embarrassing to me to be seen at the sink in a rest room ashore with my right foot pawing around in mid air for the non-existent pedal and no water coming out of the spout!

But I love 'em aboard! (And we do have pressure for the shower!)

Cheers,

Jim

[roverhi]

My foot pump is 'T'd off the suction line that runs to the pressure water pump. Have had no issues though a one way check valve would stop any back suction problems with the footpump if there was a problem. The foot pump pressure side goes though a household charcoal filter to to its own spigot at the galley sink.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by familycruisers

Shouldn't be much pressure on the spigot post valve, if you can find a way to tie in there

Depends, If the spout is a newer US version, there is a flow restrictor on the aerator that would most likely cause enough back pressure to exceed the whale's dinky 5 psig limit. Of course the first thing I do with a new kitchen faucet is pop the flow restrictor off the back of the aerator.

I suppose you could put a check valve between the foot pump and the spout. That would protect the foot pump in any case. Then you don't even need a divert valve...

[Matt Johnson]

The reason I have a three way valve on the pumps is so I can leave the shared faucet in the open position when I'm going to be using the foot pump. I tend to have the pressure system on, but not in use unless showering or filling a big pot. It is easy to use the foot pump with the faucet always in the open position. Then, when I want to have pressure at the galley sink, I switch the three way valve over to the pressure side and use the facet's handle to open and close like normal.