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Zoid · 11-07-2014, 00:57

I'm still a newbie, so I'm hoping this is something easy I am just overlooking. My fresh water system has two tanks, starboard and port with an accumulator and no filtration. Both are full. We have been using the starboard tank for some time now (a few weeks) because we always happened to be in a place where we could fill up before it ran out. Anyway, we switched to port tank the other day and some odd things occurred:

After turning on the water and after the water in the accumulator had come out the pressure would start to drop and continue to drop. The water pump would be chugging along, but would take longer and sound like it was working harder to reestablish the pressure.
My fresh water foot pump would work and water would come out normally when you stepped down, but it would come out slowly and the pedal slowly rose from the ground.

It seems like the pump and foot pump are struggling pulling water from the port tank. I looked in the tank to see if anything was blocking the exit, but it's clear. When we switch back to starboard everything is fine again.

I'm going to be looking today for maybe a kink in the hose or something that could be slowing the water flow.

Any ideas?

For background the boat is a 2013 model that I have been the only owner of, so it is still relatively new.

**atoll** · 11-07-2014, 02:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoid

I'm still a newbie, so I'm hoping this is something easy I am just overlooking. My fresh water system has two tanks, starboard and port with an accumulator and no filtration. Both are full. We have been using the starboard tank for some time now (a few weeks) because we always happened to be in a place where we could fill up before it ran out. Anyway, we switched to port tank the other day and some odd things occurred:

After turning on the water and after the water in the accumulator had come out the pressure would start to drop and continue to drop. The water pump would be chugging along, but would take longer and sound like it was working harder to reestablish the pressure.
My fresh water foot pump would work and water would come out normally when you stepped down, but it would come out slowly and the pedal slowly rose from the ground.

It seems like the pump and foot pump are struggling pulling water from the port tank. I looked in the tank to see if anything was blocking the exit, but it's clear. When we switch back to starboard everything is fine again.

I'm going to be looking today for maybe a kink in the hose or something that could be slowing the water flow.

Any ideas?

For background the boat is a 2013 model that I have been the only owner of, so it is still relatively new.

apart from the obvious,that there is a blockage or constriction on the port side piping,(the foot pump is a good indication of this).

it could be a collapsed pipe if clear braided hose is being used on the suction side.

SimonV · 11-07-2014, 02:13

I would guess you have a blocked breather.

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**Ex-Calif** · 11-07-2014, 02:16

Did you go back to Starboard tank and confirm the original position works?

Then go back to port side and confirm the fault repeats?

On the right track regarding constriction/blockage on the inlet side as far as I can tell.

**atoll** · 11-07-2014, 02:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimonV

I would guess you have a blocked breather.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

+1

**Hudson Force** · 11-07-2014, 02:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimonV

I would guess you have a blocked breather.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I think I agree with SimonV & Atoll,- That's assuming a "breather" is the vent. (I can easily become lost in language) There's an easy test for this. Remove the fill cap and see if the problem persists.

Zoid · 11-07-2014, 03:18

Great input. I have confirmed when I go back to starboard tank it works normally again. It is definitely an isolated issue with the port tank. I thought about the vent and verified it is not blocked and also tested with the large fill cap open. Same results. So it's not a breather issue. Checking for constricted or collapsed hose right now.

Thanks for all of the input. We have guests coming aboard in 2 days so this just jumped in priority on my list.

Zoid · 11-07-2014, 04:06

SOLVED! Well it was a rookie mistake. I thought I had traced the easy spots for the hose, but just found this. That is the water tank sitting on the hose. Somehow the hose worked its way under the curved bottom of the tank. Now a little work to round the hose back out and I should be back in business.

Picture attached (hopefully)...

**HappyMdRSailor** · 11-07-2014, 04:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoid

SOLVED! Well it was a rookie mistake. I thought I had traced the easy spots for the hose, but just found this. That is the water tank sitting on the hose. Somehow the hose worked its way under the curved bottom of the tank. Now a little work to round the hose back out and I should be back in business.

Picture attached (hopefully)...

SUPER!

No pic though...

Try the "additional options" box below, and click the "manage attachments" button...

DeepFrz · 11-07-2014, 15:40

Tank vent is blocked. Remove the vent line from the tank end and flush it out from the tank end outwards.

**atoll** · 11-07-2014, 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoid

SOLVED! Well it was a rookie mistake. I thought I had traced the easy spots for the hose, but just found this. That is the water tank sitting on the hose. Somehow the hose worked its way under the curved bottom of the tank. Now a little work to round the hose back out and I should be back in business.

Picture attached (hopefully)...

compressed ,collapsed pipe ,deepfreeze