double footpump, salt and fresh water

[bacchant]

Hi, I want to remove an electric pump in galley and install double manual foot pump for both salt and fresh water, but cannot find pump with two inlets and two outlets.. Anyone who can point me in the right direction? Must be an alternative to installing two individual footpumps? Space available is quite restricted.. Hope someone can help!

[tkeithlu]

Only alternative I can think of is two small pumps, with your linking them with a single foot pedal. Most foot pumps are kind of large; consider two of these small ones:

https://www.amazon.com/Boat-Manual-W...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[tkeithlu]

By the way, bacchant, welcome to the forum.

[tkeithlu]

I think that most of us consider a move from manual to electric to be a luxury, with manual pumps limited to small boats with very limited energy sources. Lithium batteries and better solar panels have helped that transition along - the jump box for my shore vehicles now sits in the palm of my hand. I'm curious as to why you would want to shift to manual pumping. A second electric pump for seawater would seem logical.

[skipmac]

Don't know of one pump that pumps two different inlets. My solution was to run fresh and salt water hoses to the inlet of a selector valve, then the one outlet to the pump.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

I think that most of us consider a move from manual to electric to be a luxury, with manual pumps limited to small boats with very limited energy sources. Lithium batteries and better solar panels have helped that transition along - the jump box for my shore vehicles now sits in the palm of my hand. I'm curious as to why you would want to shift to manual pumping. A second electric pump for seawater would seem logical.

On the contrary, manual foot pumps in the galley are the nicer option. Having both hands free is the big advantage, especially offshore.

In contrast, for the shower, washing machine, wash-down etc an electric water pump is needed.

Once an electric pump is fitted for the above purposes, adding the galley to this system is the easier and cheaper choice, but if you want the "luxury option" add a foot pump or two. They just work better for this application.

However, I have never seen a dual manual foot pump, so I suspect Bacchant will need two separate pumps. Perhaps a normal foot pump and a "tiptoe" foot pump might solve the space issue, although the tiptoe pumps are not quite as nice to use.

[meirriba]

I prefer a foot pump as (besides the exercise...) it frees your hands to wash task. In this way you conserve water as there is no need to put down the dish to close the tap/or pump while the water still continues to flow.
You use water only when you need it.
Our foot pump has a selector valve, to alternate between sea and freshwater.
I believe it can be made to work also with electric pump in lieu of the foot pump, so no need for double inlets and outlets (we have similar system for the deck wash - two hoses meeting at a selector valve and water taken to the single outlet by an electric pump)

[Mike OReilly]

On a previous boat I used on manual hand pump to access both the fresh water tank or raw water. I just ran it through a Y-valve and selected the one I wanted. I suppose you could do the same with a foot pump.

One thing to be aware was the need to flush the combined line a bit when going from salt to tank water. Just keep the combined line short.

Love the foot pumps. Great hands-free way of operating in the galley. Easier to manage water usage as well.

[CarinaPDX]

Foot pumps are the way to go, for the many reasons stated earlier. I have one each for fresh and salt - I certainly wouldn't want any cross-contamination to occur - but the truth is that I haven't used the salt water pump much since installing an RO watermaker. Washing in salt water and rinsing in fresh doesn't really save much water, and I don't like bringing any salt water inside the cabin anyway. I do use the separate sea water spigot for the watermaker output (Y-valve with pump); when starting up the watermaker it runs into the sink. I test the output by drinking a bit of it, and if OK I first fill a gallon jug for flushing the system on shutdown then switch the valve to send the output to the tanks. (There are two valves, one to select faucet or tank for RO output, the other to select seawater or RO for the faucet). Save your money for a second pump and buy an RO machine - it is the way to go.

Greg

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Don't know of one pump that pumps two different inlets. My solution was to run fresh and salt water hoses to the inlet of a selector valve, then the one outlet to the pump.

We have one foot pump (Whale) that can either drain water resulting from condensation in the fridge or provide saltwater for a rinse. There is a valve to control the source. If time permits I would do the above - freshwater/saltwater from a single foot pump.

AND, a foot pump is an excellent piece of gear on a boat as others have noted. No power necessary, it uses much less water and as others have noted, two hands are available to deal with items in the sink. I have installed one in the head for these reasons.

[billgewater]

Here's a fairly cheap, totally hands free system. Buy two in-line 12 VDC small volume pumps. (Lowest volume rates that you can get.)
TMC (2 versions 100/200gph) and Whale make these pumps but suitable only for fresh water. Rule Niagra make one suitable for salt water. The Rule one has the optional cover filter at the input.
If they are installed above the water tank or skin fitting, you may need an inline check valve as they are not self priming. Use swivelling faucets at the sink. 12 V power to the pumps from two pressure (momentary starter button switches) on the floor near the galley sink.
I have used two pieces of wood about 7 cm by 7 cm by 2 cm with a pressure switch in the middle accessible by my bare footed big toe. The two pieces of wood are not screwed to the sole and are constrained a bit by the power cables. This means you can shift the pieces of wood around (a bit) using your foot to suit your needs. Mounting the push switches directly onto the sole would be simpler I suppose. The switches have a rubber covering dome to protect them from any errant splashes.
Cheap, easy to install, reliable, no mechanical seals to leak, very quiet. The systems are not pressurised as they are not controlled by valves (taps). The downside is that the flow rate can't be controlled, but judicious use of the foot button switches allows good control.
I have these on our boat at the galley and they really do save on water. Still have the same pumps as installed 40 years ago. (tried every other version including foot pumps)
If you do use a pressure demand pump system with a control valve at the sink, remember that the system is always under pressure from the pump and if a hose comes off or a leak occurs, the pump will empty the supply into the bilges. Pressure demand pumps really should have the power cut off when not in use. The system I have can be safely left "turned on" 24/7. The pumps only fire up when you press the floor switch.

For the fresh water supply don't forget to install an in line filter (carbon or whatever) if it is to be drunk or used for cooking.

Another observation is that salt water left in plumbing can have the beasties in the water dying making the water a bit putrid. The salt water needs to be used regularly or at least be aware that the first flow of salt water may be smelly.

[sailcrazy]

We look at it from the opposite, different perspective. we have an electric water pump installed, and use it to provide fresh water to all our faucets, showers, etc. But we also have 2 foot pumps installed at the galley sink-1 for fresh and 1 for salt water. IF we ever lost our electric pump, we now have a method of supplying either fresh or salt water to the galley sink-for whatever purpose. And life goes on! Each pump is small, and the foot pedal is very small-takes very little space.....but they're there is we ever need them. In 20 years of cruising, we never have....but then we have (and will continue to) carry a spare alternator and spare starter, too, even though we've never needed them-yet! Stuff happens!

[bacchant]

Wow, I am overwhelmed by all the great ideas and suggestions in response to my first post here, thank you! So glad I have found a "traditional" forum outside the major social media platforms which I have all left..


My primary focus is to simplify my sailboat by removing systems I cannot fix on my own and reducing the number of spareparts needed. Other than the bilge pump (which is, of course, supporeted by a manual gusher pump) there is no place for electric pumps on my boat.. Helps conserve water, conserve electricity, reduce wiring, maintain easy access to water in case of loss of electricity, etc etc.


I am surprised that it appears to be no footpump in the market which doesn't require cross contamination of fresh and salt water.. Two pedals, two inlets, two outlets, one pump in the middle.. If anyone comes across anything like this, please share here!

[Tayana42]

I have two Whale Gusher foot pumps at my galley, one for fresh water and one for salt. They are about $100 each at Defender. On my boat I also have electric pressure water but the foot pumps are great too.

[roverhi]

If I had to do it over would only have a foot pump for freshwater and use the electric pump for salt water. Have abundant saltwater so no need to worry about wasting water with the electric pump. Found I don't use the pressure water system much at all with the convenience of the foot pump.