Pressurised water system leaking

[Akapeterc]

Since moving aboard I have been switching my pressurised water system on and off daily when leaving the boat and have been discovering several leaks in the system. Should I just leave the whole system pressurised all the time? I am thinking that maybe the pressurising and then unpressurising is what might be causing the joints to separate am I thinking correctly?

[steve77]

Congratulations on moving aboard!

No, I don't think turning the water pressure on and off is going to introduce any leaks. I think you are just experiencing what most of us do when we move aboard - you are using things more now than before, and you get more failures as the boat transitions from a weekend use to full-time use.

Plumbing leaks are probably no big deal. Use good sealant on threaded fittings and quality hose clamps like AWAB on barbed fittings. Look for cracked plastic fittings and replace with something higher quality.

To find seepage and itty bitty leaks I use toilet paper or kleenex. Wiping it on a fitting it will pick up very small droplets that I can't see by eye alone.

When done you should be able to leave your water pump turned on for a week and it will only energize when someone is actually using water. If you hear the pump come on during the middle of the night for a few seconds when no one is up, then you still have a small leak somewhere.

Best of luck!

Steve

[Akapeterc]

The leaks all see to be from the whale type push in fittings that seal with pressure

[steve77]

Originally Posted by Akapeterc

The leaks all see to be from the whale type push in fittings that seal with pressure

I don't have any of the whale fittings, but I have several that are very similar. I have had no leaks from mine. I bought them at Home Depot in the US and they are called "shark bite" fittings.

I would replace the leaking ones until all are pressure tight. Again, when you are all done you should be able to leave your water pump breaker on continuously. I wish I could recommend a source for the replacement fittings in Australia.

Cheers!

Steve

[sailorboy1]

Most of time when the whale fittings leak its just because we aren't pushed in all the way, which isn't sometimes as easy to do as it sounds as it needs 2 hands. They also don't really like to be taken apart and then reseal and sometimes they need the old ends cut off first. It is definitely worth keeping some spare fittings and tubing on the boat, this greatly reduces leaks as you rarely need to use a spare already on the boat.

BTW - don't be wasting time cutting the tubing with a knife etc, go get a plastic tubing cutter at the hardware store and make life easier.

[savoir]

Stupid question I know but what is a " whale type push in fitting " ?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by savoir

Stupid question I know but what is a " whale type push in fitting " ?

"Whale" is a brand of plumbing fittings and tubing often used on boats.

[rwidman]

To the OP"

Fix your leaks. Turning the pressure on and off does not cause leaks.

If you can't figure out how to fix them, hire someone.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by rwidman

"Whale" is a brand of plumbing fittings and tubing often used on boats.

Well yeah, OK but that doesn't really solve anything.

[sailorboy1]

Quick Connect Plumbing

Plumbing

all you have to do it google it

[fallingeggs]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Most of time when the whale fittings leak its just because we aren't pushed in all the way, which isn't sometimes as easy to do as it sounds as it needs 2 hands. They also don't really like to be taken apart and then reseal and sometimes they need the old ends cut off first. It is definitely worth keeping some spare fittings and tubing on the boat, this greatly reduces leaks as you rarely need to use a spare already on the boat.

BTW - don't be wasting time cutting the tubing with a knife etc, go get a plastic tubing cutter at the hardware store and make life easier.

Finishing recently a project of ripping out a mile of 30 year-old tubes and re-plumbing the entire boat with PEX and push-to-connect fittings, this advice is right on the dot. It took a few attempts at pushing fittings together and recutting pipe (with a sharp garden shear) to finally get it to work.

[anacapaisland42]

Did the house with PEX......love it.....going to put on boat!
Bill

Originally Posted by fallingeggs

Finishing recently a project of ripping out a mile of 30 year-old tubes and re-plumbing the entire boat with PEX and push-to-connect fittings, this advice is right on the dot. It took a few attempts at pushing fittings together and recutting pipe (with a sharp garden shear) to finally get it to work.

[MikeFergie]

Change the o rings on your whale push in fitting for slightly thicker ones. After time they get a little flat and leak with pressure

[deluxe68]

Regarding the type of piping to use. Is there a downside to using flexible tubing instead of the more rigid stuff with push-on fittings? Assuming both are NSF.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by deluxe68

Regarding the type of piping to use. Is there a downside to using flexible tubing instead of the more rigid stuff with push-on fittings? Assuming both are NSF.

depends on what you mean by "flexible tubing"