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Low domestic water pressure


badgerbag

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After the accumulator pressure is exhausted our water slows to not much more than a trickle. The problem seems to be in the supply to the pump, and I’m wondering if when refilling after winter I stirred up enough sediment to partially block the tank outlet. The tank, under the well deck, is accessible from inside the boat but is covered in spray foam, so I can’t  see if there is anyway to gain access for cleaning. The only option I can think of is to disconnect the pump, attach a hose to the supply side and try and reverse flush the system, but if anyone has any other ideas I would be very grateful. 

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It is common practice to have a strainer between the tank and water pump. If your boat has one, then this could be clarted up. They can be dismantled and the mesh cleaned. Hopefully there is also an isolating valve so you can open up the strainer without flooding the boat!

 

Jen

Like this.

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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Also, check whether the hose between tank and pump is collapsing under suction. If the hose is a bit soft, all may look well until the pump runs and may recover thereafter.  I have wire reinforced food grade hose on that bit after finding my previous hose was flattening.

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I’ve cleaned the strainer, there was hardly anything in it. I even swopped the pump for a spare but it made no difference. So I guess it’s off with the panelling to check the hose.

 

many thanks 

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Another possibility is the vent on the water tank that lets air in as the water is pumped out. If this is partially blocked with spiders, then the pump will struggle to draw water from the tank.

Try running the taps in the boat with the tank filler cap off and see if the problem goes away. If so, then take a closer look at the vent.

 

Jen

Had this happen on a petrol tank in a car once. It starved the engine of fuel.

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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45 minutes ago, NickMc said:

Have you checked the aerator on the tap as this can produce the symptoms you have mentioned and is often overlooked.

That's a very good point - I had this problem on my supply at home where most of the water is fed from a storage tank.  I wasted a lot of time trying to find the cause it was only when I started dismantling one of the mixer taps I discovered the blocked aerator.    

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1 hour ago, NickMc said:

Have you checked the aerator on the tap as this can produce the symptoms you have mentioned and is often overlooked.

 

A good suggestion but not consistent the the symptoms,

 

A blocked aerator would not allow full flow until the expansion vessel finished discharging itself. This factor indicates the pressure at the tap is genuinely low. 

 

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Many thanks for the suggestions. I’m not sure about the pick up pipe, I shall try and  check . Does anyone know if under all the spray foam I might find some sort of access to the tank? Can anyone help with the location of the tank vent? I can’t find it. The boat is a Les Allen with the water tank under the well deck.  

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37 minutes ago, badgerbag said:

Can anyone help with the location of the tank vent? I can’t find it. The boat is a Les Allen with the water tank under the well deck.  

 

I don't know the builder but some vents are small pipes which are bent over at the top located on the bow deck. 

 

The easiest way to check whether a blocked or rusted tank vent is the issue is just to take the filler cap off the tank and try opening a tap.

 

My tank vent pipe was badly rusted inside and partially blocked. I ended up cutting the top off with an angle grinder so that I could get a drill through the vertical bit that I'd left on the deck. That's where the real blockage was. I cleaned out the curved bit with some wire and then just put it back together with a couple of inches of hose pipe. The OD of the vent pipe was a perfect tight fit with the ID of the hose. It means I can easily take it apart again next time it gets blocked.

IMG_20190523_213823_7.jpg

Edited by blackrose
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