Leaking pipe and damp floorboards, who might be able to fix it?

[Thomas C King]

4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Now we seem to have it. A leak. Remember a little drip running 24/7 ends up as a lot of water. You need to be sure it is around the filter and not from the joint in the pump head body. That's where they usually leak after being frozen or some such.

 

You may well have an accumulator storing water and that will keep the system pressure up but gradually dropping until it's just about empty, then the pump cuts in so the pump is filling the accumulator and supplying the tank. That would take far longer than just pressurising the pipes with no accumulator.

 

 

 

Yes there is an accumulator. Okay, so if that's likely an issue I'll replace the filter or pump, depending. I hadn't realised that a small drip could be the issue. The only thing is that the pump is well forward of a lot of the damp, but we're going to check the other pipes and the bath seal as well (but, as you said before, the water could just be backing up).

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, Thomas C King said:

 

Yes there is an accumulator. Okay, so if that's likely an issue I'll replace the filter or pump, depending. I hadn't realised that a small drip could be the issue. The only thing is that the pump is well forward of a lot of the damp, but we're going to check the other pipes and the bath seal as well (but, as you said before, the water could just be backing up).

 

It really needs careful investigation over some time. Remember the tip about wrapping the potential leak points in a kitchen towel and leaving it for a while. that should soon show how bad a leak is. Are the pup connections by hose or rigid pipe. If rigid pipe the fitting in the pump can get skewed so the sealing O ring leaks and that can look like a leaking filter at a cursory look.

[Thomas C King]

Just now, Tony Brooks said:

 

It really needs careful investigation over some time. Remember the tip about wrapping the potential leak points in a kitchen towel and leaving it for a while. that should soon show how bad a leak is. Are the pup connections by hose or rigid pipe. If rigid pipe the fitting in the pump can get skewed so the sealing O ring leaks and that can look like a leaking filter at a cursory look.

Thanks, it's fairly rigid plastic pipe so that would explain any damage to a newish pump.

[Tony Brooks]

24 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

Thanks, it's fairly rigid plastic pipe so that would explain any damage to a newish pump.

 

Rigid plastic pipe even though it bends a bit tends to amplify the pump noise so in time think about changing then for flexible tap connectors or a length of potable water hose. (I ignore the potable bit on my boat because the lengths are short and when aboard the system is flushed several times a day so plasticisers from the plastic cant build up in the water.

[Laurie Booth]

9 hours ago, canals are us? said:

Do you have a calorifier, hot water cylinder under bed etc? If so is the pressure relief red valve thing piped out to a skin fitting? When I bought my boat there was a bucket to catch the dribbling water when heated.

 

James.

My calorifier drips from the valve, to stop this all I do is leave the hot water tap on (water pump off) and the water goes down the sink.

[Tony Brooks]

8 hours ago, Laurie Booth I.S.M. said:

My calorifier drips from the valve, to stop this all I do is leave the hot water tap on (water pump off) and the water goes down the sink.

Yes, that would do it but its really just a bodge to save doing the job properly. Do you have  a properly pressurised expansion vessel? The seat of the valve may now be eroded so even with an expansion vessel it may need a new valve.

[Laurie Booth]

30 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

Yes, that would do it but its really just a bodge to save doing the job properly. Do you have  a properly pressurised expansion vessel? The seat of the valve may now be eroded so even with an expansion vessel it may need a new valve.

I do not have a expansion vessel.

 

[Tony Brooks]

5 minutes ago, Laurie Booth I.S.M. said:

I do not have a expansion vessel.

 

 

So that is why the valve started dripping whenever the calorifier was heated. Now the seat might be damaged.

 

You have sorted a workaround that suits you so its fair  enough but its not best practice.

[Laurie Booth]

7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

So that is why the valve started dripping whenever the calorifier was heated. Now the seat might be damaged.

 

You have sorted a workaround that suits you so its fair  enough but its not best practice.

Thanks for the advice, I will have a check next time.

 

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

So that is why the valve started dripping whenever the calorifier was heated. Now the seat might be damaged.

 

You have sorted a workaround that suits you so its fair  enough but its not best practice.

Except the seat will get worse until it leaks whenever the pump is on

[Laurie Booth]

6 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Except the seat will get worse until it leaks whenever the pump is on

What is the seat.?

[ditchcrawler]

26 minutes ago, Laurie Booth I.S.M. said:

What is the seat.?

Valve seat, the bit that stops the water coming out. Water leaking out erodes it and also coats it with deposits (scale)

Edited March 28, 2021 by ditchcrawler

[Laurie Booth]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Valve seat, the bit that stops the water coming out. Water leaking out erodes it and also coats it with deposits (scale)

OK

[George and Dragon]

Useful discussion, thanks everyone. 

 

We have a similar issue, unfortunately it seems the fitout was designed to make getting to the calorifier impossible without dismantling half the inside of the boat (or maybe I just haven't looked properly).

[Tracy D'arth]

1 hour ago, George and Dragon said:

Useful discussion, thanks everyone. 

 

We have a similar issue, unfortunately it seems the fitout was designed to make getting to the calorifier impossible without dismantling half the inside of the boat (or maybe I just haven't looked properly).

The PRV may not be on the calorifier, check along all the hot water pipes first, it could be anywhere along them.

[Tony Brooks]

Or even on a pipe T'd off those pipes and  run into the engine bay or bilge.