RickS Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 I am near Daventry and need a plumber. Everyone at the marina is either off sick or unavailable. Any suggestions please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 1 minute ago, RickS said: I am near Daventry and need a plumber. Everyone at the marina is either off sick or unavailable. Any suggestions please? Check a Trade or My Hammer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 6 minutes ago, RickS said: Everyone at the marina is either off sick or unavailable. Hmmm... Code for "No-one want the job". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted April 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 6 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said: Check a Trade or My Hammer? Will they be OK working on a boat or doesn't it much matter? 2 minutes ago, MtB said: Hmmm... Code for "No-one want the job". Not at all - you are being too cynical MtB 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 2 minutes ago, RickS said: Will they be OK working on a boat or doesn't it much matter? Not at all - you are being too cynical MtB 🙂 Might help if you state what work you require doing. Like boaters, not all plumbers are the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted April 27, 2022 Report Share Posted April 27, 2022 58 minutes ago, MtB said: Might help if you state what work you require doing. Yes, and you might even get some advice on how to do the job yourself. Basic plumbing isn't difficult, it's often just a matter of getting the right bits and joining them together. You might learn how to do something too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted April 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 Fair points. I have water in the back bedroom that has rotted the floor. It is clearly something historic as the damaged floor I found shortly after I had bought the boat, but the bilge then was bone dry so it was, or so I thought, a case of replacing that section of floor - low priority. Noticed some damp in the wardrobe, lifted the rear step and water was up to floor level. Hoovered it out, but it is slowly creeping up again. Very worrying and I am out of my depth (no pun intended!). I was thinking that I might drill a few holes in suitable places in the floor along the boat to try and isolate where it is coming from, but starting to panic slightly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 1 minute ago, RickS said: Fair points. I have water in the back bedroom that has rotted the floor. It is clearly something historic as the damaged floor I found shortly after I had bought the boat, but the bilge then was bone dry so it was, or so I thought, a case of replacing that section of floor - low priority. Noticed some damp in the wardrobe, lifted the rear step and water was up to floor level. Hoovered it out, but it is slowly creeping up again. Very worrying and I am out of my depth (no pun intended!). I was thinking that I might drill a few holes in suitable places in the floor along the boat to try and isolate where it is coming from, but starting to panic slightly. It is just as likely to be a 'leaky window' as a leaky pipe and a plumber is unlikely to be able to refit or seal a window. You really need to identify where it is coming from (worse case - it could even be canal water thru a a pin-hole in the hull) and then either fix it yourself or employ the 'correct' person to do the work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted April 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 That's the problem really. I have no idea how to identify where it is coming from - particularly if it is through a window or through the hull - which is why I think I need professional help. Hence the potential hole drilling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 (edited) Agree with Alan. if it is a plumbing leak from the water system then the pump would run in short bursts more frequently than normal but normal is variable depending upon if you have an accumulator or not. If you do it should hardly ever run between tap use. It could be a leak from the shower or shower drain system, especially if you have one of the stupid automatic bilge pump in a sump box type system. If it is a shower leak you may find signs of shower gel or soap in the bilge water. Some old boats actually drain their shower into the bilge. If the water pump is not running intermittently and the water looks clean it is far more likely to be window or roof vent to boat seal. Also be aware even though you drained it, it takes time for all the water to flow back to inspection point. You need to drain it several times over a couple of weeks. I would keep it as dry as possible and as summer is coming see if the water can be linked to rain fall. It could even be condensation on the inside of the hull. If it is it will stop soon until autumn. If it is a hull leak then after any drain back time has elapsed the leak would continue in a consistent volume that might alter when you are moving the boat. These things are difficult to diagnose so may be expensive for no resolution, this means Mike might be correct in that they would rather not have the job. Edited April 28, 2022 by Tony Brooks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEngo Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 Go to Screwfix and buy some fluorescein dye. This turns water bright green. MAY BANK HOLIDAY UPDATES NEXT DAY DELIVERY 7 Days per week 773 Stores Nationwide find your local store Latest Spring Offers Drain Cleaning Tools Click & Collect Check stock in your local store Deliver MONUMENT TOOLS FLOURESCEIN DRAIN DYE 133G (31595) Mix up a half bucketful and tip it into the shower tray. Pump it out. Rinse out the shower tray. Check to see if the water in your bilge has gone green. A UV light, if you have one, will make it glow if their is any Fluoroscein present. If the water is green the shower waste is leaking somewhere. Fix that. Mix up another bucketful and spray all of it round the windows portholes and vents. Rinse well afterwards with a hosepipe. Wait 24 hours and see if the bilge water is green. If it is, a window is leaking. Repeat the spray/rinse /wait bit one window/ porthole/ vent at a time until you find the one(s) that are leaking. Re seal them. N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted April 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 Thanks Tony the only time the pump short cycles is when the immersion heater has been switched on. It comes on for a second every once in a while - I assumed as the water in the calorifier cools and the pressure drops slightly. Otherwise, it doesn't come on unless the taps are open. Water does look clean - apart from slight rust tinge - and when hoovered out first time there was a very slight amount of white around the edge that may have been soapy. Draining showers into the bilge seems utterly crazy that boatbuilders would do that - I had no idea that might be a possibilty. Out of interest, why is the sump box system not a good idea please? Thanks again 2 minutes ago, BEngo said: Go to Screwfix and buy some fluorescein dye. This turns water bright green. MAY BANK HOLIDAY UPDATES NEXT DAY DELIVERY 7 Days per week 773 Stores Nationwide find your local store Latest Spring Offers Drain Cleaning Tools Click & Collect Check stock in your local store Deliver MONUMENT TOOLS FLOURESCEIN DRAIN DYE 133G (31595) Mix up a half bucketful and tip it into the shower tray. Pump it out. Rinse out the shower tray. Check to see if the water in your bilge has gone green. A UV light, if you have one, will make it glow if their is any Fluoroscein present. If the water is green the shower waste is leaking somewhere. Fix that. Mix up another bucketful and spray all of it round the windows portholes and vents. Rinse well afterwards with a hosepipe. Wait 24 hours and see if the bilge water is green. If it is, a window is leaking. Repeat the spray/rinse /wait bit one window/ porthole/ vent at a time until you find the one(s) that are leaking. Re seal them. N Thanks BEngo. Looks like it might be worth trying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 (edited) 19 minutes ago, RickS said: Out of interest, why is the sump box system not a good idea please? Because there is a very long and dishonorable history of the automatic switch failing so the sump box fills up and then overflows into the bilge. Much simpler and less leak prone to have a manual switch and a Whale Gulper pump. If you decide to try the dye you may have to wait awhile for the dye to reach the inspection trap and I fear it may take a lot of spraying time to show a small leak. Edited April 28, 2022 by Tony Brooks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 28 minutes ago, RickS said: Draining showers into the bilge seems utterly crazy that boatbuilders would do that - I had no idea that might be a possibilty. Out of interest, why is the sump box system not a good idea please? It tends to be 'older' boats that have these systems. Generally more modern boats will have the shower connected directly to a pump that pumps the water overboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 52 minutes ago, RickS said: Fair points. I have water in the back bedroom that has rotted the floor. It is clearly something historic as the damaged floor I found shortly after I had bought the boat, but the bilge then was bone dry so it was, or so I thought, a case of replacing that section of floor - low priority. Noticed some damp in the wardrobe, lifted the rear step and water was up to floor level. Hoovered it out, but it is slowly creeping up again. Very worrying and I am out of my depth (no pun intended!). I was thinking that I might drill a few holes in suitable places in the floor along the boat to try and isolate where it is coming from, but starting to panic slightly. Ok thanks. I suspect my previous comment about no-one in the boatyard wanting the job was probably quite accurate then. Tracing the source of water accumulating in a bilge is a thankless task for a tradesman employed to find the source and fix it, with no guarantee of success or of being paid. It would be dead easy to spend best part of a day carefully investigating and find no reason for it, in which case the customer is unlikely to be delighted with their bill. On the other hand a leak might be found, fixed billed for and payment received, only to find a few weeks later water is still accumulating in the bilge, just more slowly. Tough to say, but the source of the water is one of those things I think you'll have to find for yourself. Once you've found it, fixing it will be the easy bit. As others have said, a window or the shower waste are the favourite candidates. Window leaks are fiendish to find as you'll need to take off the interior lining to see. Do you have a bilge pump in there? I'd start by emptying it all out including sponging out all the last bits, then keeping a close eye on when more appears and trying to connect that with the weather i.e. has it rained or not. If no rain you can probably rule out a window leak. Then try not showering for a week and compare the result in the bilge... etc etc... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 A mystery clean water leak could be from the water tank or the pipework before the water pump. The pump won't run because its before. I have seen a few stainless tanks with leaks when they are full and plastic tanks with splits high up which only leak when you fill them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Brooks Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 3 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said: A mystery clean water leak could be from the water tank or the pipework before the water pump. The pump won't run because its before. I have seen a few stainless tanks with leaks when they are full and plastic tanks with splits high up which only leak when you fill them. Good call, or even from the tank breather or filler if a metal pipe has rusted through or a hose has split. One thing for sure the OP has lots to think about and investigate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 1 hour ago, RickS said: Thanks Tony the only time the pump short cycles is when the immersion heater has been switched on. It comes on for a second every once in a while - I assumed as the water in the calorifier cools and the pressure drops slightly. Otherwise, it doesn't come on unless the taps are open. Water does look clean - apart from slight rust tinge - and when hoovered out first time there was a very slight amount of white around the edge that may have been soapy. Draining showers into the bilge seems utterly crazy that boatbuilders would do that - I had no idea that might be a possibilty. Out of interest, why is the sump box system not a good idea please? Thanks again Thanks BEngo. Looks like it might be worth trying So, when you turn on the immersion the pump short cycles. Have you checked the pressure relief valve normally located on or near the calorifier with a red top on it? Where does it drain to? If it drains outboard that's good. If Inboard where's the water going? Afterthat trace and check the hot water pipes to various taps. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 In summary it isn't a plumber the OP needs, it's a detective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 35 minutes ago, MtB said: In summary it isn't a plumber the OP needs, it's a detective. This sort of chappy ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 49 minutes ago, Slim said: So, when you turn on the immersion the pump short cycles. Have you checked the pressure relief valve normally located on or near the calorifier with a red top on it? Where does it drain to? If it drains outboard that's good. If Inboard where's the water going? Afterthat trace and check the hot water pipes to various taps. I think the OP is saying that the pump cycles when the calorifier is cooling down after having the immersion heater on. Sounds like there is no accumulator or it has gone flat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUMPY Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 51 minutes ago, Slim said: So, when you turn on the immersion the pump short cycles. Have you checked the pressure relief valve normally located on or near the calorifier with a red top on it? Where does it drain to? If it drains outboard that's good. If Inboard where's the water going? Afterthat trace and check the hot water pipes to various taps. My thought as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 3 hours ago, RickS said: shortly after I had bought the boat, but the bilge then was bone dry so it was, or so I thought, a case of replacing that section of floor - low priority. Noticed some damp in the wardrobe, lifted the rear step and water was up to floor level How long between the bilge being bone dry and flooded up to floor level? And is there any ventilation of the under-floor space, or is it effectively sealed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said: I think the OP is saying that the pump cycles when the calorifier is cooling down after having the immersion heater on. Sounds like there is no accumulator or it has gone flat. Or its lifting the RV as it heats up and squirts into the bilge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted April 28, 2022 Report Share Posted April 28, 2022 4 hours ago, Tony Brooks said: Agree with Alan. if it is a plumbing leak from the water system then the pump would run in short bursts more frequently than normal but normal is variable depending upon if you have an accumulator or not. If you do it should hardly ever run between tap use. It could be a leak from the shower or shower drain system, especially if you have one of the stupid automatic bilge pump in a sump box type system. If it is a shower leak you may find signs of shower gel or soap in the bilge water. Some old boats actually drain their shower into the bilge. If the water pump is not running intermittently and the water looks clean it is far more likely to be window or roof vent to boat seal. Also be aware even though you drained it, it takes time for all the water to flow back to inspection point. You need to drain it several times over a couple of weeks. I would keep it as dry as possible and as summer is coming see if the water can be linked to rain fall. It could even be condensation on the inside of the hull. If it is it will stop soon until autumn. If it is a hull leak then after any drain back time has elapsed the leak would continue in a consistent volume that might alter when you are moving the boat. These things are difficult to diagnose so may be expensive for no resolution, this means Mike might be correct in that they would rather not have the job. When my engine room filled with water from the water pump, it threw me a bit as the pump was not running. The leak was the pump had split. Just saying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Featured Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now