Cold tap not working

[Scribble]

Hi there,

 

all my taps are delivering hot or cold water apart from the cold tap in galley.  It doesn’t start the pump when cold tap is put on. Might be air blocked but not sure.  Could someone possibly offer some advice on how best to unblock or test my cold water pipe for blockage.  Everything else seems ok.  Many thanks indeed. 

[rusty69]

Can you trace the pipe from the kitchen tap back to where it connects to the main cold pipe, is there a kink in it? Have you tried opening kitchen and bathroom tap at the same time? Not a frozen pipe?

[Alan de Enfield]

You may find there is a very fine filter in the 'open end' of the tap. They regularly get clogged up with lime scale - simply unscrew it and use it without a filter

[Scribble]

Hi there,

 thanks for your help. Yes no obvious changes. No kink in the pipe and yes tried running all taps on with various options - all cold on etc.  it has been cold but it did warm up 9 degrees for a week with no frozen water. So just don’t know how to unblock thanks

Thanks I’ll try that. When I sent cold tap it does not engage the pump unlike all other taps including the hot on same tap. 

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, Scribble said:

Thanks I’ll try that. When I sent cold tap it does not engage the pump unlike all other taps including the hot on same tap. 

 

If the tap is blocked, even when opening it, the pressure will not drop telling the pump to start up.

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

If the tap is blocked, even when opening it, the pressure will not drop telling the pump to start up.

The filter thing on the kitchen tap would prevent the hot from flowing too. Which as I understand it works OK. 

 

They usually block with limescale but rarely prevent all flow in my experience. 

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

The filter thing on the kitchen tap would prevent the hot from flowing too. Which as I understand it works OK. 

 

Unless you have individual taps ?

 

We have one at home that I really must get around to mending -  I think the 'tap washer' is stuck with lime scale - the tap rotates but the washer doesn't lift / open. I reckon the tap is just rotating in the washer.

[rusty69]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Unless you have individual taps ?

 

We have one at home that I really must get around to mending -  I think the 'tap washer' is stuck with lime scale - the tap rotates but the washer doesn't lift / open. I reckon the tap is just rotating in the washer.

Individual taps will only have one water outlet though, where the filter/strainer usually lives. Unless there are some inline ones in each feed. 

 

If it were mine, I'd probably just blow in it, or connect some mains water pressure. 

Edited February 8, 2023 by rusty69

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Individual taps will only have one water outlet though, where the filter/strainer usually lives. Unless there are some inline ones in each feed. 

 

If it were mine, I'd probably just blow in it, or connect some mains water pressure. 

Actually, I'm not sure if that is such a smart idea. 

[Tony Brooks]

9 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Unless you have individual taps ?

 

We have one at home that I really must get around to mending -  I think the 'tap washer' is stuck with lime scale - the tap rotates but the washer doesn't lift / open. I reckon the tap is just rotating in the washer.

 

I agree that is is the more likely. The washer may be so worn that part of it has jammed down the inlet hole. I think it is tap strip time. Water pump off, another tap open, then dismantle.

[Jon57]

1 hour ago, Scribble said:

Hi there,

 thanks for your help. Yes no obvious changes. No kink in the pipe and yes tried running all taps on with various options - all cold on etc.  it has been cold but it did warm up 9 degrees for a week with no frozen water. So just don’t know how to unblock thanks

Thanks I’ll try that. When I sent cold tap it does not engage the pump unlike all other taps including the hot on same tap. 

As the tap been subjected to being frozen recently. If so if it’s a modern monoblock tap (quarter turn) the cartridge could be damaged.

[Scribble]

Thank you. I suspect it has been frozen so I’ll explore the cartridge suggestion. Thanks

[Bod]

Is there an isolating valve for this tap?

Any work been done on the boat before this tap became a problem?

 

Bod

[Mike Tee]

If there is an isolating valve on the problem tap run, turn it off and undo the run on the tap side - if water flows when you open the valve your tap is knackered.

[Bee]

tun all the other taps off. do that limescale check thing then open the cold tap and if you can get your lips around it give it a good suck and it might well work. Just think of England and keep sucking.