Fresh Water Plumbing Diagram for MK-I

[Mike McDonald]

Previous owner made a number of changes to the plumbing on my 1987 boat. For instance, the stern water tank was redirected from under the galley sink to supply only the toilet, and neither of the sinks. both sinks are supplied from the starboard tank only. I'll then need to know how to plumb the lake water from one of the sea cocks under the sink in the head to the toilet. I would also like to know if the rest of the plumbing under the galley sink is correct.  It seems to function properly from the starboard tank.  I also have an ice box with a foot pump that is tied to the galley sink drain line. It works, but some of the water tends to run back into the ice box after pumping if I don't close the in-line ball valve quickly enough.  I would like to tie the 2 fresh water tanks together with the best shut off valve arrangements possible.  If someone happens to have a good diagram, that would be very helpful.  The diagram in the manual is not terribly detailed. If not, I would appreciate any advice before I begin the project.  I have already emptied the tanks to get ready to winterize, but would like to straighten out the water lines first.  I also have some questions on winterizing, but I'll put that in another post.  Thanks.
Mike......

[Ron Hill]

Mike : There is a Mainsheet article written by Dave Ewing about 1996/7 on the way he installed a water manifold. 
The owners manual does give the basics on your boats "factory" plumbing!

Anytime you tend to get back flow, install or usually replace the one way inline valve(that no longer works)!!  In one line I even installed a 1/2 garden hose inline cut off! 

Don't you just love how POs change things and never leave a new diagram!!   A few thoughts

[Stu Jackson]

Mike, Steve's pictures in another thread re the water heater replacement has a good picture of the manifold for the freshwater system under the galley sink:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,7144.msg48286.html#msg48286

The diagram in the manual is pretty good if your study it some.  The two water tanks feed the manifold with a plastic gate valve from each tank.

DON'T, do NOT, plumb your freshwater directly to the toilet.  Don't do it.

Simply connect the head inlet to the head sink drain line, like this: 

Head Odors 101.1 - "T" into sink drain:  http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5755.msg38216.html#msg38216

As far as the ice box drain, I can't help, we have a fridge and I capped the outlet years ago.

[Mike McDonald]

Thanks Ron & Stu,
This is very helpful. I always appreciate your feedback. You've been very helpful.
Mike.....

[Susan Ray]

Aloha Stu..Question..If you capped the outlet from the reefer what do you do with defrost water? My frig frosts over in about 5 days (I know, I'm working on the humidity problem..but this is a tropical place, always humid) so I need to defrost often. I am thinking of an in-line DC pump plumbed to the sink drain as right now it drains to the bilge (yuk). Unless you have some easy way to get rid of the defrost water??
Thanks...Susan

[Stu Jackson]

You're right.  We don't have that issue.  Sorry. 

[Ron Hill]

Susan : I surely am not Stu, but to answer your question on the fridge box drain -- That is exactly why I still have my foot pump connected.
 
We take 6 week cruises and the fridge still needs to be defrosted every couple of weeks.  It sure is nice to be able to pump out the majority of the water with the foot pump and finish off with a spoung.

Stu used to have his sink drain plumbed into that foot pump so his 1st Mate (Cory ) could get her "stair step" exercises by "pumping"out the sink!!  I recommened that she also face aft while pumping so each leg was exercised equally!!

Will be interested in Stu's reply to your question.  

[Stu Jackson]

Stu used to have his sink drain plumbed into that foot pump so his 1st Mate (Cory ) could get her "stair step" exercises by "pumping"out the sink!!  I recommended that she also face aft while pumping so each leg was exercised equally!!  

We still have it that way, works just fine.  Neither one of us has tried Ron's suggestion.  

The reason we have this is from the PO, who put a microwave underneath the galley sink, so I don't even think there's room to do the sink drain upgrade.  And even if there was room, I doubt if I'd spend the time to remove the microwave and do all that "work!"    The foot pump still works just fine, reduces water use!  And increases exercise!

[Ralph Masters]

On Ciao Bella we still have and use the foot pump, but finish off with the wet/dry vac.  Ours is still an ice box, no fancy compressors and all that other stuff.  Some day, maybe.

Ralph and Ann Marie

[efhughes3]

I guess that is a side benefit of an old refrig system that only keeps the fridge at about 40F! That, and living in San Diego, we haven't had to defrost yet...