water pressure system

[Phil Spicer]

   Our fresh water pump started to cycle for about 1 second every 5 seconds. Messed with it. No dirt stuck in pump. Cleaned all metal in switch. Messed some more. No better.
   Ok, It's a 1988, came with the boat. How many more years can I get out of this pump?
   The pump size was 3.5 GPM. WM wanted $150 for a 3.5 GPM pump but only had a 4 GPM for $170. Went to a new marine store "Discount Marine" and got a 3.5 GPM Johnson Pump foe $115...and it's quiet.
How nice. Now its time to put in the quarter turn shut off valves and finish the job. I'm still thinking about putting the shut off valve in front of the pump or in the bilge so it's easy for others to switch tanks.
   Any other ideas for relocating the pressure pump or valves ?

[Jeff Tancock]

I've redone mine a few times so I can't remember where it started, but presently I have two quarter turn PVC valves on a board just inside the bottom opening door in the galley. You know the one by your right foot when you are standing at the sink, the one that came so that it opened down but you've turned so it opens to the right......It's an easy to switch tanks.

[Ron Hill]

Phil : Go back into the old Mainsheet tech notes about mid 1990s.

You'll find an article by Dave Ewing where he put in a new "water manifold".  As I recall he also had picture where he change to ball valves from the old plastic gate valves.

A thought

[Noah]

A previous owner installed a Y-valve to select which tank the pressure pump draws from. No shut-off on the individual tank feed lines. I installed a single plastic valve after Y-valve, before pump, to facilitate pump switchout if needs maint.. Lots of diferent ways to do things. Not sure mine has seen its final "change" yet...

[Phil Spicer]

   Thanks Ron. I thought there was a tech note on moving the water line valves. Just haven't found it . Will keep looking.

[Stu Jackson]

   Thanks Ron. I thought there was a tech note on moving the water line valves. Just haven't found it . Will keep looking.

Phil,

Go to the tech wiki, find the OLD "Projects" page, and scroll down to the bottom for Captain Al (Watson's) mods and links to his own website, thankfully still available! 

Al did a relocation of the manifold from under the galley sink to under one of the bilge access panels.

Mine are still under the galley sink on the plywood base.  I still have the old plastic gate valves, too.  One "died" so I replaced it with a metal valve from Ace Hardware but ended up rebuilding the plastic one with two new O rings from Ace Hardware!!!  I have no trouble getting to them.  I could just as well have replaced them with ball valves, but never felt the need for that level of simplicity for something I use once every two months.

[Phil Spicer]

   Thank you Stu. Found it. You are the best knowledge base.
The water system is still a work in progress. Everything is working but just a temp set up until I finish some other projects.