Finding a Fresh water leak

[Jamesuk]

Hi

I have been living on a Dufour 30 now for 5 months and have b een struggling to find a leak that is FRESH WATER (taste test) Is there any suggestions for what to do to find the leak. I have taken ALL the water out and tried filling it up to find the leak. Someone suggested using a Coloured Dye but I think it is a split pipe somewhere that is in accessible.

Any Ideas on what kind of Dye I might need to use and where to get it?

Cheers James

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

A popular spot for leaks is the breather pipe. Does your leak occur all the time or only when the tank is filled to the brim? Also can you isolate the tanks to identify which one is leaking. Lastly what is the scale of the leak on the scale 1 to 10. ( 1 being a drip and 10 being...... I don't believe it!!!)
I think any food dye might help but the experts would use fluorescent dye which may be toxic

 

[oldsaltoz]

Just sprinkle some talc around the edge of the bilge, when you see the break in the powder, add more above that area and back track to find the leak.

 

[nedmin]

put a spoonful of cochineal in the tank.used for food colouring and quite safe.Any supermarket.

 

[nedmin]

PS. Probably called food colouring now. Was made from a beetle found on cactus probably artificial now.

 

[Ubergeekian]

put a spoonful of cochineal in the tank.used for food colouring and quite safe.Any supermarket.

I can't see what good that would do the OP. Unless he's got multiple fresh water systems, and needs to know which one is leaking, why would a bilge full of red water tell him any more than a bilge full of water coloured water?

 

[red beard]

Suppose some food colouring dye in the tank would at least confirm that its not rain water.

 

[Ubergeekian]

Suppose some food colouring dye in the tank would at least confirm that its not rain water.

Good point.

 

[Billjratt]

Listen to the fragrant Oldsaltoz.
It doesn't matter what colour the water is, or how it tastes.
Talc will allow the source to be traced and subsequenty repaired.
Simples

 

[Stig]

I don't know if this helps but I had a problem sourcing a fresh water leak which I eventually traced back to a faulty pressure relief valve on the water heater.

 

[MM5AHO]

Mine was rain. Took some figuring out, as it didn't really seem to coincide with rain, but as I was 100 miles from the marina, when not at the boat, I didn't really know the rainfall.
Rain seeped through several small places including a cockpit seat timber screw not sealed, and the gear lever in the cockpit whose mounting plate was loose.

 

[Jamesuk]

Hi All,

Thanks for the advice. There is only one tank in the bow of the Dufour 30 under the bunks. I have isolated the tank and found it is certainly not the tank itself.

It rained like it was going out of fashion yesterday and I have found no indication of rain water entering the bilges. I was actually rather impressed there was now leak (Plastic fantastic )

I have checked out all fittings and they are all fine. I think it is a split pipe somewhere. I am attacking the problem this week. Will keep you posted.

 

[pieter2]

talc works, but crêpe paper (is that proper English ?) would be more easy to see.
Use different colors on different places.

 

[Blue5]

I don't know if this helps but I had a problem sourcing a fresh water leak which I eventually traced back to a faulty pressure relief valve on the water heater.

A similar problem on our Dufour, this went on for ages and I traced it to a weep around the collar on the calorifier, it would show up when the water heated up (presumably with the aid of a little expansion).

I eventually replaced with a new calorifier and even that dribbles a bit of water through the PRV, we have now stopped this by bleeding the system of pressure before the engine is started.