Hot water system in boat. How does it work?

[CaptainBob]

My boat has a flexi water tank for cold water - and another smaller one. It also has an insulated hot water tank which has engine cooling water run through it.

I've one electric pump, and one foot pump. But both make water come out of hot and cold.

How does the hot water system know to pass water from the flexi tank to the insulated tank, which are at about the same level - and so how does that even happen?

And how does one pump make water come out of both hot and cold systems?

Thank you!

 

[stelican]

Strange queston for someone who calls himself captain suggest you dont leaving mooring!

 

[anniebray]

Downstream of the pump there is a tee joint. One branch goes to the cold tap(s) & the other to your hot water tank & thence to hot water tap(s). Simple as that. There is usually a gas filled accumulator downstream of the pump so it doesn't go on & off every second.

 

[CaptainBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Downstream of the pump there is a tee joint. One branch goes to the cold tap(s) & the other to your hot water tank & thence to hot water tap(s). Simple as that. There is usually a gas filled accumulator downstream of the pump so it doesn't go on & off every second.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah so water put into the cold flexi tank ends up being used in both the hot and cold systems?

That makes sense, but I don't understand what the other flexi tank is for then - I have two.

 

[anniebray]

Perhaps the previous owner wanted extra water capacity . I'm just about to do the same for my boat !

 

[pollygonforty]

agree with you stelican ,my god !!

 

[geoffcollins]

[ QUOTE ]
Strange queston for someone who calls himself captain suggest you dont leaving mooring!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a bit obtuse

 

[bobgoode]

The only stupid question is the one that you don't ask!

 

[steve6367]

I am not sure you need an understanding of the hot water system for safe navigation.........

 

[ironmaiden]

Re; stelican and pollygon ....and your answers to the posters question about plumbing is............... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Eeyore]

 

[ghostlymoron]

Similar to my system but I do not have a manual pump. However I've been thinking of adding one for when the electric one fails but it would be just for cold water. A hand operated one would be easier to fit - are they any good?
Re jibes from pelican and pollygon, I don't really think that these sort of comments add value to the forum.

 

[CaptainBob]

Thank you for the diagram and explanations. In fairness to stelican and pollygon - it is rather simple, and I probably should have been able to guess it would work that way. Bit embarrassing really.

Had it fixed in my head that I had two flexible tanks and two taps, and so one was for one, one for the other - and I really couldn't explain that.

Thanks again.

 

[vyv_cox]

<< A hand operated one would be easier to fit - are they any good? >>

We have a filtered supply through a manual pump for kettle and cooking, everything else through a pumped supply. The manual pump is the Whale vertical one, was a Mk 5 and now a Mk 6. I must say it's one of the worst bits of kit on the boat. I have had two Mk 5s, plus several service kits for each. When the Mk 6 came out I thought - 'At last, hope they have fixed all the problems'. They haven't, just a couple of them. The piston seals leak straight out of the box, on every one I've owned. The pump action is jerky and it sometimes doesn't prime. The spout broke off both the Mk 5s and I had to repair them with Milliput. Unfortunately it's the only pump that will fit the space.

Added to that, on our boat when the tanks are full the water runs through the tap and into the bilge on starboard tack. The Mk 5 pump had an optional shut-off valve that attached to the end of the spout. The Mk 6 doesn't have it, so I have to botch up a plastic cap instead.

Not my first equipment choice!