Jeannea Sun Odysssey 32 Fresh water leak

[steveej]

So...……..as part of commissioning the new to me boat, after three weeks on the hard sorting seacocks and the swing keel, relaunch on Thursday bilges have always been dry as a bone (since February at least).

Get down to the boat early Saturday. Emptied cockpit locker and removed the small access panel for the fuel stop cock and noticed a ball valve (closed) seemed to be linked to the calorifier so I opened it.

Filled up the fresh water tank from what was left from previous owners.....took a while.

Went for a spin around the bay and came back and there was a lot of fresh water in the bilge.

Spent all day trying to find the leak. Have unscrewed everything, transom shower seems ok, water tank seems ok.

Any ideas?

 

[greeny]

is the valve you opened the calorifier drain? If so - close it.

 

[jwilson]

is the valve you opened the calorifier drain? If so - close it.

+1 - it probably is a drain valve

 

[bobgoode]

Defoe calorific R drain. There is also a small pipe in that area that leads the pressure relief run off into the bilge. Worth diverting overboard to avoid another source of water in the bilge. You might also note that if you remove the drain plug from the fridge base then that will also drain into the bilge!

 

[steveej]

Thanks everyone. It makes sense that it is the calorifier drain.

Now that it has been drained do I need to do anything? pressure the water pumps and release the pressure valve on the calorifier to fill it up with water?

 

[Venus1]

You have replies that are probably on the money (calorifier drain etc). However I will relate what happened to me delivering a SO37. We filled the (plastic) fresh water tanks before departure. In a seaway we were finding lots of water around the prop shaft - scary until we were pleased to find it was fresh water. Yes, it was spillling from the plastic inspection hatch on the port side fresh water tank that hadn’t been closed firmly enough. Don’t know if your setup is the same..

 

[steveej]

You have replies that are probably on the money (calorifier drain etc). However I will relate what happened to me delivering a SO37. We filled the (plastic) fresh water tanks before departure. In a seaway we were finding lots of water around the prop shaft - scary until we were pleased to find it was fresh water. Yes, it was spillling from the plastic inspection hatch on the port side fresh water tank that hadn’t been closed firmly enough. Don’t know if your setup is the same..

picture attached to make absolute sure. The red handle is towards the bottom of the tank and the pressure relief valve is towards the top of the tank.

I opened the valve thinking it must be something to do with the engine circulation then went for a sail around the bay. I've only just bought the boat so it was the first time using the engine properly and first time to open this valve. Definitely fresh.