Sink tap doodahs

[Cardo]

So... another question.

In galley, the boat currently has two separate taps for hot/cold in the sink. How horrendously outdated.
I was thinking of installing a mixer tap to make 'er indoors's life easier.

I also had the bright idea of installing a foot pump operated filtered water supply and placing the "tap" for that in the soon to be unused hole in the sink. This way we'll have a "clean" water supply when sailing around the Med/Caribbean that has the advantage of working when the leccy fails for whatever reason.

I presume I would take the supply to the foot powered doodah from the pipe leading to the electric water pump?

Does this sound like a suitable idea? Any do's/don'ts that one can think of?

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

That's exactly what we have.

Hot water from the hot water tank.
Cold water from the main tank via a Seagull filter.
Both plumbed into a single mixer tap.

Make sure you have a separate foot pump or some other way of getting cold water if the pump fails.

We swapped from the smaller Seagull to the larger one as the flow rate is better that way.

It's great. Means that we have lovely drinkable water from the main tap.

 

[VicS]

A mixer tap ? How terribly "retro"

If you want to use the separate tap idea rather than filtering all the cold water going to the mixer tap, as SolentBoy suggests, you could do as you suggest using a foot operated pump or you could Tee off the pipe between the pump and the mixer tap to the filter and the extra tap. That way you would get filtered water pumped to your extra tap without using a foot pump.

I guess you already have some means of obtaining water if the electric pump fails.

 

[Cardo]

I guess you already have some means of obtaining water if the electric pump fails.

We do not. Thus why I was thinking of adding the extra foot-pump operated water supply. I then figured this could be filtered to provide clean drinking water (without using up filters for all other water).

 

[KellysEye]

We also have a foot pump for salt water washing up on long passages. Then rinse in fresh.

 

[VicS]

We do not. Thus why I was thinking of adding the extra foot-pump operated water supply. I then figured this could be filtered to provide clean drinking water (without using up filters for all other water).

then what you suggest is the way forwards. Two birds, one stone.

 

[vyv_cox]

The reality is that, given only minimal attention, the electricity supply is not going to fail. I have recently removed a manual pump which, despite using it for all cooking duties, became fouled up regularly due to poor flow rate. My electricity supply has never come anywhere near failing in well over 20 years of cruising.

Two options that you might like to consider are the seawater supply on the foot pump already suggested, a very useful addition but not always convenient due to skin fittings difficulties, or the little tap supplied with the Seagull filter. These are expensive but surprisingly beautiful.

 

[dgadee]

or the little tap supplied with the Seagull filter. These are expensive but surprisingly beautiful.

Are Seagull filters the de facto standard on boats? They do seem very expensive.

 

[PetiteFleur]

We fitted a B&Q mixer tap last spring as the original mixer tap had 'blown' apart after the cold winter. The new tap is smaller, much neater, proper tap knobs, only £35 and called the 'MADRID MONO' . Very pleased - but I now leave taps open over winter!

 

[PetiteFleur]

Are Seagull filters the de facto standard on boats? They do seem very expensive.

I use the Jabsco Aquafilter and it seems to work fine for me.

 

[NormanS]

I also have (had) the Jabsco Aquafilter, but lost it last winter due to it freezing. It has no drain plug.

Does the Seagull filter have a convenient drain for the winter? I do drain all the FW piping, and blow it through, but that didn't empty the Aquafilter.

 

[pvb]

We do not. Thus why I was thinking of adding the extra foot-pump operated water supply. I then figured this could be filtered to provide clean drinking water (without using up filters for all other water).

That's what I have on my boat. However, the foot pump is fed by an outlet at the bottom of the tank, whilst the electric pump is fed by an outlet a couple of inches higher. The effect of this is to give a reserve of fresh water, available after the electrically pumped supply runs out.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I also have (had) the Jabsco Aquafilter, but lost it last winter due to it freezing. It has no drain plug.

Does the Seagull filter have a convenient drain for the winter? I do drain all the FW piping, and blow it through, but that didn't empty the Aquafilter.

You just unscrew it.

 

[vyv_cox]

Are Seagull filters the de facto standard on boats? They do seem very expensive.

No, I'm sure there must be others. For full-time cruising when water supplies are sometimes questionable it seemed like a good idea to fit the best available.

For winterising it is easy to empty the unit, and drying out the filter prolongs its life.

 

[pappaecho]

From apractical point if view I think you may have problems with the removal of one tap and the replacement with a mixer tap. The ole sizes in the sink will be different.. difficult in a stainless sink, but impossible if porcelain. There may be small mixers which use the same hole sizes as conventional taps, but I would check first