Fresh Water Leak

[raybo3]

Update on water leak. Vac dried the bilge. Turned on shore water and checked 2 hours later and no leak. Shut off shore water and turned on fresh water pump checked 2 hours later and no leak. Shut off pump and turned on shore water checked bilge and dry as a bone. About 4 hours later checked bilge and had about 5 gallons of fresh water in bilge. Could not see where it came from. Shut water off, pumped out bilge turned fresh water back on around 9pm last night, checked this morning at 5am and still dry and no leak. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

PS
Always dry at hot water heater, seems that when leak is there its coming from port side.....

[merwin10]

Hi Ray -

Driving you NUTS!  Where do you see the water (aft bilge)? Well let's see given you had 5 gallons in 4 hours that is a considerable drip 1.25 gallons per hour!  What is on the port side! Head, galley, AC condensate! Might be time to tear into things so you can see the pipes! Hey does your boat have a built-in shore water pressure regulator? Sometimes when a piece of sand or debris get stuck in seal while the pressure is being relieved they drip! Only say that because the drip seems to come and go, WTF! Seems too leak when shore water only is on! Does it leak when Shore water is off?

Mike - 

[ParkRode360]

I'm betting either AC condensate or galley sink....

[raybo3]

Hey George I checked both and the sink was dry and A/C pan is draining with no problems. Shower and head sink dry also.... Sometimes the system stays pressurized and sometimes it does not.....
 

[merwin10]

Hi Ray -

What that you say? "Sometimes the system stays pressurized and sometimes it does not....." What is this? Must be under boats fresh pump water system! Ray repalce your pump check valve as it should not be losing pressure! This forces water to back up the shore water line and leak particularily at the pressure releif valve for the shore water! The pee hole on the releif valve is not protected in the reverse direction only the forward direction! The incoming shore water pressure pushes on a spring that has a diaphram that covers the pee hole in the forward direction, no water pressure and the hole is uncovered and open as the spring is no longer compressed! Reverse pressure from the boats pump up the fresh water shore line will leak out the pee hole!

Mike - 
 

[raybo3]

I will check that later this afternoon. Mike thanks again......

[merwin10]

Hi Ray -

Look at the shore water inlet where you attach the water hose! On the mount do you see to small holes on either side of the where the hose goes on the plastic! If you do, you have a built in pressure regulator! Those two small holes is were the spanner wrench goes to unscrew the spring loaded housing to the pressure regulator! If you do not have the spanner wrench it can be a headache to take appart! I made one for my boat out of a piece of steel and welded two small drill bits to it, worked pretty good as the welding process took some of the temper out of the bits so they would not snap off! Even with this home made tool it is a son of a gun to un-screw!

Mike -

[DaleM]

Is the water heater on or off?  Could it be the pressure relief valve on the water heater that is getting weak and possibly opening up momentarily then closing?  Not familiar with your boat's layout so I don't know where the water hearter is, port or starboard.  Rear port side on my 270.

  Always dry at hot water heater, seems that when leak is there its coming from port side.....

Leak is where?  At water heater?

[Oldntired]

Do you shower often?  Areas to check for leaks when all systems are ok and drip free:  The bolt holes that hold the toilet to the floor, the exit of the 1 1/2 honey hose to the tank likes to leak shower water, and any access holes that have been added.  Also check the seams that are sealed by sylicone in the shower area.  These drop the water to the hull and end up on one of the bilges.  Just a thought...,

[Maxtout]

My 2002 342 had same problem, drove me nuts. Ended up being where trim tabs bolted on transom was leaking around where cord came through. Removed, cleaned old chalking out and replaced with new, no problems.

[pepmyster]

Ray!!!!!! Keep the faith man!!!!! You'll find it!