Issue with water system

bert_florida

Hello all,

My first post here. I just purchased a 2003 Rinker Fiesta Vee 290, during the survey and seatrial things checked out fine, but as soon as I took delivery of the boat the fresh water system stopped working. I took a peak in the bilge and noticed that the previous owner installed a brand new water pump, but the water pump is not priming, the tank is full of water actually, I checked the tank vent as well as the fill hose, no blockage, but full of water. I can't for the life of me find the "water pickup" from the water tank, pardon my ignorance, but should be a simple system, right? I am guessing there should be a pickup fitting at the bottom of the fresh water tank somewhere that runs a hose to the pump, then from the pump it should go to the water heater and all faucets, am I correct? If the tank is full, I am assuming there is a blockage somewhere between the water tank and the pump, pump runs fine, but can't prime, it is not a vent issue, so any suggestions on where else to look? I tried to follow the water pump intake hose back to the fresh water tank, but it is almost impossible to do so without taking half the boat apart.

Any thoughts? I appreciate it.

Thank you!

Bert

aero3113

Welcome to the forum! There should be a filter strainer on the pump that may need to be cleaned.

Ian

Is the pump running continuously? If so may be air in the lines and/or getting sucked in, I had the issue last season with the filter glass cracked and was having a hard time pumping up pressure, these pumps pressurize water easily, air not so. If the pump runs and shuts off then runs when you open a faucet then off when closed, it is pressurizing.

LaRea

Welcome, and congratulations on your new boat!

Your summary of the system is correct.  Here's an easy thing to check:  at the water pump, disconnect the supply hose and make sure water comes out (assuming the water tank is 100% full to the top).  

The hose should have a quick-disconnect fitting like in the picture below.  See the blue plastic tab that I circled in red?  Pull that tab, and the hose should pull out easily.  

If you have any trouble with it, post a photo and we'll help you figure it out.

reneechris14

Some boats have a city water connection witch I have on my 342 so if the valve is turned  that could be you blockage. Just a thought.

bert_florida

Thank you for all the help guys! The water tank is full, I know this because I can not only see it, but I removed the vent hose and water came out, it is that full! The pump runs continuously as if it is not priming itself. I disconnected the supply hose from the pump already and no water came out of the hose, there must be a "blockage" somewhere between the tank pickup and the pump, just not sure where, it is impossible to follow that supply hose to the tank as it is routed from the firewall on the port side along the port side to the stern to the starboard side where the fresh water tank is, so it is behind all kinds of stuff, water heater, battery charger, engines, etc.

Any other ideas are very much appreciated.

Bert

bert_florida

reneechris14 said:

Some boats have a city water connection witch I have on my 342 so if the valve is turned  that could be you blockage. Just a thought.

What do you mean by "if the valve is turned"? There is a city water connection, if I plug a hose there the water runs fine through all faucets in the boat, but I can't figure out where that valve might be or how that is routed into the water system. I guess the tank feeds the pump via supply hose, then after the pump there is a valve for the city water connection?

Thank you! Been boating for many years, but never had to troubleshoot a fresh water system lol

YYZRC

Can you push a wire or similar through the supply hose from the pump to the tank? That might dislodge your blockage without having to futz around. 

bert_florida

YYZRC said:

Can you push a wire or similar through the supply hose from the pump to the tank? That might dislodge your blockage without having to futz around. 

I am going to try that next, just left the marina, won't be back there till Thursday, any other feedback is appreciated.

rasbury

Open all your faucets - if I run my water out and need to prime it, that works on mine

bert_florida

rasbury said:

Open all your faucets - if I run my water out and need to prime it, that works on mine

Tried that already, it seems like the supply hose is clothed up, interestingly enough I noticed that the tank has 3 fittings, a large one for filling, a small one for venting and I can see another large fitting at the bottom of the tank with a large hose, however that is much larger hose than the one that comes out of the port side for the pump, I am guessing that somewhere along the way that large hose connects to the small hose, could there be a screen somewhere or something like that? I am at a loss, going to have to hire someone to do something very simple lol

rasbury

There is a screen at the pump inlet...

reneechris14

If it runs on city water the valve is turned, my valve is with in 2ft of my pump small white in line valve

reneechris14

right at the top of the picture you can just see it on the white hose.

reneechris14

Looking at it now it appears ot be before the pump, so city water must go through the pump then though the boat. 

bert_florida

reneechris14 said:

Looking at it now it appears ot be before the pump, so city water must go through the pump then though the boat. 

Thats what I was thinking mainly because when we did the sea trial and survey, the water system was working perfectly, all faucets, pump would run while faucets were open, then as soon as you closed the faucets the pump would build pressure and stop within seconds, then on the first actual outing on the boat the pump never stopped and no more water came out of any faucet, I tried plugging in the hose at the dock into the "city water intake" and that works fine. I am sure something is clogged somewhere between tank and pump, the question is where and interestingly enough the hose coming out of the tank is much bigger than the supply hose going into the pump, so at some point that hose changes, either a fitting, a screen, a valve or something. I might have to take half the boat apart lol

LaRea

Disconnect the supply hose from the pump, get a hose connected to city water, and back-flush from the pump into the tank. Or use compressed air to back-flush.

Pat310

When you say the bottom hose coming out of the tank is larger compared to pump hose could you be looking at the holding tank?  I know the caps on my fill and pump out both say water. Guess PO couldn’t find one that said waste. Maybe you filled the wrong tank. Just saying 🤔

YYZRC

bert_florida said:

Thank you for all the help guys! The water tank is full, I know this because I can not only see it, but I removed the vent hose and water came out, it is that full! 

Pat310 said:

When you say the bottom hose coming out of the tank is larger compared to pump hose could you be looking at the holding tank?  I know the caps on my fill and pump out both say water. Guess PO couldn’t find one that said waste. Maybe you filled the wrong tank. Just saying 🤔

Well now this is getting entertaining!! 

bert_florida

Pat310 said:

When you say the bottom hose coming out of the tank is larger compared to pump hose could you be looking at the holding tank?  I know the caps on my fill and pump out both say water. Guess PO couldn’t find one that said waste. Maybe you filled the wrong tank. Just saying 🤔

lol, water is on starboard side, waste is on port side, waste is empty, water is full, you can see the label on each side of the boat I'll play with back flushing first and see what that does. I'll report back, thanks everyone for the help.

Ian

Opposite to mine... but its a 310. I think its time for photos, I am also perplexed about the larger hose comment.

bert_florida

icoultha said:

Opposite to mine... but its a 310. I think its time for photos, I am also perplexed about the larger hose comment.

Hahaha I’m not embarrassed to feel like a complete idiot. I find it interesting that if the starboard side tank is the waste tank, it’s full of clear and clean water, not like I tasted it lol but it does look that way. Could be that some dumba$$ changed the water and waste caps as they’re clearly marked, but I wouldn’t be surprised as I’ve seen it all. I’ll be at the marina Friday. I’ll check and report back. 

TonyG13

If I'm not mistaken, the Waste cap is not attached with a tether (so you can attach the pump out suction), and the Water cap is attached with a tether. Another way to tell the difference unless someone ripped 'em off and switched them?

Ian

Correct @TonyG13 and even if torn off the waste port won’t have a screw hole anyway.

rasbury

Right...nothing to screw on with  the water inlet.  

LaRea

Well, regardless of the caps, a quick sniff test should make it pretty obvious!

Willhound

And generally, waste will be on the same side as the head and water the same side as the galley.

YYZRC

LaRea said:

Well, regardless of the caps, a quick sniff test should make it pretty obvious!

But what about those of us who have s**t that doesn't stink!!??

Willhound

YYZRC said:

LaRea said:

Well, regardless of the caps, a quick sniff test should make it pretty obvious!

But what about those of us who have s**t that doesn't stink!!??

You're a legend in your own mind! 

bert_florida

Well....... I feel like a complete dumb idiot lmao. Indeed, tanks are as you guys said. Somebody switched the caps! Neither cap has a tether, and both have threads and they're identical, but one says "waste" and one says "water", whomever switched them had mental issues lol or perhaps removed them both, got them mixed (not sure why they would put them together) and then put them back in wrong on the boat. The tank that was "full" was indeed the waste tank, somehow it was full of clear/clean water. Perhaps someone filled it with water for some reason? To clean it? Who knows! Anyhow, problem solved lol Just needed to add water to the right tank and empty the tank I thought was the water tank hahaha. I haven't used the head on this boat yet anyway, so whomever the owner was (I purchased from a broker) filled the waste tank with water and left the water tank empty.

Such a dumb problem to troubleshoot, but if it wasn't for all you guys' help I would have not found out for a few more days

Thanks for everything!

Willhound

Don't feel dumb. We've all had our moments. Happy you figured it out.