Tank water disappears quickly

ronpscott

Does anyone have an idea why the fresh water from the holding tank disappears so quickly? My '03 342 has a 51 gallon tank, but it only lasts my family of 3 less than a day when we're out on the hook. My former Bayliner had a 23 gallon tank and I can't recall ever running out of water. I don't hear or see the pressure pump running when the tap isn't open and the bilge isn't full of fresh water, so I don't know where it could be going.  Is it possible that the water is somehow leaking back into the engine heater hose and running back out somewhere?  And ideas would be appreciated.

Black_Diamond

If it were leaking 'under pressure' you would be hearing the pump kicking on.  You could flow water backwards if the heat exchanger was leaking from the engine heater, but again the pump would be on.  I suspect you might just be using more water than you think.  Kids running water, etc.  It goes down fast, trust me.

One other thought: check the pressure relief valve on the hot water heater, they do not last forever and you could be leaking into the engine bilge area and the bilge pump doing its job.

Bruce

I'm with BD, if you were leaking at all, the pressure pump will come on. I had a slow dripping faucet one night and I could here the pump come on about every 30 minutes or so.

gslpro

What about your toilet intake.  I know you can hook up toilets to draw from fresh water sources, though I would risk the back flow possibility.   

Hamdog

I agree. I know when we first bought our 342, we ran through water fairly quickly. The biggest culprit was taking showers. We still take them but we conserve the water now and we can go about two days until the tank is empty. Two days would be with just two showers. Go out Friday, wife and I take showers Sat morning, wait until we dock to shower on Sunday.

Michael T

When we put our 2013 EC 310 into the water last year with a full fresh water tank I thought the bilge pump was coming on too frequently. There was a loose fitting and the water was draining into the bilge. The tech doing the PDI went right into the engine bay and tightened the connection. MT

MarkB

Best way to figure out if it's leaking through the engine is to fill up the tank, don't use any water, and run the boat for several hours. Go back and check level.

LaRea

Does the level in your holding tank rise faster than expected? If yes, maybe your fresh water is leaking into your holding tank through the toilet.

Fill the toilet bowl with water, and turn off the fresh water pump.  The bowl should hold water for several hours.  If it leaks out, clean the valve at the bottom of the bowl so you get a better seal.

raybo3

Are you sure the tank is not leaking into the bilge and the bilge pump is not pumping it out. The fresh water is totally different from the engine water. 

ronpscott

Thanks for all your comments. The toilet pulls water from the lake, so that's not the problem. And the fresh water pump isn't coming on, so I know the system isn't leaking. Maybe we're just using more water; as simple as that.

raybo3

If the tank is leaking that will not make the pump come on. Is there any water in the bilge? The tank could have a small leak and you might not even know it. Keep an eye on the bilge and make sure its dry. If not tank could have a leak.

Babyboomer

Put some food coloring in the tank then see if that color shows up in the bilge just like checking a leaking toilet at home.

Michael T

Boomer - that's CSI worthy, brother!  You win this one! :-) MT