A/C raw water valve open or shut when underway?

J3ff

I've always been in the "shut" camp, because the P/O told me to do that.   

however others alluded to they don't shut the ac valve ever and it works just fine.

Tested it out today... checked the mid bilge where the AC water pump was before leaving.. left valve open.. result = 5 gallons of water in the mid bilge (salt) after a short trip.  

Is this normal?  I've been on other boats with AC where they don't do anything at all, which is why I figured I'd test this out.. appears I have a leak when pressure builds up? Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

LaRea

Are you saying that any time the valve is open, you take on 5 gallons in a few hours?  That's definitely not normal.  You have a dangerous leak.  Find it and fix it, pronto! 

During normal use, I never close my water intake valves.  For a lift-kept boat, closing the valve before lifting can make it easier to prime the pump when you go back in the water.  

Black_Diamond

I leave my seacock open for A/C and toilet even under way. I've run almost 8 straight hours and no problems. Your situation is not normal at all. I'd guess it leaks while the A/C is on too. Definately needs promp attention. 

rasbury

Hey fellow boat leaked...at least you know where yours is ....where are you looking around up there? Is the trap leaking perhaps? Are you running the air when your leaking? Once identified to the a/c, would be able to track from the thru hull and the system and fund the leak- you also have the thru hull rich there for the head so get to figuring this out!

J3ff

At this point the only thing I know is the mid/front bilge was bone dry when I left the dock with the AC valve open. 

When I got back to the dock at the end of the day it had 5 gallons of water in it, no AC was used during this time.

I did vacuum it back out and ran the AC again to see if it was leaking and didn't see any. 

Looking at the trap a little closer it has tons of microfractures in it.. time to replace..

Ian

Never close mine. The fact you've not had an issue before suggests underway pressure is more than normal pumping pressure and somewhere forward of the shutoff you have a crack or loose fitting.

Lobodemar

Mine is always open and no problem

Liberty44140

Agree, I never close my sea cocks all summer. Ac, toilet, generator, all always open

J3ff

Alright, well for now, valve stays closed till I can find someone I trust to run the boat up at hull speed while I have my head down there checking it out. Thank you!! 

howardrams

I think your mid bilge where the AC seacock is connects with the main bilge area as well so it's not necessarily coming from around the seacock.  If there is 5 gallons of water in there, why doesn't your bilge pump get rid of it?

Black_Diamond

The mid cabin  bilge pump on my 342 is way forward in the compartment. Easily leave several gallons of water in there. I relocated mine much further back. 

J3ff

yeah, not sure why but it's forward and UP... not rear and down, where you would think it should be. 

craigswardmtb

Those micro fractures might be your problem. That would seem to indicate it froze at some point. Hopefully only the trap was affected. 

dropout

I don't use my AC, so mine is always closed. 

FYI: I read in one of my insurance policys that stated to close all sea cocks when boat is not in use. I wonder how this effected any claims?

J3ff

Yeah, I'll just keep to the closing it every time, only plan on using ac a few times anyway... Off to try and find this part, no idea what it's official name is 

craigswardmtb

Other thing to look for is if the gasket is still there. If that things missing it leaks pretty bad. 

rasbury

so if you have the valve turned off, does it stop the leak? Also, that should drain back into the rear beige and not stay trapped in the mid ship bilge?

J3ff

When I left it was dry last night... come back and not 5 gallons, but 2.5 came out.. stupidly I left the valve open when I left (storm was coming through)... so vac'd it out again, shut valve and we'll see what happens today.. I did notice a hole in the bilge pump exit line though, sigh! 

J3ff

rasbury said:

so if you have the valve turned off, does it stop the leak? Also, that should drain back into the rear beige and not stay trapped in the mid ship bilge?

Mine doesn't appear to have a way for it to drain to the regular bilge. 

J3ff

absolutely leaking from the trap... may just have to bypass that right now and not use the ac.. 

J3ff

Well this is quickly going down hill.. 

Took the trap off...with the valve shut.. waited for all the raw water to drip out of the hose... wait a second...why is that drip still dripping...okay maybe it needs a little more time.  Hmmmmmmmmmm still dripping!

Raised the hose up to get some of the water out, and then put it back down.. drip stops.  but within 30 seconds the hose is full of water and it starts dripping again!! Which I can only deduce to being a leaking valve. Wtf.  Does the boat need to come out for something like this?! please tell me it can be fixed in the water!! 

For the mean time I'm going to see if I can go find one of the screen housing things.


Edit: Cleaned my strainer and everything, still leaking.. sigh.  

Going to try and figure out a way to put another valve inline or go get a strainer, already hit one marine store and they don't keep them in stock. 

put a new valve inline on the other end of the hose, that is taken care of.  No more leaks from that line. NOW we have a new problem, took the boat for a 10 min cruise under 10mph and there's PINK water down there.. indicating it's from the fresh water tank that is not dewinterized yet. WTF.  

J3ff

Well that solves where 5 gallons came from yesterday... notice how the water is leaking from the VERY TOP part.. not sure how to go about fixing this but for now the fresh water system will be turned off.. 

Looks like there are now three things to get done:

1. Replace mid bilge pump hose (it has leaks) where the heck do you even access this from??

2. replace strainer for AC 

3. Fix the above picture. 

bella-vita

Vac motion has strainer bowl for the AC (Regular Series Clear Nylon bowl SB-R-CN)
gasket is SG-R-E and the strainer it's 50 mesh SE-R-50CSS 

Cableguy Greg

Glad you found your leak!!! The fittings are called "flair-it" fittings. You are probably going to have to change the faucet.

J3ff

great lol.. wonder if there's anyway to just cap off that hot water line, since my hot water doesn't work anyway...  

MarkB

Yes you can cap that hot water line, it's PEX piping. Go to home depot.

Liberty44140

yea the piping and caps are easy to find at home depot. Our local hardware stores had the Flare-It ends but Home Depot/Lowes did not. We have those "Do-It Best" Hardware stores which had the Flare-It's

J3ff

this it? http://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Pipes-Fittings-PEX-Pipe-Fittings/Cap/N-5yc1vZbutyZ1z114wr 

LaRea

dropout said:

FYI: I read in one of my insurance policys that stated to close all sea cocks when boat is not in use. I wonder how this effected any claims?

@dropout -- This statement has been bothering me since I read it a few days ago.  I've never heard of an insurance policy requiring closed valves.  If they won't cover a boat stored with the valves open, I have to wonder, what else would they refuse to cover?  I'd ditch that policy ASAP.   

craigswardmtb

Shark bite valves make anyone a plumber...  kind of...  

rasbury

So, if it was your fresh water system leaking was not your pump constantly stopping and starting? On my 270, he galley sink has a slow trip so every few hours the pump will start for a few seconds to build the pressure back up, like two seconds. I would think for that bad a leak it would cycle a lot-