Can't get water pressure back

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:02 pm

Hi all,

Really need help on this one. Last fall when I winterized, I ran the water on the pressurized 20 gal water system, out, as I did the previous year.

But after refilling the tank, I turned on the pump, but it has never shut off, which i assume means the pressure never got high enough for it to do so.

I turned on the faucet during a long period while it was running to see what would happen. It spurted a small amount of water and made a sound as if air was coming out, the pump made a louder sound, but after closing the faucet, the pump went back to the previous sound it had been making.

Thinking I may have released the pressure sooner than I should have, I left the pump running, what seemed like a very long time, 25 min's or so, with no results.

Any ideas what the problem may be.

I had just removed the bath faucet and plugged with a bolt and band clamp. And there is also another hose with a bolt and band clamp that has been there since I've owned the boat, I assumed it was a water hose too?

I intend to, in the future, remove all hoses coming from the pressure tank, except the one I need for the faucet on the one sink.

Could there be air escaping, not allowing the pressure to build? But I see no water coming from the clamped off hoses at this time?

Thanks for any help.

Larry

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:49 pm

Did you put antifreeze in the system?
If not did you blow out the system to make sure it was empty?
Did you drain the pump by removing the hose connections at each side?
Are you sure water is getting to the suction end of the pump?

That's enough for now....

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:59 pm

All I did last year, as I did the previous year was turn the faucet on till no more water came out. Last spring, after re-filling the tank, I started the pump, and in about 3 to 5 min's, it was pressurized allowing water to flow.

I was not worried about freezing because I also had a Boatsafe bilge heater, each winter.

Just in case, I'm looking at a water pump I can install and pump water directly from the supply 20 gal tank to the faucet, just by opening and closing the faucet.

This will do away with the second smaller tank used in the pressurizing process.
But, if I can get the present system working, it would be a lot better.

Larry

robertBrown3232 · Post by **robertBrown3232** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 8:06 pm

try just cracking the water valve open and let the pump run if the water tank is full. I think you just have air in the system.
Bob

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:20 pm

Bob,

That's kinda what I was thinking, having air in the system. Never thought of just cracking the faucet a tad, so will try that tomorrow.

Larry

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:32 pm

Larry, if you have a hot water tank, this will also contribute to the amount of time it takes to fill the system. Open hot water tap to allow air out of the HW tank too.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:22 pm

Pump is below top of the tank right . open a faucet turn on the pump 30 seconds or so then turn of pump wait a few minutes turn on pump 30 seconds keep doing this until you get water , then you can turn of thr faucet . this is the way I get mine going when run dry.

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:47 am

Have you lost any water in the tank and looked for leaks ?

randyp · Post by **randyp** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:01 pm

Just for another thought....I replaced our old pressure pump system with a variable speed pump (VSR) a few years back. It speeds up or slows down based on the demand at the faucet(s). There are a couple of models, ours is rated at 3.5gpm and handles hot and cold water at the galley, head and shower pretty well. No need for a pressure tank.

You may have to replace the impeller on your current pump, but I agree that you have air trapped in the system.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 1:03 pm

Any Luck ?

larglo · Post by **larglo** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:53 pm

I tried several times yesterday using the 30 sec's on & off with no luck, if I did it right,,,

First I opened the faucet, then started the pump,,,,30 sec's on (or so) then off for 30 sec's,,,repeated many times,,,,no water.

By the way, the pump is mounted even as the 20 gal tank and the smaller tank,,,,gal, or so, holding the pressurized water. That's the way I got it, and has worked till now. Not sure what to do next?

Randy, what brand VSR pump did you get?

Thanks,

Larry

randyp · Post by **randyp** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:12 pm

Mine is a Jabsco Variable Speed Water Pump. Sensor model 14. You can buy these types of pumps at a lot of marine supply places as well as RV supply outlets.

But I still think the pump is air-locked from the supply side (water tank). Can you remove the hose from the tank side, plug up the outlet side of the tank and then either pour water into the hose (connected to the pump) or put a jug of water ABOVE the pump and see if either way the pump sucks the water into it when turned on? That will tell you if the pump is doing it's "in" thing. The fact that you have air coming out of the faucets when the pump is running says it's doing it's "out" thing. Either with pouring some water into the pump or suspending a jug above the pump should allow you to prime it. You said the pump is on the same level as the water tank. I assume it's on the same level as the outlet of the tank. It's worked before so it should work again, unless the impeller is shot or you have an airleak in the inlet side of the pump or the actual pump itself. Be sure all your connections are tight and that there are no splits in the hose from the tank to the pump. If there were loose connections on the other side of the pump these would show up as leaks.