Salt water galley pump

[st paddy]

I've just done this.

But I manufactured a proper manifold, I increased the supply to the manifold and there are isolation valves so I can turn off the outlets.

why would you get air entering a system that has a pressurized outlets. in the case of failure just isolate. You might with a grotty foot or hand pump

I'm not about to make another hole in my boat for the watermaker inlet and galley salt supply

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by JD-MDR

I'm thinking of installing a seperate pump in my galley. Is it not a good idea to "t" it off the same thru hull as the engine intake. Please respond

Real World Experience:
I did exactly that to 'see if it'd work' as a short-term fix until I had the opportunity to fit a new/specific through-hull in 2011. Having found no problems whatsoever with the installation it's remained there ever since; the only alteration I've made to that original installation was to add a stop-valve to the galley supply where it tee'd off the engine's supply; I didn't want to be in a position where a fault/failure in the seawater supply to the galley could effect engine cooling. Engine was a Yanmar 3GM30F and it took us half way around the world like that - though mostly under sail.

PS: use reinforced hose (as the engine's using) the whole way, 316 hose clamps and a good quality tee fitting, not some $1.50 plastic job from the local DIY store.

[Hermia II]

I think the trick is that the T should be under the waterline so that there's a pressure. Otherwise the engine could suck air from the other end.

[Wolfgang.Schau]

Originally Posted by JD-MDR

I'm thinking of installing a seperate pump in my galley. Is it not a good idea to "t" it off the same thru hull as the engine intake. Please respond

I would never recommend to t-off from the engine water intake. There is a risk that your engines sucks air from four galley faucet and will go sour. Never compromise the reliability of your engine.

It does not cost much to install a dedicated through hull sea water intake, that's what I did on my catamaran. Yes, you may have to wait for the next outhaul.

[Dieseldude]

I agree with Wolfgang.Shau. A propulsion engine is critical machinery, and you could be in a lot of trouble if it looses cooling and fails. It should have an independent sea water cooling supply to protect against auxiliary equipment back feeding air. The cost of an extra through hull fitting and waiting for next outhaul is nothing compared to the danger of lost propulsion. Purging a engine cooling system of air while one is drifting toward a shoal, maintaining steerage in rough seas, or just maneuvering tight waters is not a situation that one wants to get into.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by wingssail

We use salt water in three places (besides for the engine cooling): Galley sink, a salt water shower head in the shower (used rarely) and the saltwater washdown for the ground tackle.



For this reason we decided to plumb a pressure salt water system in parallel to the fresh water system with pump, accumulator tank, and faucets. We use use a powerful Par electric pump, same model as we use for the fresh water system, to reduce the number of spares we must carry.



To source the saltwater we decided to "T" into the engine intake (sorry, purists we just didn't want another hole in the boat, and it's added drag).



To ensure we didn't suck air either direction we put check valves on both the engine line and the saltwater pump line.



We have noticed that when the engine is running at higher rpms there is a lack of pressure on the salt water washdown system. Mostly this is because of the screen covering the through hull which reduces the intake flow and the engine takes all the water. So when raising the anchor and washing the chain we keep the engine RPM down below 1500.



But the pressure salt water system is very handy and it is used for washing dishes when on a cruise as well as for the anchor chain.



We do also have a foot pump in the galley for fresh water, as a last resort back-up.



Just one caution: Turn off the power to the salt water pump when not in use. Once a hose came off when we were gone and the saltwater pump decided to try to sink our boat (it failed).

Why not tap into the heads intake etc.

[Cynara]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Why not tap into the heads intake etc.

Maybe we were old school , but we closed the rhruhulls that we weren't using. The only pressure water we had was at kitchen sink and the head, and that was turned off when not in use. We used foot pumps most of the time at the sink and for saltwater

[Dieseldude]

If you are running a pump with pressure tank, a low pressure shut off pressure switch could save your pump from running dry. In rough seas the pump is likely to suck a bit of air, lose suction and run dry non stop, which could damage seals and bearing. A low pressure shut off switch will cause the pump to shut down once discharge pressure falls below a certain value. It must be manually reset to get the pump running. Trouble is, I have not found one designed for sea water, so they will corrode quickly compared to using in fresh water systems. They are meant for household systems on a well. If the well runs dry, the switch will shut the pump down.

[Sailorman Ed]

Wingsail said: "We use salt water in three places (besides for the engine cooling): Galley sink, a salt water shower head in the shower (used rarely) and the saltwater washdown for the ground tackle."

I like this concept and while a footpump works in the galley, need an electric pump for the others. So what electric pump works and lasts for more than a year? I have the old unused head intake to use for a source.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Sailorman Ed

Wingsail said: "We use [
I like this concept and while a footpump works in the galley, need an electric pump for the others. So what electric pump works and lasts for more than a year? I have the old unused head intake to use for a source.

I have used Par Max pumps, one for the pressure freshwater system and another for the pressure salt water system, and I have a spare. The two I have installed have been in use for at least 14 years. One, previously, in 2005, was ruined by salt water immersion during a flooding event, the other was damaged. I tossed the ruined one and put a new one in the pressure water system and switched the damaged one, with a new pumphead, to the pressure salt water system. That was in 2005. I replaced the pressure fresh water pump in 2010 when it failed. Both of these are still in use. I live aboard full time, all my water use goes through these pumps. The have been reliable for me.