Fesh water tank fill

[Miqui]

We recently purchased a custom Bruce Roberts sailboat. Generally the previous owner chose top quality and sensible systems. We cannot access him anymore and we have a problem figuring out our freshwater system.

The tank holds 200 gallons and it was full when we purchased the boat so we are depleting it over time with the water pump when off the dock.

When we are on the dock, we hook up to shore water using an input with a pressure regulator (shurflo). The water runs to the taps fine.
We do not have a separate deck fill for the fresh water tank. We cannot find a diverter valve to move from shore water to tank fill.

Does anyone know how we could fill the frsshwater tank using the shore water fill?

It currently comes in through the pressure regulated fill on the deck, then to the filter and accumulator and out to sinks etc...
We see the hoses going into and out of the tank, we just do not know how to divert or push the water to go to the tank.

Any ideas from boats or RV's?

[Pete7]

The first ting to worry about is if you have mains shoreside water on board under pressure and you leave the boat even for a short while, a leak could fill and sink your yacht.

To resolve the problem of filling the tank, you can either do a forensic investigation of every nook and cranny to find that filler cap. Or take the boat apart and follow the hoses.

Sadly because its a custom BR, the filler cap could be anywhere.

Pete

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The first ting to worry about is if you have mains shoreside water on board under pressure and you leave the boat even for a short while, a leak could fill and sink your yacht.

This is very true and have seen a boat sink from this in a marina.

We had a similar shore side hose hook up w/a pressure regulator and put a quick access shut off to make it easy to shut it off whenever you left the boat.

Also agree you will need to look around for the diverter valve or the separate pumping lines that access the water tanks. What faucets used the tank water when you used the water pump? Doubt they were the same ones used w/the shore hose water.

The PO may have put fill ports in the top of the tanks. A little messy, but you would drag a hose down inside the boat to fill them. While you are at it look around for the tank vents. Are they inside the boat or go to a thru hull? This is important to note when filling your tanks and you over fill them. Inside vents will eventually fill the bilge w/water if over filled (when left unattended). Try to be watchful/not distracted when filling tanks (both water and fuel).

Since this is a new to you boat, try to figure out all the systems that were created by the PO. If you don't understand them or why they were done a certain way, feel free to ask question on CF.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Miqui.

[rwidman]

If you cannot figure out how to fill your boat's water tank, you need to have someone inspect it in person and explain it to you.

This is not something that can be explained on the Internet from the information posted.

[Stewie12]

If you can ge to the tank follow the connected hoses back from there.

[taylormobile]

I have installed a tank fill diverter valve on 2 boats. Basically you have to divert the water flow from your shore water supply around the water pump. Look for a water line branch or Tee on the discharge side of the pump feeding to the suction side of the pump with a second branch or Tee. There should be a valve on this line that is normally closed. When you open this valve the water is diverted around the water pump then feeds directly into the tanks outlet line, thus filling the tank.

Steve

[Clivevon]

Sorry to state the obvious - but are you really really sure you don't have a separate deck fill for the water tank? Could it be tucked away out of sight or in a locker somewhere? Maybe to shelter it from salt water contamination from spray if the filler gasket was not 100% reliable? Check your anchor, gas & cockpit lockers, just in case. Seems odd to me to install a water tank without a deck fill somewhere.

[sengland]

I have two large tanks and both need filling from the inside. Things 'can' get wet if your not watching it but but with a valve at the hose nozzle and a rag, never had any major spillages.
No I'd never go the shore water route, can't imagine when Id ever get through the 120 gallons I carry.
I always make sure I run out before I refill. 120 gallons is 1/2 ton.
I displace around 6 tons so empty tanks lift me out a tad (I reckon its about an inch) for faster sailing which is fine if I'm just marina hoping.

[sinnerman]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The first ting to worry about is if you have mains shoreside water on board under pressure and you leave the boat even for a short while, a leak could fill and sink your yacht.

To resolve the problem of filling the tank, you can either do a forensic investigation of every nook and cranny to find that filler cap. Or take the boat apart and follow the hoses.

Sadly because its a custom BR, the filler cap could be anywhere.

Pete

This is like the people who leave their raw water cooled AC units running while they are away from the boat for weeks on end. One hose failure and the water pump will flood the boat.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Miqui

We recently purchased a custom Bruce Roberts sailboat. Generally the previous owner chose top quality and sensible systems. We cannot access him anymore and we have a problem figuring out our freshwater system.

The tank holds 200 gallons and it was full when we purchased the boat so we are depleting it over time with the water pump when off the dock.

When we are on the dock, we hook up to shore water using an input with a pressure regulator (shurflo). The water runs to the taps fine.
We do not have a separate deck fill for the fresh water tank. We cannot find a diverter valve to move from shore water to tank fill.

Does anyone know how we could fill the frsshwater tank using the shore water fill?

It currently comes in through the pressure regulated fill on the deck, then to the filter and accumulator and out to sinks etc...
We see the hoses going into and out of the tank, we just do not know how to divert or push the water to go to the tank.

Any ideas from boats or RV's?

After purchasing my new-to-me boat I obtained the maintenance records from the marina. The previous owner had fresh water dock pressure hookup to the boat. It failed and flooded the boat just below the flooring before it stopped. He had to replace everything including wiring. For me, the boat came with a new engine, trans, pumps, etc.

One of the first things I did was to remove that dock water pressure system and only fill the tanks over the side.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Clivevon]

Sengland said "I displace around 6 tons so empty tanks lift me out a tad (I reckon its about an inch) for faster sailing which is fine if I'm just marina hoping."
I've never heard it called that before but I know exactly what he means. We do a lot of "marina hoping" too, especially on the south coast of England in the summer months. You can't usually book ahead, so we sail on, hoping there will still be a berth for us when we get there, hoping we don't find ourselves next to the boat partying until 4 am (unless we get invited too), hoping the walk to the showers isn't too long...

[Cheechako]

Is it possible the PO just filled the tank on top of the tank through the access port? I did that on one boat rather than use the deck fill which froze up regularly. It was kinda handy, watch the water level as you fill.... (this boat had an easy to uncover access port)

[captnknopf]

On most of my boats I filled the tanks at the dock and ran off the 12 volt pump so no problem. On a couple of boats that I hooked the water line to the dock, I used both a pressure regulator and volume controller used for garden watering. I would set it for 100 gallons every day when I got to the boat . If a pipe burst, the worst that could happen is 100 gallons of water in the bilge(53 foot trimaran, 100 gallons not a big deal). A few times I forgot to reset it so had water quit when in the shower but not a big deal. There are cheap 2 hour timers that would work too. Just crank it to two hours in the morning and same in the evening when about to wash dishes. Under fifteen bucks.

[Mistress Sirena]

Be very careful not to pressurize the tanks as they would probably rupture with 10 psi be sure your vents are large enough like one inch to not pressurize the tanks.
I prefer to use the water from tank to keep it fresh.