Shore water safety

[Keith]

Someone mentioned a bad experience with shore water in another thread. Thought I'd post a tip on this. The safest way of course when you're hooked up to shore water is to turn it off at the source whenever you're not on the boat or using it. This gets a little impractical though, so what I did was purchase one of those garden "water timers" and put it inline out at the dock. This doesn't actually work on time, but shuts off after X gallons. I usually set it around 300 or so and check it occasionally. Of course, it'll probably shut off when you're in the shower on a cold morning, so check it fairly often! I still shut the valve off if I'm leaving the boat for any amount of time, but this way, if the hose or something inside the boat breaks, only X amount of water will get in then the timer will shut it off. Better than sinking!

 

[Doc]

I had one of those gallon counters and it worked great. Then it quit and I went through four or five more trying to get one to work after that. It seems that if your flow is low...like my 35 psi PAR shore water attachtment...it won't work. I attached a hose directly to one...opened it to blast... and it worked like a champ. I took one apart to see how it worked and cleaned everything. No good. The idea is great and if you have sufficient flow they will work. I just can't find one that will.

Now when I leave the boat I TRY to remember to turn the water off. Works about 90% of the time.

The one that worked always cut off when I was in the shower.

 

[Keith]

Doc, the one I have is the common Melnor brand. It has always worked fine, even with the very low flow used on my boat.

 

[FF]

Forget* the big box stores , go to a local hardware store (not Ace) .

They have flow limiting valves , for washing machines,that fit on to hose firttings .
*With normal low flow the valve will stay open , with a burst hose or really rapid water use the valve will automatically shut off.* About $10. for a pair , in cheap plastic.

Better than forgetting to shut off the valve on the dock on leaving.

FF

 

[Phil Fill]

I do not trust the old water hose/tube system I seen to many boats come close to sinking, until somebody noticed the water is over the boot strap or gee that boat is at a odd angle.* So I fill the tanks and us the water pump.* I used tank is a happy tank especially an SS tank.* Also i like to be able to hear the domestic pump come on that why I know when water is running and for how long.**

Many boats have the reverse raw water heater/AC so if people see raw water running they figure Oh, its just the AC/heaters.*So don't expect anybody to respond just because water is being pump.* )-;



*

 

[Codger2]

I do <u>exactly</u> what Phil Fill does and for <u>exactly </u>the same reasons!

 

[Doc]

FF,

Where would you put the flow limiting valve? You want as much flow as possible on the hose when it is working properly. If it breaks outside the boat and flows full blast that's not as much of a problem. Inside the boat there are no hose fittings to attach it to.

Keith,

All of mine were Melnors too.

 

[FF]

Where would you put the flow limiting valve?

Outside as it will sense an over use weather in or out.

For safty the best method is simply to refill YOUR own tanks and if needed toss the crappy PAR .

Install a Sureflow (we use the deck washdown pump for fine pressure) or the Head Hunter line of pumps if you regularly shower with the dsishwasher and washing machine on.

 

[Phil Fill]

This week end it snowed and temps dropped below freezing so the marina turn off the water, which did not bother us as we had about 100 gallons on the boat, so live continued as normal.* When the temps drop for long periods then we fill up will 400 gallon, which can last us for a couple of weeks or more.*

We use SurFlow that is self priming, set for 45 PSI and will last a couple of your 24/7.* They cost about*150 bucks.* With the quick exchange fittings takes about 5 minutes to change out.*