Master Head Gulping Air

[JLR]

Good suggestion. Please keep them coming.

[JLR]

For those still following, here is an interim report. I have replaced the gauge near the regulator. It confirms I have 58 psi from the dock which drops to about 15 psi when I flush the head. I have also replaced the regulator and that was of no help. I am now thinking about installing another accumulator tank and/or some sort of booster pump after the regulator for the house pressure system. All this, just so I do not need to use my fresh water pump and tank water when using the heads. It all works fine if both the fresh water pump and the house water is on at the same time as the pump boosts the pressure when it drops to permit the heads to work. But, I assume I am using tank water rather than dockside water under that scenario. This is getting awlgully complicated just to flush the heads. Has anyone ever used a booster system to boost dockside water pressure and if so, what did you use?

[HahnR]

Don't know if this helps, but we had a similar problem on the Egg. Dockside water pressure would be good until you started using water, then it would drop. In our case it was the shower where we noticed it the most. Turns out the check valve for the dockside water was restricting the flow. Pressure would build fine, but no volume. Bob is right I think, sounds like you definitely have a restriction in the line. In our case I just quit using the dockside water & always filled & used out of the tank. Upside was, we always had fresh water in the tank when we left the dock, never stagnant smelling stuff like our dockmates. Finally ended up removing the check valve, problem went away.

Randy

[bobk]

For those still following, here is an interim report. I have replaced the gauge near the regulator. It confirms I have 58 psi from the dock which drops to about 15 psi when I flush the head. I have also replaced the regulator and that was of no help. I am now thinking about installing another accumulator tank and/or some sort of booster pump after the regulator for the house pressure system. All this, just so I do not need to use my fresh water pump and tank water when using the heads. It all works fine if both the fresh water pump and the house water is on at the same time as the pump boosts the pressure when it drops to permit the heads to work. But, I assume I am using tank water rather than dockside water under that scenario. This is getting awlgully complicated just to flush the heads. Has anyone ever used a booster system to boost dockside water pressure and if so, what did you use?

I would still look for a restriction. Can you put the gage before the regulator to check it? Also how is the flow from the hose when washing? If good, the bib and back flow preventer are OK as is the faucet. What kind of fittings do you have to attach the hose to the boat? Could it have a blockage? Look for the simple solution first.

Bobk

[MikeP]

It would be good - if you haven't already - to sit back and, before changing anything/installing new items to correct the problem, remember that when the boat was new, what you are experiencing did not occur.

Therefore, adding additional components to "solve" the problem should not be necessary...ASSUMING that some previous owner didn't change the OEM system for some reason which may have created the problem.

I know you have spent a lot of time chasing the problem and I know it is very frustrating. BUT (there's always a "but," isn't there?), the fact remains that IF the OEM system operates as it did when new the problem won't exist. SO...something in the system has either been modified or, more likely, some component is not working up to spec.

Sadly, I do not have a specific suggestion as far as "OK, I think THIS is the problem." If it was me, I'd just start going through the various components though based on the posts it seems to be clearly related to input water volume which would make me look again at the intake seacock/hose/strainer/pump (stator/rotor)/proper pump voltage (to ensure sufficient motor RPM).

OTOH, I will readily admit that sometimes there are issues that just seem to defy fixing. And there are limits to the time we will spend to sort them out when it IS possible to treat the symptoms by changing an OEM setup to something else. And hey, the most important thing is for the system, whatever it is, to work reliably. If I got to the point where I felt that I had expended all the time I was willing to spend on troubleshooting the OEM system with no results, I would look for another solution.

But the "why" of what was causing the problem with the OEM system would probably nag at me for quite a long time and I'd probably mess with it on occasion.

In any case, good luck with sorting it out regardless of the route required!

[JLR]

The pressure from dockside before any connection to the boat is 58 psi. However, one thing we have not checked is the quick disconnect fitting itself. At the suggestion of Bruce Morrison, who has been tremendously helpful, as usual, we are going to connect the dockside hose to the hose bib in the ER and back flush the system. I am not sure what that will do but he knows a whole lot more about the system than I do. We even have a local plumber involved at this point. Update to follow on Monday. Thanks to all for hanging in there on this thread.

[dottieshusband]

You probably already know this....but there is a pressure regulator that controls the incoming pressure from your dock water...one in each ER. When I first got my boat, I hooked up to dock water and..nothing..no dock water at all. After looking on the side walls in the ER I found the inbound water pressure regulators. I removed them and soaked in CLR for a day or so.. They became unstuck with a loud "gong" and no problem since. There is a screw on top that adjusts the pressure. The pressure gauge on my boat only measures the pump side pressure, and there is a check valve that closes when dockside water is Hooked up.

[JLR]

Thanks for the help. Mike had the right advice. Both fresh water heads work perfectly but the fresh water pump must stay on, even on dockside water, to achieve that result. The pump cut in is at 40 psi. I only drop that low on dockside water when one of these heads is used. So, the solution is simply to leave the fresh water pump breaker on all the time, even when connected to dockside water. The cause remains unknown. However, I think it has always been that way and only noticeable when dockside water pressure was low. Bruce Morrison concurs with this option and heck, he should know, he built the boat. Once again, thanks for all of the suggestions along the way.