Pressure water pump

[Just Limin']

Is it ok to leave the pressure water switch on while running or do I need to turn it on and off each time for use?

 

[Bruce Moore]

You can leave it on while you're on the boat. But turn it off when you're not. If a hose clamp comes loose, or some other leak occurs, you'll pump your tank until it's empty, and give your bilge pumps a workout.

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[abcandjrc]

I find that ours will short-cycle occasionally as the pressure bleeds down in the system naturally. Not a big problem but it does activate the pump, draw some current, and in the middle of the night when all is quiet you can wonder what the heck is making that tick-tick. Probably much less complicated to switch off and on in our R21, of course, since you can reach everything in the pilot house from anywhere in the pilot house.

 

[scross]

Old thread but I’ve become a believer in turning the DC Water Pressure switch OFF every time you leave the boat, even if just for a short walk onshore or to go out to dinner! On the third day of our current cruise today we went for a walk at Port of Edmonds. Came back to no water pressure at any faucet, an empty fresh water tank and a funny sound coming from the fresh water pump.
Long story short, we had popped the water hose off the hot water heater tank. One stainless hose clamp (12 years old) had failed. The second clamp just couldn’t handle the pressure. The fresh water pump responded by pumping 25 gallons of fresh water into the starboard cockpit locker. Bilge pump worked fine getting the water overboard and it was an easy fix. I check these clamps off-season for tightness but need to start replacing all of them because of age. Fortunately, the fresh water pump (itself 12 years old) didn’t overheat and is working fine.
I partly blame the vibration of 500 miles of rough roads trailering the boat up from Southern Oregon for the hose clamp failing. Not the first time we have had things come loose after a long road trip.
We are now starting the practice of turning the Water Pressure switch off every single time we leave the boat!

 

[SJI Sailor]

It is often recommended to turn it off when underway, too. The idea is that if a leak or loose hose occurred, you wouldn't hear the pump over the noise, and would arrive with an empty tank -- a nasty surprise at an achorage, mooring buoy, or state park!

 

[knotflying]

Agreed. I always turn off the potable water pump when away and when underway. I actually had the cold water hose come off when underway to the Bahamas and never heard the pump until docked. Lesson learned.