R31 Vessel Sink Faucet - low flow

[Dale777]

For the vessel sink faucet in the head, the faucet has almost no water flow, although flow was okay a few months ago. Water flow is still good at the galley sink and the cockpit sink. Hence, I believe there is junk in the strainer for the head sink, but I don't know how to remove that strainer. I don't see any way to screw off the strainer mechanism. Any ideas? What is the brand of the faucet?

See these photos of the faucet:

 

[Irish Mist]

Try just some CLR in a small container and hold it up to the faucet as it looks like the screen is just full of calcium.. I would think after it soaks a bit you will get your flow back .looks like to remove you would need to spin the insides out , which will be easier after the CLR Nice faucet but not the easiest to work on .. Good luck

 

[John Shea Jr.]

Take out the screen and you might find it clogged with residue from when they drilled the tank during manufacture. If there is a collection on the screen, clean the screen and flush the tank.

 

[Lenny and Louise]

We just went through this on the galley sink. In addition to the strainer shown in your picture, there is a strainer where the hose meets the back end of the faucet.

 

[SnugTug]

Agree with Irsh Mist - CLR should clear out any built up calcium. I would try that first and if problem persists, removing the screen should be made easier once calcium is dissolved.

 

[Dale777]

Thanks for all the good replies. On both the galley sink faucet and the cockpit sink faucet I was able to unscrew the strainer to clean the screen of the tiny plastic cuttings from the fresh water tank. So, I suspect that there are tiny cuttings from the fresh water tank that are plugging up the screen in the head faucet, not calcium deposits.

What I really need is the tool or other method to remove the strainer screen. Any ideas?

Thanks,

 

[Irish Mist]

Perhaps this is what you need, it is for a Delta tap but looks like the tool you will need
http://www.amazon.com/Delta-RP52217-Aer ... B002Q4663S

 

[Jake]

Just me but why wouldn't Ranger use a faucet with a simple turn by hand screen removal like most every home faucet. I would think a boat screen would require more frequent cleaning than one in a home.

 

[Pilotnavigator]

Not all home faucets are the same. We have new Moem at home and they come with a plastic wrench to remove the screen that they conceal up into the neck. On my boat there is a screen before the pump that should catch the small particles. Is that standard on all boats.

 

[Jake]

Obviously I'm not the expert but I wonder why two screens. For the novice like myself seems like it would just cause more headaches, i.e. you realize you need a special tool (let's assume it came with the boat but you're not the first owner so it's long gone), you find the tool online, order it, receive it, clean the screen and are really feeling good until you find it didn't solve the problem. So you still end up calling the mechanic because you had no idea there is a second screen. I don't know, maybe all boats are built that way and if you own a boat you are expected to know that. Just another benefit of reading Tugnuts I guess.

 

[Irish Mist]

I think the pieces they assemble to make it all work, just come fitted with these screens so they leave them in. It doesn't look to me that they are added as an additional feature. but I could be wrong.

 

[Jake]

I think the pieces they assemble to make it all work, just come fitted with these screens so they leave them in. It doesn't look to me that they are added as an additional feature. but I could be wrong.

Good point! Sounds like a logical explanation.

 

[S. Todd]

I believe the logic behind the screens in the inlet lines leading to the faucet is to keep those small particles of assembly shavings from messing up the intricate valving in the hot/cold mixing portion of the faucet. I have had to clean mine a few times but the period between cleanings is improving. I had what appears to be an identical faucet to what is in my R25SC destroy itself in a 2010 Sea Ray Sundancer. New faucet was about $120. I can clean the screen a few times for the cost savings.

 

[Dale777]

Again, thanks to all the replies. Irish Mist hit it on the head with the suggestion about the aerator removal tool to buy. I now have good water flow at the vessel sink faucet in the head; there was a lot of tiny plastic cuttings in the aerator. In trying to find such a tool, I tried Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE hardware, a mom-and-pop hardware and finally a plumbing supply store.

It was only the plumbing supply store that even knew there is such a tool. They had one new one, a brownish-red color. I found that there are at least 4 different size tools, each a different color. See this link for a bunch of the tools on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywor ... tk0jm776_b

The different sizes seem to come in different colors. The new one cost me $8.00, which I bought. They also had one used one with a broken tab, a green one. So, I paid them $1.00 for the broken one, since I didn't know what size I needed. It turns out that the broken-tab green one worked!!! And, the brownish-red one worked on an aerator in the spare bathroom of my condo.

See pic of the one for the R31. The diameter of the key is almost exactly the size of a dime, as seen in the pic: