Spring faucet start-up ?

[rpmerrill]

Ok, on my new R-27, BAY RANGER, (see my posting "Under New Management") I have filled the fresh water tank and started the water pump. First flow was only a trickle of anti-freeze then a trickle of fresh water from the galley faucet. In the head sink, I got full flow... good news. Then I noticed that the head faucet only gave me full flow "cold water" but just a trickle on the "hot water" side. Back in the galley, further experimentation gave me trickle flow on all settings - hot and cold. I disconnected the handpiece in the galley. Still just a trickle. So it is not a simple case of a clogged handpiece nozzle.

I'm thinking now that I've proven that the pump is producing full pressure/flow based on head faucet "cold". My only conclusion is that there is some sort of foreign material clogging the valve cartridges. Both hot and cold in galley and just hot side in the head.

I'm mentally preparing myself to tear into each faucet assy to see what is going on.
Looking for advice or other directions. Make/mfgr of faucets would be a help so I don't have to take pot luck tearing them apart.

Thanks
rich

 

[seadog]

I had this problem and I disconnected the supply line to each faucet and blew air through the facet pushing a bunch of plastic debris out of supply end.

 

[knotflying]

There are several threads on this issue. On the galley sink there are several screens and a check valve. Remove the check valve, there is also a screen as the hose enters the faucet head and there could also be screens at the hot and cold connections.

 

[S. Todd]

Symptoms sound like clogged screens where the faucet supply lines attach to the waterlines under the sinks. I have had to clean mine more than once. Fairly easy fix. I carry a spare toothbrush in my tool kit for this event.

 

[rpmerrill]

Follow up.

In the galley, I disconnected the supply connections to the faucet. No screens in there. Nor a place for screens. Well, actually it was easier to loosen the clamps and slide the hoses off the barbed fittings. I probed up the fitting into the faucet side. Didn't feel any screen or washer. Pretty sure the fitting is simply a tapered thread - a nylon/plastic fitting into a brass nut. Finding nothing there, I removed the faucet handpiece and was able to blow into the hose. It took a bit but I finally achieved a blow-out on both hot and cold. With a mouth full of water, I was then able to get some reverse water flow.

On to the head sink. Here the nuts on the supplies were easier to get access. (Boy they don't have a lot of excess tubing available to work with. It's tight in there.) Taking both supplies apart, I found the washers with screens built in. They were well clogged and a bit chewed up. I was unable to find anything like them at several stores. Finally I used an "aerator repair kit" with a screen and a washer. They were a little oversized and the screen wasn't a fine mesh. I'll give them a try anyway. Stay tuned.

One more question: Who manufactured the faucets? Are there any disassembly instructions out there? I'm thinking the top hemispherical cap under the operating lever should unscrew. I gave it a tug, but nothing happens. Don't want to go crazy until I know how it is supposed to come apart.

Thanks all.
Rich

 

[S. Todd]

If you google Overton's Watersports and at their website put in a search for galley faucets it should pull up the ITC faucet. My 2015 R25SC has the short version of this faucet in the head and the long version in the galley. (It is the same faucet that was in my 2010 Searay Sundancer, before we decided to slow down.)

 

[knotflying]

On the galley faucet, the flex hose connects to a solid fitting with a small Phillips screw. You have to do this by feel and a stubby screwdriver. Loosen the screw a bit. Don't loosen it to much so it falls out, just enough to slip the fitting off. and you can slide the hose off. There is a small check valve inside. Remove it. That serves no purpose and is a major cause of debris build up. There should be a screen at the point where the flex hose connects to the faucet head. and then there is the screen for the aerator.

 

[rpmerrill]

I discovered in the West Marine catalog that the faucet sets are made by Ambassador Marine.
Found their web site and valve replacements on Amazon however, no real details regarding the screens and valve clogging or rebuild kits .... o-rings and gaskets.

After a partial disassembly and blow out, I got a better-than-trickle flow from the galley faucet. (not great)
It is not the handpiece. I removed it and the flow from the hose is also slow.
With the valve partially disassembled (handle and top cover and ball valve removed) I turned on my pump and got a good flow out the top of the valve body. I used a towel and upside down bucket to contain the mess.
Still investigating.

 

[Brian B]

I had this problem on my boat. I ended up removing the faucet from the sink. The culprit was that there are screens up inside the hot and cold intake lines of the faucet that I removed. Stick a wire up each side and you will feel the screens if they are there. While the faucet is disconnected test the flow at the lines while someone throws the switch for the pump. You can remove and clean out the internal spring and seats for the hot and cold sides. (They look like Delta parts to me). Also make sure the screen at the pump body is clear, this needs occasional attention.

 

[knotflying]

If you don't check to see if the check valve is there or clogged you are wasting your time. Start from the source. Disconnect the supply connections see if water runs freely. If all the other screens are clear then you need to address the check valve.

 

[rpmerrill]

Kudos to knotflying ! It took some effort but I found the little phillips screw and was able to disconnect the flex hose. Sure enough there was a little red check valve down in there. (Back flow preventer???) It was all clogged up with little chunks of gritty stuff. I was able to take it out but not clear it. I started to reassemble the fitting but at the last minute I decided to reinstall it after removing the check valve guts. It went back together ok, but leaked like crazy when I opened the faucet. It took me a couple tries but (I think) the key is to push the hose fitting up real tight. I'm not sure what the sealing arrangement really is back up there, but I'm not going back in to find out.

Tough job. Thanks again, knotflying.

 

[knotflying]

It is an o-ring connection. If you left the check valve/ backflow preventer in it will most likely get clogged again. Next time take it out and leave it out. I doubt you will ever leave the faucet head in a full sink and leave the faucet on and then turn off the pump to allow siphoning back to the fresh water tank. Also keep an eye on the pump screen. That is your first line of defense with the small plastic particles etc. I use a filter to fill the tank and it took a couple of years before the plastic shards finally went away.

 

[scross]

I had the same low galley pressure others have experienced but mine had a different cause and fix.
On my 2009 R25 Classic cleaning the screens and removing the check valve in the faucet head did nothing to improve galley water pressure. Testing the flex hose with the faucet head off showed pretty of pressure coming through the flex hose. On closer inspection of the faucet head the rocker and shaft switching between spray and direct flow was jammed. Nothing I did to get it functioning correctly worked. The faucet head had obviously been taken apart numerous times by former owners.
Ace Hardware had a replacement part for the faucet head. Not an exact replacement for the old unit but the finish was a very good match and everything else lined up great with one exception. I did take out the anti-back flow valve on the new unit for fit. Cost was about $28 for the replacement. Pressure at the galley now very strong! I'll post pics on my gallery as soon as I get back from the Tacoma Alumni Cruise.
Ace Hardware SKU 4385043. Kitchen Pullout Sprayhd BN.

Photo now added to my album. iPhone camera makes it look much longer than it really is but, again, if you didn't know it was a replacement unit you would think it was original.

 

[rpmerrill]

Good info. Thanks a lot.