Plumbing a 2000 26x

[eaglelakejames]

Hello,
I am installing a couple of "bag" tanks in the spaces just fwd of the center board on each side of the boat. I have installed my filler port on the fore deck and routed the piping down thru the space fwd of the anchor locker and thru the fwd flotation compartment below. Yes I'm going to reinstall all of the styro. My question is.. As my pipe passes thru the lower flotation compartment it forms a trap. (low spot in a piping system, like under a normal sink.) Is this trap going to interfere with filling the tanks? IE: Trapped air can't escape the tanks so they won't fill completely? And or the water flow to the pump be restricted after filling?
Other mods in progress tankless WH, galley mod, new shore power (replacing cheap plastic thru hull), back deck, heater w/ outside air (newport P9000.) Will post pics as[completed. Thanks in advance.
And I'm looking for a kicker & bracket that won't bust me. Got one?
ELJ

[tangentair]

Hello,
....Is this trap going to interfere with filling the tanks? IE: Trapped air can't escape the tanks so they won't fill completely? And or the water flow to the pump be restricted after filling?
.....ELJ

You are planning to use a real water pump with this and not a manual hand crank at the faucet?? If the tanks are expansion bags, as you seem to have indicated, you should remove as much trapped air before filing as possible the first time. After that when you add water the air will not flow down into the bags (maybe a little will go in when the hose is attached and after a length of time there will be enough to need to "burp" the system). Solid wall tanks need a vent for the trapped air to escape as the incoming water replaces it. Since the water will be entering and exiting under pressure, positive when being filled, negative when being pumped out and the bags are flexable, the trap as you described it should not cause any problems. The size of the water hoses and a good self priming pump will rule out "vapor locking". If your tanks are hard sided, or you put them into a compartment that is sealed, you will have to have add a vent line.

[Chinook]

Not sure where you're located, but if you're storing your boat in a cold winter location, a low spot in water line could have freezing problems. RV drinking water antifreeze will solve the problem.

[eaglelakejames]

Thanks for the input, I will proceed as planned. I am installing a real water pump and I also live in a location that can get pretty chilly, hence the heater in my plan. I'm using poly pipe for the inlet which is the line where the trap is. I will be building drain valves into sys to drain at least the pump out of season. this was my first inquiry on the site and you guys are great, thanks alot. ELJ On to the solar panel. Running the wires is quite a challange.

[J.Teixeira]

Hi

I have a triangular 150 lt / 40 US Gallons water tank on the bow of mi X just under the V bert.

At the beginning I installed a gravity filing system on the anchor locker that worked like a auto gas tank filer.

The result was that every time I filed the tank I was throwing a lot air inside the tank (I don't know why but triangular tanks have both openings on the upper side only so air was going to the electric pumps jamming them).

Also it was difficult to empty the tank.

So I decided to modify the system the following way:

- - - - - -
Water intake was moved to the stern and a pipe along the bilge to the water tank intake. On the outer end I installed a valve (garden type connectors)



On the water tank intake I installed a 3 heads junction going to:

- The water tank intake (with a manual valve for filling the tank)

- The water intake

- The ballast tank (with a manual for emptying the water tank)

- - - - - - - -

On the water tank out another 3 heads junction going to:

- The anchor locker for air exit (works also as over pressure alarm when filling the tank)

- The water tank (with a manual valve to close the tank)

- The ballast Tank (works also as autovent ),

- - - - - -

On the Ballast tank I made the standard Mod (autovent) but with a 3 way joint going to:

- The anchor locker for air exit (autovent)

- The water tank (for emptying the water tank)

- The water tank intake (to fill the tank with fresh water when going to salt water to shower)

- - - - - -

I found out that a big tank in the bow is an important "improvement" on perfomance

- Less drag in the stern
- Better pointing
- More stability

(Those differences are very evident when the water tank is empty)
(Also under the V Bert are 2 Batteries)
(All manual valves closed the system works as a normal autovent for the ballast tank)

If you think that it does interest you I may try to do a scheme of this...

Best Regards

Jose