This only recently started happening on my MK II. Seems that the internal check valves on the foot pump are leaking back and seawater is coming into the ice box. I could rebuild/replace the foot pump, install an air gap loop, or add an inline shutoff valve. Perhaps there are other options. Has this happened to others? What's the recommendation?
GTJ
—
Greg Jackson
SV Jacqui Marie
2004 C36, MKII
tall rig, wing keel,
one thing that worked for me before I put in a vented loop; pump your footpump until plenty of air comes out of the sink. That breaks any siphon that might exist.
Gary and Cathy Price
1997 C36 Mk II Tall Rig/Wing Keel Imagine...
Hull # 1617
Worton Creek, Md.
Northern Chesapeake Bay
My PO (or the dealer or factory) put an inline ball valve in the discharge line from the pump to the sink drain. The valve stays closed expect when we need to pump.
Frankly, we do our best to NOT let any water accumulate there and have not had to pump for a few years. The only way we get water is when we put a bag of ice in the box while out cruising to help the box in our excessively hot environment here in FL. We now have a special bucket to hold any melt water.
Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/
Greg-
There was a thread last year that may be of some help on this subject...
[url]http://www.c36ia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1843[/url]
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
We have never had to use the foot pump. In fact, we sealed the drain hole in the bottom of the box with a spring loaded stopper as we were told that the hole is also an outlet for the cold air.
David S. Power
Two If By Sea #1687
Burnt Store Marina
Punta Gorda, FL
Had the exact same problem about three weeks after I bought my boat. The re-build kit is cheap and it's a reasonably easy fix, with great documentation from Whale. I covered it (and the mistake I made which resulted in my having to buy a new pump) here:
[url]http://www.c36ia.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1814[/url]
My only other suggestion, as I'm going through some rigmarole with getting my fridge to stay cold, is that even after you rebuild the pump you stopper the drain. Otherwise even with the pump you can get some moisture seeping back. Not enough that it pools up, but enough that it keeps your fridge wetter than it should be, which could cause over-frosting with the fridge unit (and apparently, though I didn't know this until I started asking around for expert advice, over-frosting makes your fridge warmer not cooler!)
David
s/v Portmanteau
Hull #2133 -- 2003 MKII
Seattle, WA
I was getting water in the refrigerator and I could see how it got there since we do not use the refrigerator. I finally realized that when we used the sink and the sink accumulated more water than it could drain - due to a semi clogged drain at the through hull - the water back-up and went down the hose towards the refrigerator. Solution - clear the blocked drain.
Haro Bayandorian, 1999 C36 MKII, Sail La Vie #1787, M35B,
Coyote Point, San Mateo, CA.
I had the same problem and figured out it was caused by a dirty check valve. The water is either backed up sink water that creeps up into the fridge, or maybe sea water that comes in when the boat is well heeled to port. Ether way it is a mess.
Seemed like the simplest solution to me was to just disconnect the hose to the tee right above the galley sink through hull valve. I normally do not have water in my fridge, but when I do, it now just drains to my bilge after using the foot pump.
I don't know how much cold air can be lost via the foot pump and hose, but I put a stopper in the fridge drain hole just to be sure.
Ken Enstrom
2004 C-36 MKII #2199
Tall Rig, Wing Keel, M-35B
S/V Valkyrie - Sail Great Lakes
Are there any problems with just running a hose to the bilge from the refer drain and letting it drain naturally?
I'm currently having the same issue.
Gary Johnson
1999 Cat 36 mkii, M35C
Hull # 1755, Fin Keel
Homeport: Long Beach, California
That's how mine is :) I figure a little fresh water in the bilge keeps the salt down.
Nick Tonkin
*Former* Website Administrator, C36/375IA
*Former* owner, C36 tr/fk #255, Santa Barbara, CA
Yes, you can run a hose from the drain to the bilge, bypassing the foot pump and galley sink "Christmas tree". Two things to take care to do:
The idea here is that some water will stay in the trap. If you never have water in your reefer, put a few cups of slightly chlorinated water in the drain every once in a while to keep the loop full and fresh.
Nick Caballero
Retired C36/375IA Mk II Technical Editor
Nick,
Do you know if the shower drain is also connected to that foot pump?
Gary Johnson
1999 Cat 36 mkii, M35C
Hull # 1755, Fin Keel
Homeport: Long Beach, California
Fixed!
I purchased a rebuild kit for the footpump and then tore into it. Opening it up I found that some bit of plastic debris from the ice box had gotten jammed in the internal flap valve, allowing water to back up very easily. I didn't really need to rebuild it, but since I had the kit I went ahead and replaced all the rubber parts. Permanent fix was to add an inline screen/filter in order to keep flotsam from the ice box out of the pump.
Greg Jackson
SV Jacqui Marie
2004 C36, MKII
tall rig, wing keel,
On my 2004, the shower drain pump is teed into either the vanity sink drain or the head intake, both located under the sitting area in the head.
Nick Caballero
Retired C36/375IA Mk II Technical Editor
[quote=newguy]On my 2004, the shower drain pump is teed into either the vanity sink drain or the head intake, both located under the sitting area in the head.[/quote]
thanks Nick. I got it all figured out today.
Gary Johnson
1999 Cat 36 mkii, M35C
Hull # 1755, Fin Keel
Homeport: Long Beach, California