GrumpyPawPaw
Member I
Is there a faster way to empty the water tanks on the E 30+ besides turning on the faucets? Since I have one tank under the V Birth and the other on the Starboard side, it take quite a while to empty 50 gals.
Quickest way to empty water tanks on E 30+
- Thread starter GrumpyPawPaw
- Start date
Emptying tanks quickly.
Dear friend, We had occasion just a few weeks ago to do that very thing and the suggestion came from my wife as to how to do it, brilliant woman that she is. And you could easily do a variation of what we have as a permanent set up, in your boat. I built a fresh water management system that among other things, allows me to flush the heat exchanger of salt water using a mere three quarts of fresh water from my tanks with the engine at idle (See the article "Freshwater treatment for a salty Yanmar", July/August, 2000, Good Old Boat Magazine). That's done through the use of a 3-way ball valve, one side for salt, another for fresh and the third that leads to the engine, you get the idea. Marilyn suggested and we did, valve the manifold to take from the main 45 gallon tank and run it through the heat exchanger with the engine at about 2,500 RPM. After about five minutes we opened the 25 gallon tank valve in the V-berth and emptied that into the main tank. We drove around looking and listening for the water-laden exhaust to change sounds (hollow sound when no water) and for a total of waaay less than 20 minutes, both tanks were dry and I'd manifolded back to salt for the engine, job done. You could temporarily and easily route the freshwater from your tank(s) to the engine raw water pump and drive around your marina at cruising speed. As soon as you have proof that all the fresh water is gone, kill the engine, swap the hose back to raw water intake, start up the engine and head back to your slip with two, now empty tanks. It works like a charm. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
Dear friend, We had occasion just a few weeks ago to do that very thing and the suggestion came from my wife as to how to do it, brilliant woman that she is. And you could easily do a variation of what we have as a permanent set up, in your boat. I built a fresh water management system that among other things, allows me to flush the heat exchanger of salt water using a mere three quarts of fresh water from my tanks with the engine at idle (See the article "Freshwater treatment for a salty Yanmar", July/August, 2000, Good Old Boat Magazine). That's done through the use of a 3-way ball valve, one side for salt, another for fresh and the third that leads to the engine, you get the idea. Marilyn suggested and we did, valve the manifold to take from the main 45 gallon tank and run it through the heat exchanger with the engine at about 2,500 RPM. After about five minutes we opened the 25 gallon tank valve in the V-berth and emptied that into the main tank. We drove around looking and listening for the water-laden exhaust to change sounds (hollow sound when no water) and for a total of waaay less than 20 minutes, both tanks were dry and I'd manifolded back to salt for the engine, job done. You could temporarily and easily route the freshwater from your tank(s) to the engine raw water pump and drive around your marina at cruising speed. As soon as you have proof that all the fresh water is gone, kill the engine, swap the hose back to raw water intake, start up the engine and head back to your slip with two, now empty tanks. It works like a charm. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
The only issue I have with the method that Glyn mentions is I think the water system piping on my boat is way too small for this. I wouldn't want to pull water through several feet of 3/8ID tubing when the raw water pump is used to a 3/4ID feed, under pressure from the seacock..... Other boats may be different. What I use is a 12volt portable water pump I got at the local hardware store for about $50.00 I use a small lawn tractor battery to run it and a garden hose to get the water overboard. Works very well and quite fast. Just pop the inspection port, stick suction hose in tank and switch it on. The battery and pump fit easily in the ubiquitous milk crate for easy transport. You could also run a long wire to the house bank if you were so inclined. RT
Draining the tank(s).
All, You all bring up good points about hose diameter and pump rate but with our engine running at a light lope of 2,000 or so, hose diameter was really not an issue insofar as cooling being at risk and although I said that it took less than 20 minutes yesterday, my memory was that it was more like 8 to 10 minutes if that. Actually I was pretty impressed with Marilyn for coming up with the idea. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
All, You all bring up good points about hose diameter and pump rate but with our engine running at a light lope of 2,000 or so, hose diameter was really not an issue insofar as cooling being at risk and although I said that it took less than 20 minutes yesterday, my memory was that it was more like 8 to 10 minutes if that. Actually I was pretty impressed with Marilyn for coming up with the idea. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
GrumpyPawPaw
Member I
thanks for all the info.