NW Explorations
DISCOVERY OPERATING MANUAL
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19
Fresh Water System
Tanks
There are two water tanks located midships in the engine room under the genset and forward under the galley sole.
These are filled by side deck fill pipes on the port side midships and port side forward with a cap on each marked “WA-
TER”. You need to fill the tanks individually. You can use the sight gauge on the engine room tank to tell if your water is
getting low.
Water Pump
The water line from the tanks leads to the boat’s fresh water pump in the engine room, port side forward. Provided its
circuit breaker is “On”, this pump will run whenever its built-in pressure switch detects low water pressure. There is also
an “accumulator tank” located here; it provides a “pressure head” for the pump, so the pump doesn’t need to run so of-
ten. Instead, a pump cycle will provide for several minutes of routine water use before pressure diminishes and the pump
starts again.
It is a good idea to turn off the fresh water pump breaker (labeled “F.W. Pump”) whenever leaving the boat for any ex-
tended period, lest a dripping faucet or broken hose cause the pump to run and waste your precious drinking water.
Water heater
After the water pump, water is distributed directly to the cold water faucet lines. In addition, it goes to the boat’s water
heater. This heater uses two energy sources, (1) heat from the port engine, so that whenever the boat is running or has
recently run, there is hot water; and (2) 110 volts AC from shore power, if available and the breaker is “on”. The heater is
insulated well enough to keep hot water overnight without power, provided you haven’t wasted a lot in dishwashing!
Waste Water
Waste water from the sinks and showers (but not from the toilets) is dumped overboard in accordance with U.S. and
Canadian law. From sink basins, the water simply flows by gravity overboard. Since the floor of the showers is below the
water line, built in shower sump pumps operate to lift this water back above the waterline and dump it overboard.
It is therefore very important that the “drain pump” breaker in the DC panel be left “On” , and that the switch in each
head compartment labeled “drain pump” also be “on” (pulled out) during a shower.
After the shower is complete, turn the “Drain Pump” switch in the head compartment “Off” by pushing it in. This routine
is followed in case each pump’s own float switch fails or sticks, causing the pump to run continuously, overheating it and
running down the ship’s batteries.
