Need I say more? The drain was clogged but no longer. It voids directly to the bilge (no hose). I'm assuming this is the way it is supposed to be.
When the drain was clogged and I tackled cleaning years of mold out of it,(using a hose with a gun) I found myself standing in water.
There is a bit of a disconnect here, I know. It should just fill up not leak. So, assuming there is not supposed to be a hose....I intend to try to 'reseal' the bottom of the icebox with epoxy (West). Which concoction combination would you suggest.
I recently painted the fiberglass pipes in the skuppers, I got rid of the leak but it was a bit runny.
Leaking Ice Box
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BALANCE
- Skilled Systems Installer
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:14 am
- Location: Newport, RI
Leaking Ice Box
S/V BALANCE
Westsail32
Westsail32
Hi Nanette,
I'm not quite getting the picture here. So there's a drain fitting at the bottom of the icebox, and that drains to the bilge (with no hose attached to it).
The drain was clogged --- is that when the icebox was leaking rather than filling up?
Once the drain was unclogged, then what happens when you "fill" the icebox with liquid? Is that when it leaks?
Rachel
I'm not quite getting the picture here. So there's a drain fitting at the bottom of the icebox, and that drains to the bilge (with no hose attached to it).
The drain was clogged --- is that when the icebox was leaking rather than filling up?
Once the drain was unclogged, then what happens when you "fill" the icebox with liquid? Is that when it leaks?
Rachel
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Quetzalsailor
- Master of the Arcane
- Posts: 1100
- Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 9:53 am
- Boat Name: Quetzal
- Boat Type: LeComte North East 38
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
A drain in an icebox is a very nice thing to have. But even better when you can control it.
I added one to the previous boat which consisted of a cheepie plastic through-hull / hose barb, a length of hose and a hook which held the end of the hose above the melt. We used the icebox normally, but when it came time to empty the melt, we unhooked the hose and held it into a shallow bucket. It surely beat hanging by one's heels, bailing and sponging the box dry.
The current boat has a refrigerator with a drain and a hose that drops neatly into the bilge. One has to be sure not to spill something in the fridge that won't keep! I understand that milk is really bad!
I suppose we could put a cork in the drain and choose when to dump.
I added one to the previous boat which consisted of a cheepie plastic through-hull / hose barb, a length of hose and a hook which held the end of the hose above the melt. We used the icebox normally, but when it came time to empty the melt, we unhooked the hose and held it into a shallow bucket. It surely beat hanging by one's heels, bailing and sponging the box dry.
The current boat has a refrigerator with a drain and a hose that drops neatly into the bilge. One has to be sure not to spill something in the fridge that won't keep! I understand that milk is really bad!
I suppose we could put a cork in the drain and choose when to dump.
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BALANCE
- Skilled Systems Installer
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:14 am
- Location: Newport, RI
Rachel, yes I unclogged the drain put water in and it still came out the centerline bottom of the cabinet as well as the galley side - but not the settee side :) I found the leak when cleaning and filling it with soap and water, found the clog, unclogged it, then used the ice box and the melting ice water still came out where the cabinet meets the sole - not the same deluge as the first time, obvi.
Quetz, I'll have to quote Rachel on this one, I don't quite get what you are saying. Not even enough to ask a clarifying question. I can only add that sopping up the puddles from within would be my preference.
Bottom line (to me) it appears that the ice box lining at the bottom has a hairline crack...?
Quetz, I'll have to quote Rachel on this one, I don't quite get what you are saying. Not even enough to ask a clarifying question. I can only add that sopping up the puddles from within would be my preference.
Bottom line (to me) it appears that the ice box lining at the bottom has a hairline crack...?
S/V BALANCE
Westsail32
Westsail32
Nanette,
Okay, I see what you mean now. It does sound like you have a leak in the liner of the box somewhere. Ugh.
On the W-32 I sailed, the icebox had home-made fiberglass box in the usual place on the galley "peninsula." It was well-constructed for the most part. There was a plastic mushroom through-hull in the bottom that led to a hose which drained into the bilge (not ideal). I was never sure if it had a "cold trap" (like a trap on a house sink, but to hold water which keeps cold air from simply draining into the bilge.
I wish it had been a flush through hull instead, as there was always a bit of skanky water that couldn't get over the hump of the mushroom.
If I were to build one, I think I 'd be tempted to put a valve on the drain; then I could let the meltwater stay in the box (under a grate at the bottom) - or drain it off when I wanted to into a bucket and use it to cool beverages.
That was an aside from your leak issue. I take it you can't see any evidence of a crack inside the box? I wonder if you put some dyed water in the box, if t would turn the cracked area darker (is it fiberglass?).
There was an article in a recent "Professional Boatbuilder" (available for viewing online) about how a fellow uses dyes to show up small cracks in fiberglass.
Okay, I see what you mean now. It does sound like you have a leak in the liner of the box somewhere. Ugh.
On the W-32 I sailed, the icebox had home-made fiberglass box in the usual place on the galley "peninsula." It was well-constructed for the most part. There was a plastic mushroom through-hull in the bottom that led to a hose which drained into the bilge (not ideal). I was never sure if it had a "cold trap" (like a trap on a house sink, but to hold water which keeps cold air from simply draining into the bilge.
I wish it had been a flush through hull instead, as there was always a bit of skanky water that couldn't get over the hump of the mushroom.
If I were to build one, I think I 'd be tempted to put a valve on the drain; then I could let the meltwater stay in the box (under a grate at the bottom) - or drain it off when I wanted to into a bucket and use it to cool beverages.
That was an aside from your leak issue. I take it you can't see any evidence of a crack inside the box? I wonder if you put some dyed water in the box, if t would turn the cracked area darker (is it fiberglass?).
There was an article in a recent "Professional Boatbuilder" (available for viewing online) about how a fellow uses dyes to show up small cracks in fiberglass.
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feetup
- Almost a Finish Carpenter
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:35 am
- Location: Ladysmith, Vancouver Island
Rachel;
That's interesting. At work one way we check for invisible cracks or pin holes is to spray a thick red dye onto the material and leave it to soak in for about 15-20 miniuts. Then we wash the die off and spray a developer, which is nothing more than talcum powder in solution with alcohol over the surface. (it comes if aerosol cans) When the surface has dried any cracks will blead out into the talc and be very obvious. You could do the same with food coloring and baby powder. Slather the food coloring over the suspected area, leave for 15 min., wipe clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. then with the surface still slightly damp, dust a thin film of baby powder or even corn starch over the area. I'm sure the die will bleed out, and show you the cracks. Hair die would work too, but be more likely to stain the gelcoat.
To repair, you could clean out the cracks with a dremel, make sure they are dry and repair with thickened epoxy, or I suppose if you could not vee out the cracks you could sand the surrounding area well and cover with a layer of thickened epoxy. Probably not as good though.
Tim J
That's interesting. At work one way we check for invisible cracks or pin holes is to spray a thick red dye onto the material and leave it to soak in for about 15-20 miniuts. Then we wash the die off and spray a developer, which is nothing more than talcum powder in solution with alcohol over the surface. (it comes if aerosol cans) When the surface has dried any cracks will blead out into the talc and be very obvious. You could do the same with food coloring and baby powder. Slather the food coloring over the suspected area, leave for 15 min., wipe clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. then with the surface still slightly damp, dust a thin film of baby powder or even corn starch over the area. I'm sure the die will bleed out, and show you the cracks. Hair die would work too, but be more likely to stain the gelcoat.
To repair, you could clean out the cracks with a dremel, make sure they are dry and repair with thickened epoxy, or I suppose if you could not vee out the cracks you could sand the surrounding area well and cover with a layer of thickened epoxy. Probably not as good though.
Tim J
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feetup
- Almost a Finish Carpenter
- Posts: 99
- Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:35 am
- Location: Ladysmith, Vancouver Island
Balance;
I'm jealous. We have to plan carefully to get the whole six pack in if we have a fresh block of ice. The white wine has to wait till the ice melts a bit.
We have begun freezing our fresh water in smaller containers that can be mingled with the food and drink. When they thaw we drink them.
Tim J
I'm jealous. We have to plan carefully to get the whole six pack in if we have a fresh block of ice. The white wine has to wait till the ice melts a bit.
We have begun freezing our fresh water in smaller containers that can be mingled with the food and drink. When they thaw we drink them.
Tim J
Oh, I know the feeling of trying to reach into the bottom of that ice box. Hello China!
It all depends on the crack, of course, but with the potential for dropping a block of ice, a can of pineapple, or whatever into the bottom of the ice box, I think I'd plan to repair with some reinforcement; i.e. fiberglass cloth or biax or the like vs. filler alone.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the crack had been caused by that sort of event. Ice blocks can put a lot of stress on things, and you almost have to drop them in, with that ice box being so deep and (relatively) narrow.
Rachel
It all depends on the crack, of course, but with the potential for dropping a block of ice, a can of pineapple, or whatever into the bottom of the ice box, I think I'd plan to repair with some reinforcement; i.e. fiberglass cloth or biax or the like vs. filler alone.
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the crack had been caused by that sort of event. Ice blocks can put a lot of stress on things, and you almost have to drop them in, with that ice box being so deep and (relatively) narrow.
Rachel