Water accumulator: how important is locations?

[boots]

Hi,

thinking about fitting an accumulater, but need to decide where to fit it! Just wondered how critical location / distance is?

Our layout is as follows:

water tank is in the bow, under cratch area.

pump is located under kitchen sink cupboard, just before feed to kitchen taps.

moving rearwards, next is the shower, then basin sink, then toilet, with the calorifier at the rear of the boat.

without moving the pump, the only real option to fit an accumulator would be under the bed in the rear cabin, between the toilet feed and calorifier - which puts it on the opposite side to the pump of all the water feeds.

I have assumed that the best place to fit one, is as close to the pump and before the first feed - to achieve this, would need to relocate the pump which would be a significantly more involved task, than just fitting the accumulator under the rear bed.

just wondering if any one has any experience as to whether it would make a noticible differences?

appreciate any thoughts,

cheers,

Martin

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Doubt it makes any difference. It is effectively a sort of pneumatic spring and the water itself isn't compressible, so location after the pump isn't that important. This is a cold water accumulator you are describing by the sound of it. Do you have a calorifier? If so, do you have anything to absorb pressure rises on the hot water side as the calorifier heats up and the water expands?

Jen

[lockedout]

I have just fitted an accumulator.  The advice I got was to fit it as close as possible to the pump. I was lucky, our pump is under the base of the cupboard under the sink so I had plenty of space to fit the accumulator with about 18" of pipe to the pump.

Seems to work really well, it has stopped the pump surging and maintains a nice steady pressure.

I'm not sure why it has to be close to the pump, logic says it shouldn't matter.

[mross]

If it were too far from the pump, say 20 feet or more, then the pressure drop on opening a tap might cause the pump to cut in immediately.  So I suggest to put it as close as reasonably possible but not to obsess over it.  A few feet won't make any difference.

[dor]

My pump is in the bow.  The pipe goes from there to the galley halfway down the boat, then to the bathroom, then under the bed at the stern  to the calorifier (57ft boat). The accumulator is under the bed, I.e. after the galley and the bathroom.

It works fine!

[MoominPapa]

I have tank and pump in the bow, and the accumulator is in the engine room, 35-40 feet back. The pressure switch is close to the accumulator though. No problems with the system.

 

MP.

 

[boots]

Looks like I'll give it a go under the bed (anyone recommend a good suppliers?)

yes, this is the cold water accumulator- don't have an (hot) expansion tank yet...that's another job on the list

cheers,

Martin

[lockedout]

I bought one of these - 

https://www.jabscoshop.com/pressure-systems/fittings-accessories/accumulator-tanks/cw269-accumulator-tank-2-litre.htm

Good company, delivered swiftly and happy to offer advice

(no connections, other suppliers are available)

[boots]

Am I right in thinking bigger is better, we probably have room for the 5lt, or even 8lt

many thanks every one,

Martin

[GUMPY]

2 hours ago, boots said:

Am I right in thinking bigger is better, we probably have room for the 5lt, or even 8lt

many thanks every one,

Martin

Yes mine is a 20l one. you can almost have a shower before pump cuts in.

Takes some getting used to when pump runs for well over a minute when it does cut in an the taps are off....

[WotEver]

3 hours ago, Loddon said:

Takes some getting used to when pump runs for well over a minute when it does cut in an the taps are off....

I'd imagine that's quite scary the first few times

[GUMPY]

Yes even after 5 years I'm still not used to it. Takes 1min 35secs to fully pressurise if the batteries are down a bit even longer. However I wouldn't go back to a small one.

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

However I wouldn't go back to a small one.

All my life I've been told that size matters. 

[lockedout]

I have a small one, but it appears to do the job perfectly well.  Anyway 'er indoors tells me she hasn't got room for anything bigger.

A 2 Litre accumulator tank - this is what the guys at Xylem/Jabsco recommended, and it does the job perfectly. 

[boots]

Hi,

quick catch up - now fitted under the rear bed, pressure set to 15psi, and all seems to be working fine.

Thanks everyone