Extending life of rubber

[Don Crowther]

I'm looking for something to put on rubber seals to extend the life. I have a gusher pump that the diaphram failed on. I found a replacement on board but don't know the age of this part. I've had the boat for 5 years and the po must have purchased it years ago. As I was installing it I noticed small cracks in the rubber. Can this be saved? New diaphrams are not avialable for this pump.
So does anyone have any product that they like to use on rubber?

 

[JRacer]

I use "303 Aerospace". Just Google it. It has no silicone in it. Not likely it can save cracked rubber but will prevent cracking.

 

[capta]

As a divemaster, we always used fresh water with a tiny bit of dish soap as the preservative for our rubber dive gear, though I doubt it will bring back rubber if it is cracked.
You might try a heavy-duty truck inner tube to make a diaphragm from. It may not hold up as well as the original, but you could get some years out of it.

 

[JoeWhite]

I would try lanolin from pharmacy.

 

[JRacer]

I would try lanolin from pharmacy.

And, I always have a tube of Lan-O-Lube on the boat for treating rubber parts and for it's anti-sieze properties. http://www.penntoolco.com/flexbar-lano-lube/

 

[jssailem]

I noticed small cracks in the rubber. Can this be saved?

Most likely No. All the salve in the world will not heal the cracks in rubber.
Perhaps if you can find the model number/serial number of your gusher pump we might me able to help you source a replacement diaphragm.

 

[thinwater]

What JS said.

Salve will make it look and feel smooth but will change nothing. Depending on the material, the salve will possibly shorten the life (fat and oil arn't good for any elastomer, just varying degrees of bad). It isn't leather.

Not guessing, I've done testing on several elastomers related to boating and my former (refining) day job).

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Don, as John mentioned, most reputable pump makers, e.g., Whale, have rebuild kits that might solve your dilemma. It would help us here if we knew the brand.

 

[Gunni]

Gusher is a product name by Whale. All their pumps have diaphragm rebuild kits. The diaphragm is a replacement item, look for the nitrile diaphragm kit.

 

[All U Get]

Liquid tape might work for a while. I have a cruising friend that yearly used it on his dinghy and got twenty years of use. Of course it would leak some.

 

[Don Crowther]

Sorry for the confusion I just used gusher as a type. It's a rule pump. I can't find a model just a make. It's for my pump out I thought it would be easier to replace the diaphram than to redo all the plumbing.

 

[jssailem]

@Peggie Hall HeadMistress
Don here need to replace the diaphragm on his potty pump out. Can you identify it or know where he can find a replacement part.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

He finally clarified that his pump is a Rule. Rule is now owned by Xylem--the same company that owns Jabsco. So he might want to find out if a Jabsco diaphragm will fit it...that is IF he can even buy just a diaphragm. Prob'ly not, but that wouldn't be a good idea anyway 'cuz if the diaphragm is falling apart, so is every other rubber part in it. A rebuild kit is needed. However, the pump has to be pretty old for all the rubber parts to be falling apart...which means the hard plastic parts have deteriorated too. The last thing he'd want would be to spend the money for a kit, only to have the body crack open or the handle break off (which of course will only happen when he tried to dump a full tank where there's no other way to empty it).

So after reading the entire thread, my advice is: replace the pump.That shouldn't require replacing any plumbing. However, if it's anywhere near as old as the pump seems to be, it needs to be replaced.

--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Don, Peggie always offers sage advice and well worth consideration. Usually what I do is to contact the manufacturer, talk to technical support, offer them the symptoms/condition of your pump and seek their recommendations. They may come to the same conclusion as Peggie has offered, or perhaps another lower cost alternative for you to consider.

 

[jssailem]

Thank you Peggie.

 

[All U Get]

I see Don's point, screws mean you should take it apart. But I didn't know this was a sanitation issue. After being frustrated with old plumbing for years I replaced the entire head with the Marine Elegance. Now I'm frustrated with new stuff. I had an engineer tell me once the cracks were caused by UV. Really, somehow the UV can find its way into the head and under all the toilet paper my wife stores in the little locker. Or maybe it flushes down the hose every time you use it.

Peggie is right, buy the new unit and don't do what I do. [Cut a notch in the companion way door everytime you find something wrong on the boat. Once you cut all the way through you can get a new boat.]

 

[jviss]

Bosworth Guzzler 400V Hand Pump w/Vertical Handle 10 GPM - about $70.

 

[jviss]

Here's one for $16!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Amarin...087?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10#viTabs_0

 

[Don Crowther]

Thanks everyone.....
I'll try contacting the manufactor and see if they offer a replacement.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

But I didn't know this was a sanitation issue.

"Sanitation" isn't limited to toilets...Everything that has anything to do with toilet waste is a sanitation SYSTEM issue.

After being frustrated with old plumbing for years I replaced the entire head with the Marine Elegance.

The Elegance is just a toilet, so I'm guessing that what you mean by "the entire head" includes hoses and maybe even the tank too. Why are you frustrated with the "new stuff?"
--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein