Fresh Water Pump

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lehighsail

lehighsail

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Feb 21, 2008
419
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
I was commissioning the fresh water system on my 29 ft. Hunter and the pump seems to be noisy and weak and I don't remember it acting like that in the fall. It is a Jabsco 2.8 and I think it is time to replace it.

I see different sizes and types and I can't decide which would work for me. Can I put in a larger one that pumps 4 gpm or will that be too strong? How about a Variable speed? Do I need an accumulator tank?

I have a starter battery and an additional bank of two large marine batteries on board, and do not really use the shower systems very often.

What do you recommend?

Thanks.
 

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DougM

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
If the pump motor itself is ok, you might be able to rebuild the pump. Some pumps have available replacement impellers, etc. An accumulator would help maintain steady pressure, nice but not absolutely necessary.Ifyou end up replacing the entire pump, upsizing would be beneficial in my opinion.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,356
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Have you removed and cleaned all the strainers on your faucets?
 
G

gettinthere

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Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
I'm second the strainer cleaning!
Then check that there are no air leaks on the input side.
Is there an inline filter on the intake to the pump? Clean that too.
 
petersea

petersea

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Sep 26, 2008
566
- - Noank CT.
lehigh375 said:
I was commissioning the fresh water system on my 29 ft. Hunter and the pump seems to be noisy and weak and I don't remember it acting like that in the fall. It is a Jabsco 2.8 and I think it is time to replace it.

I see different sizes and types and I can't decide which would work for me. Can I put in a larger one that pumps 4 gpm or will that be too strong? How about a Variable speed? Do I need an accumulator tank?

I have a starter battery and an additional bank of two large marine batteries on board, and do not really use the shower systems very often.

What do you recommend?

Thanks.
Click to expand
strainer first as others suggested but it also sounds like you may have a partial air lock, or leak drawing air into the system, since you said it is loud and pumps weak especialy since you said it did not do it in the fall just a possibility.........installing a slightly larger pump should not be a problem, if you replace the pump, I would get a variablle speed pump. that will elimanate the need for an accumulator as well as it will not "hammer" like the old style pumps win/win in my book !
 
Anonymous 121765

Anonymous 121765

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Jan 6, 2010
1,520
L,

Through my own experience, I find ANY Jabsco product to be highly inferior and short lived.

I have used many of their products over the years and thru much angst, will NEVER use them again.

Based on the advice of the "good" guys on this thread, if everything they advised checks out, than I would consider getting rid of this subpar item.

I recently replaced my POS Jabsco with a Sureflo pump and it has performed great for the last two years..

Just my personal thoughts pal,

CR
 
gpd955

gpd955

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Feb 22, 2006
1,164
Catalina 310 Cape May, NJ
Lehigh...were you getting any water and was it a steady flow? As petersea mentioned, air would make it sound and act goofy like that.
 
J

Joe2954

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Jan 22, 2008
169
Beneteau 343 Saint Helens, Oregon OR
FWIW re the accumulator tank: We use an electric Sea Era head on the boat with about 30 ft of 3/8 factory supplied hose between the toilet and Shurflo water supply pump. The toilet pumps out faster than the water supply.
I installed an accumulator tank in the system. It delivered much better flow and pressure at the head. However, the pump would run quite awhile making back up to the tank after it switched on. I removed the tank, since without it, the pump runs only when the valve is open and a few seconds after. I may have just had too big of a tank, but would increase the supply hose if I wanted more water.
As for your problems, clean the strainers and filters and if your pump is above the water tank check every fitting for possible leaks. I found I had to swipe a little vaseline on the gasket of the strainer bowl to get a seal.
 
S

Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
After check for leaks and cleaning your strainer, you may want to consider sending the pump back to the mfg for evaluation.

If you decide to replace the pump I would consider Flojet VSD. They are more expensive but they are nearly slient, use less power and do not need an accumulator. I have purchased a couple of these from Camping World, they typically have better prices than the marine supply businesses.
 
lehighsail

lehighsail

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Feb 21, 2008
419
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
Well I just returned from the boat. I put a new faucet in the salon sink..had to remove the sink and reinstall both. Checked all strainers and they were clean. I put an access plate in the water tank, rinsed and vacumned out the tank and cleaned the pre-pump filter. Ran the pump and flushed out all the antifreeze from all the lines. The pressure is still low and slightly more than a trickle at the stern washdown but the flow is continuous. I checked the fittings between the tank and the faucets and no "apparent leaks", but how do I tell for sure. Also, how to check and correct an airlock?
Thanks again for all the help.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
If my marina had the pump in stock, I would have bought it and put it in while underway. They did not have it, so pursued the no-water problem while underway. Turned out there is a small check valve and spring (like in a ball point pen) in the water tank threaded connector. I just took it out and things ran okay. And i saved the 200 bucks. See if you can poke a screwdriver out from inside the tank.
 
lehighsail

lehighsail

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Feb 21, 2008
419
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
I will check the tank connector in the morning. I willl also pull the pump and check the impeller for wear. Again, how do I check and correct for an airlock. If none of these helps, I guess I will go for the new VSD pump.
 
heritage

heritage

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Apr 22, 2011
974
Hunter 27 Pecan Grove, Oriental, NC
" Also, how to check and correct an airlock?"

Unlike impeller pumps, our fresh water pumps are designed to pump air until the water arrives and then increase the water pressure until they reach a preset and shut off. Now you could have an air leak on the intake side that prevents the pump from compressing the water enough to get a good flow.

I would take the pump apart and check for worn pump chambers if all the clamps seem tight.
 
petersea

petersea

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Sep 26, 2008
566
- - Noank CT.
Most air locks occur when there are two tanks and one draws empty first drawing air in into the system. Most of the time gravity will push the air lock thru with both tanks fill and running the pump for several minutes or disconecting the feed to the pump and 'bleading" until you get full water flow to pump. Does the pump build enough pressure that it shuts off or does it run all the time ?? After reading some of the things you have done all ready my suggestion it to check the pump directly by feeding it with a short hose and a bucket of water. If it pumps out of the water bucket with no problems you have a problem in the plumbing system. If you can not pump from the bucket........ bad pump. If you need to replace I suggest the varaiable speed pump. Let us know what fixes this !
 
lehighsail

lehighsail

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Feb 21, 2008
419
Hunter 33 Metedeconk River
Turns out there were two problems, one of which I wish I found two years ago. First, there was a partial clog at the point where the water leaves the tank..got this out by vacumning from inside of the tank to the valve. Found soft crud in the vacumn tank after. Next I did find a leaky conncector before the filter before the pump. After that the water flowed freely but not like at home. Still think a new pump is in my future. Now why I wish I found this before...two years ago my batteries were going dead and when I got to the boat..not enough juice to start the engine. I replaced them all with Marine AGMs for a total of about $750. Now I think the reason the batteries were dying was the bilge pump was running frequently from the water leak..Duh. If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough. Thanks again for the suggestions. Now I'm on to replacing the engine stop cable. Morse 48702 is what it says on the cable, about 13 feet long.
 
jimmcgee

jimmcgee

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Feb 26, 2008
603
Catalina 30 Marathon, FL
Lehigh it sounds to me like the pump is going south. Scott RV is just a few minutes from your slip in Toms River. I found the water pump there about $20 cheaper than the "marine store" in Brick. :D

The pump was under $100 last summer (I forget the exact price).

You'll find a lot of other "marine" products in their store as well.
 
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