Jabsco Macerator Pump Issues

[Rob19574]

Hi All -

Fun job here -- My Jabsco macerator pump stopped working. Its getting power but the motor does not turn over. Its creating a draw and terminals on switch get warm so there seems to be resistance somewhere in the unit. Any recommendations on what may be the issue here? Is it the motor or the pump impeller assembly? Is it rebuild-able or do I need a new unit?

Thanks - Rob

 

[Stu Jackson]

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1227951&highlight=macerator

 

[Rick486]

Hi All -

Fun job here -- My Jabsco macerator pump stopped working. Its getting power but the motor does not turn over. Its creating a draw and terminals on switch get warm so there seems to be resistance somewhere in the unit. Any recommendations on what may be the issue here? Is it the motor or the pump impeller assembly? Is it rebuild-able or do I need a new unit?

Thanks - Rob

My advice, after replacing 2 of them, is just get a new one and throw the other in the trash. Not worth trouble shooting. They seem to last me about 3-4 years, maybe 40-50 emptying cycles, then they do exactly what yours is exhibiting. I just replaced one a couple weeks back. Same symptoms. In my installation it is on the top of the tank and easy to get at and replace with no spillage. I just leave the section with the hose connections and replace the motor and impeller/macerator section. Takes about an hour for me.

 

[Ron20324]

Flushing with water after discharge use is always needed. Otherwise, the "stuff" solidifies so the motor can't spin.

 

[Rob19574]

Thanks - I will try to flush out the system to see if that works before taking everything apart. Like I said, fun job here that I seem to deal with all too often.

Thanks - Rob

 

[Rick D]

Manually Turn Shaft?

Rob, did you take a screwdriver to the shaft on the top of the motor and try to free the shaft in that manner? If not, try that first. The suggestion re flushing is a good idea. A friend was recommended to pump into an just-emptied tank 30 times. with raw water and then empty that through the macerator as a way of flushing it. That made sense and I could see no downside to it, so that is what I now do.

 

[jibes138]

Rob I had a seized pump and replaced it. The old one kept blowing the breaker and would run for about ten seconds then seize. I took it apart and found the impeller fouled with a fibrous paper towel that was wrapped around it. I removed the foreign material and it works fine. I now have a spare pump. So before you throw yours away disassemble the pump it might be salvageable. Only 4 nuts to take it apart.

 

[Rob19574]

So it appears the problem may be with the impeller and not the electric motor which is good and something perhaps repairable. I'll try that route first before junking the motor. Yes, I did turn the srew-head opposite the impeller-side and it turned only 1-way (I dont recall if it was clockwise or counter clock). Last year, a few times when it acted up intermittently, I turned the screw-head and it then worked. But this time, its not.

Sp I'll disassemble the impeller-side first and see whats up.

Thanks again for the advice here....always a great resource and I appreciate the tips.

- Rob

 

[Ron20324]

My post #4 was a result of a (Cruising World?) magazine about a trans-Atlantic crossing. The ONLY problems the crew had was several times with the impeller being clogged. For starters, the boat- having been ashore for some time- had not used the macerator. Once at sea, they found it would not work. Guess why???

 

[gettinthere]

You can reverse the leads and run the pump the other way. That might help free it up.

I sometimes reverse to prime it and then switch back to norm to pump out

 

[bawlmer]

Rob. If your switch terminals are heating up the resistance may be in the switch itself. Jump out the switch and see what happens. It's a long shot but it just may save you from a nasty job.