Three fresh water system issues.

[Zeus2012]

1. We are currently living aboard, for the past year, using fresh water from our tanks, which is municipal water. We do not shower on board. Every couple of days, for the past 6 months while running hot water the aerator will plug up with a substance that looks just like (sorry) snot. It behaves like snot but stays in one piece better. We clean it off the filter screen and continue on until the next time. We have a now-discontinued Johnson 5.0gpm fresh water pump, model 10-13250-13, manufactured 2010. Pump is original to the boat, boat is 4 years old, we are the only owners. We cannot imagine where this snot is coming from. We have Pex water lines.

2. Recently the pump became much louder, not gradually, but changed from one activation to the next. The snot was present for quite a while before the volume increase. Then the pump started cycling more often. Then it started stuttering. Now it sounds frantic. Water pressure has not changed, at least we have not noticed it.

3. I have tried 3 times to get Johnson support to communicate with me with no luck. We intend to replace the pump and flush the hot water heater, in case there is something in it causing the snot, but wanted to get the replacement in our hands before messing with anything. I cannot find, anywhere online, a pump that sounds like it would be an equivalent. Our friendly local marine hardware store ordered me a Johnson Aqua Jet washdown pump, 5.2gpm. Will a washdown pump be okay as a replacement for a fresh water pump? The label on the old pump (we do not have a manual, we were never given a manual, cannot get one online because it is discontinued), has "shut in 20psi, shut off 30psi, max 10A, use 15A fuse." The new pump says "cut-in pressure 54psi, cut-off pressure 73psi." If we install this pump will we over-pressurize and blow up our water system? I cannot find any tutorial on water pump terminology.

 

[helmfam]

On my B373 I had some scum in one of my tanks, probably like yours. You may want to experiment to see if one or both of the tanks are affected. I shocked my tanks with chlorox and that worked. I use West Marine Water Treatment & Freshener too to help keep things OK. As far as the pump goes, not sure why they ordered a washdown pump, but the pressures seem too high. Take a look at the fresh water pumps available from Defender: they all go up to about 55 or 60 psi max. Look at: http://search.defender.com/?expression=fresh water pump&s=1&Trigger=ac

 

[Skipper]

Don't use a washdown pump. It's higher pressure.
The snot is algae in your tank. It's ok, not a disaster. Just clean the tank out, and start using an inhibitor such as tiny amounts of bleach. See Peggy's water tank shock and treatment guide.
Do you have an accumulator? You may need to drain it. A fidgety pump may be due to a saturated accumulator, especially if you hear pinging noises inside the water heater when you operate the faucets.

 

[Zeus2012]

Thank you!

 

[Zeus2012]

Thank you both. I suspected the pump was overkill. I am also happy to hear the snot is an easy fix.

 

[helmfam]

I used Peggy's shock protocol BTW.

 

[Gunni]

You will need do a unscented sodium hypochlorite NaOCl (bleach) shock AND then maintain a residual 1-2 mg/l concentration to keep your freshwater system sanitized. The shock concentration oxidizes itself over a short period of time and the bleach smell goes away, then you add the residual concentration to keep it good. Run the shock through to the taps - all of them.

This is precise chemistry to do it right. Don't be tempted to overdose, it is hard on your equipment. Here is a spreadsheet adapted by the Oregan State Public Health agency to figure out bleach volumes for your tank. Put 2 mg/l in the final NaOCL concentration to figure out your residual treatment. Maybe a couple of ounces of standard bleach for a 100g tank

Pull all your filters out before shock treatment, clean and reinstall after treatment.
https://public.health.oregon.gov/He...ater/Operations/Documents/ShockChloroCalc.xls

 

[Zeus2012]

Fabulous! Thank you so much.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I cannot find, anywhere online, a pump that sounds like it would be an equivalent.

Truly astounding. Have you tried the WM catalog. Shurflo has a heap of pumps that would work, as do the other manufacturers. Our 30 year old Shurflo is still working, and I have a backup on board. A washdown pump is too high a pressure unit, you could blow your hose clamps off.

 

[Zeus2012]

That's what I was afraid of. I ended up with a Jabsco that seems to come close. The 5gpm is easy to find, it's the amp draw and fuse and on/off psi that have been the problem matching. And I know Jabsco will be incredibly helpful and actually answer my questions. I do my best to not deal with WM.

 

[SFS]

Why not contact Shurflo directly? They would have specs on everything they make, so you could rattle yours off and get a recommendation. They may even have a cross reference for your old Johnson pump. They could then give you the distributors in your area, if you want to buy locally. If you are buying online, check out the store here on SBO first, then other online marine stores (Defender, Jamestown Distributors, McMaster Carr, etc).

Another tip, and I say this gently and with respect, to a newcomer: If you spend much time on this forum, you will begin to realize who the people are with the biggest knowledge bases and the most technical expertise (those are not always the same things). If Stu Jackson (or MaineSail, or Peggie Hall, as other examples) says Shurflo (and mentions 30-year service lives), I don't immediately think "Jabsco". But it's your boat, so it's your choice.

 

[Gunni]

I seriously doubt that you need to replace your pump. Pull the filters and screens, flush your system clear of that bio-matter and reassess.

 

[Zeus2012]

The first part of the project is a success. Took 4 hours so now it's cocktail time. The reason for the loud pump cycling too often and then stuttering was the fact the accumulator tank was full of water. It is the size of a liter soda bottle lying onits side. We drained about 3.5 cups out of it, a liter is about 4.25. There is a little we could not get out but now it sounds and runs the way it used to.

The algae issue will have to wait for another weekend when the tanks aren't full. I have a hard time justifying just dumping 300 gallons of water. Drought, you know. We may just bleach the tanks at the maintenance level and see what happens.

Thanks y'all.

 

[Zeus2012]

The results - we shocked the tanks, followed all instructions, no more snot. Interesting part is that I had noticed my blue 3M scrubber sponges used for dishwashing never used to stink but had started stinking during the snot phase within a couple days of putting a new one out. After destroying the snot the sponges never have an odor. They get tossed out because they fall apart first. The accumulator tank seems to fill with water when we run a water tank low to the point of sucking air. We have learned the the little air pump that came with our refillable air horn works great to repressurize it.

 

[SFS]

You have a refillable air horn? Tell me more, please!

 

[Zeus2012]

West Marine has one for $36. Ours was a gift, they look identical. Lots of nasty reviews. We have had it for 5 years but don't use it much. I suspect people are over filling.
Ours says Air Zound, pump says Echo Blast.

 

[Full Circle 473]

I have the same re-fillable horn. Works great. Recharged with a small bike pump.

 

[Zeus2012]

Yup.