Good Morning Peggy... i was on the boat yesterday commissioning my water system and I was trying to get pressure in my lines and was only to get a trickle...I empted all the pink antifreeze but was unable to get good pressue in the showers. I have a galley sink , 2head sinks, 2 showers and a transom shower. I checked all the lines and found no air leak...then removed the water strainer no clogs..refilled the cup with water and tried again still no pressure...finally I removed my pump...a Jabsco 3 gpm 1986 pump...with no accumulator tank. i examined the pump and found the diaphram has a crack in the housing that prevents pressure from building......Now on to my question. now Im buying a new pump. I want to upgrade the system... i want to install a pump large enough to provide ample flow for all the outlets and I want to install an acumulator tank to minimize pump cycles. Can you help me with my selections???? There are 2 assembled units in the west marine cataloge...pumps and accumulator tanks..The Shurflow dual head combo 5.6 gpm @12v for $359.00 and the Raitain combo 3.8 gpm @12v for $369.00....The combo by Graco Pargon jr for $809.00 is just out of budget. Or shall I look at assembling my own system???..there is a s/s steel tank for $129.00 and then hook a sep pump....maybe another Diapharagm with a higher Gpm then I have now??? At this point the goal is good water pressure and quantity of flow.as number 1 priortity......if you had your ultimate system what would it be??? Thanks Rob
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In order to save money
you can install a accumulator tank from WM for $55 and contact the pump mfg for repair parts.
you can install a accumulator tank from WM for $55 and contact the pump mfg for repair parts.
I can't answer for Peggy, but...
I just upgraded the system on my C-320. I installed a Jabsco Sensor Max VSD-17. This is a 4.5 GPM pump with a solid state electronic variable speed controller. It does not need an accumulator tank because it adjusts the speed of the pump motor to the demand of the system. It is a lot quieter and eliminates cycling. We love it. cb
I just upgraded the system on my C-320. I installed a Jabsco Sensor Max VSD-17. This is a 4.5 GPM pump with a solid state electronic variable speed controller. It does not need an accumulator tank because it adjusts the speed of the pump motor to the demand of the system. It is a lot quieter and eliminates cycling. We love it. cb
One caution:
Be careful not to make the pump size (GPM) larger than your boat's plumbing can handle. A 3 GPM that's working to specs (since it's possible that crack has been developing for some time and only now has reached the "failure point," who knows how long it's been since yours HAS been working to specs) should be adequate for a boat that size, depending on how convoluted the plumbing runs are. If it doesn't produce enough pressure at the end of the system that's farthest away from the pump, two water pumps may be called for. However, I don't THINK it matters what size the pump is if you add an accumulator...a larger pump is only gonna refill the accumulator faster, it shouldn't affect the pressure downstream of the accumulator. Or would it???
Be careful not to make the pump size (GPM) larger than your boat's plumbing can handle. A 3 GPM that's working to specs (since it's possible that crack has been developing for some time and only now has reached the "failure point," who knows how long it's been since yours HAS been working to specs) should be adequate for a boat that size, depending on how convoluted the plumbing runs are. If it doesn't produce enough pressure at the end of the system that's farthest away from the pump, two water pumps may be called for. However, I don't THINK it matters what size the pump is if you add an accumulator...a larger pump is only gonna refill the accumulator faster, it shouldn't affect the pressure downstream of the accumulator. Or would it???
Pressure
The pressure is a function of the pump's capacity (GPM), the size of the lines, the system's head pressure and the limit setting of the pressure switch. An 'oversized' pump (with reference to GPM) will not harm a system if the pressure switch setting is the same as the smaller pump. Most are factory set somewhere between 35-45 PSI. That should not stress a properly designed system in good shape. The problem with accumulator tanks is that the air bladder pressure/volume must be properly set. That is also another failure opportunity. See if you can track down a dockmate with a Sensor Max pump to see the improvement over pressure switch systems for yourself.
The pressure is a function of the pump's capacity (GPM), the size of the lines, the system's head pressure and the limit setting of the pressure switch. An 'oversized' pump (with reference to GPM) will not harm a system if the pressure switch setting is the same as the smaller pump. Most are factory set somewhere between 35-45 PSI. That should not stress a properly designed system in good shape. The problem with accumulator tanks is that the air bladder pressure/volume must be properly set. That is also another failure opportunity. See if you can track down a dockmate with a Sensor Max pump to see the improvement over pressure switch systems for yourself.
Thanks Everyone
I thank everyone for the replys and after more reserach ive gone with the Jabsco Sensor max..4.5 gpm....mainly because of the no accumulator tank and the quiet running of this pump and variable speed.and the psi is about the same as the old pump with 1.5 GMP more output.....ill let you know how it works out... FYI...defender was $50.00 cheaper than West Marine for the same model and part number....and the folks at Defender pick up their phone on ring number 2 without having to wait 3 phone cycles and then listen to the weather in Sanfransico. thanks Rob
I thank everyone for the replys and after more reserach ive gone with the Jabsco Sensor max..4.5 gpm....mainly because of the no accumulator tank and the quiet running of this pump and variable speed.and the psi is about the same as the old pump with 1.5 GMP more output.....ill let you know how it works out... FYI...defender was $50.00 cheaper than West Marine for the same model and part number....and the folks at Defender pick up their phone on ring number 2 without having to wait 3 phone cycles and then listen to the weather in Sanfransico. thanks Rob
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