Water pump tripping circuit breaker

woodster · Feb 7, 2014

emergpa1 said:
New information, the pump turns on for no explicable reason and then runs for several seconds until the circuit breaker trips. I think it is a problem with the pump. What do you guys say?

Sounds like you have a bad pressure switch diafram check that first

Regards

Woody

kito · Feb 7, 2014

At first it sounded to me just a faulty breaker on your panel since your fuse at the pump is good. Just use another breaker to test. But if it's coming on without reason then I agree with Woodster, sounds like a pressure switch issue within the pump. Not sure if your intake strainer may be letting some crud in there too.

Steve Dion · Feb 7, 2014

I would suggest that you send the pump back to them. They can repair it or let you know if it needs to be replaced.

Bill Roosa · Feb 7, 2014

I'm with kito's idea that it is a CB problem. If you have an ammeter on the nav panel you should be able to tell the current draw. If it is less than the CB rating then it must be the CB. As for the pump coming on with no faucet open it is either a leak on the pressure side, an air leak on the supply side or the pump pressure switch is bad.
To test the pump turn it off and plug the output side of the pump and turn it back on. If it stops cycling then you have a leak in the pressure hoses. if it still cycles repeat the test on the supply side of the pump. If it stops cycling it is an air leak on the supply side. if it still cycles then the pressure switch or internal valving on the pump are bad or clogged.

kloudie1 · Feb 8, 2014

Ahh? A variable speed pump. The sensors and control system are very different from the old simple diaphragm pressure switch. Sounds kind of like a panel circuit breaker . Check or have checked the resting current and running current .. If the current is to Jabsco spec, then bad breaker. If high, control module.. This is one to call the Jabsco folks (Now Xylem Flow Control) about. http://www.xylemflowcontrol.com/mar...sd-pumps/31750-31755-sensor-max-vsd-pumps.htm

Note from them:
NOTE: The VSD electronics require a battery installed in the DC power supply when using an AC to DC converter or battery charging system.

Chris Patterson · Feb 8, 2014

I'm voting breaker. A water pump nearly identical to that one got me last year. This one was on my boat, so the cure wasn't very embarrassing. This was after changing out the pump that I thought was drawing too much. In my haste I didn't even check current at the pump, I just got another one and said fine. Nay nay. The breaker. WHY I didn't go into my supply of which there are probably fifty breakers in the box and change one of them. Noooooooooo, hell, let's change out the 200 dollar part, THEN worry about the twenty dollar part of the equation.

You can see where this ended up. Along with a spare water pump that I will probably never need..

Maine Sail · Feb 8, 2014

emergpa1 said:
Great advice guys. I did take the pump apart this morning, in fact I just got through connecting it back up. There was debris in the check valve assembly. The pressure sensor itself looked good. There were several little rocks. Unfortunately, I cleaned all that out and just put it back together and it steel cycles off and on and throws the circuit breaker. now I start to learn how to check circuit breakers. It is very very tempting to go get a $200 pump from worst Marine first!
As you guys know, we live aboard and the adm. is down at the Marina clubhouse now wanting to know when I'm going to get the pump fixed. No water no food! Some days it is just not fun.

#1 I have had very poor experiences with the VSD pumps and the reliability I have seen has been less than stellar. I don't have one on my own boat and won't until I see the reliability improve. I think I replaced approx 4 or 5 less than four year old VSD pumps last summer alone off the top of my head a J-42, CD-36, Sabre 34, Wilbur 30, Mainship 34.

In contrast I replaced 1 old school pump and it was 20+ years old on a Bristol 40..... Coincidence?? I can't really say with such a small n=X but I am no fan of the VSD's at this point in time based on my experiences with them.

I have one customer who went through three VSD pumps in two years (J-42). The pumps were covered under warranty but the time and PITA of the whole thing finally pushed him over the edge. He's gone back to a standard pump and an accumulator tank..

#2 Unless the breaker is undersized and you are not blowing the in-line fuse then the breaker is likely faulty too. This happens. To test it pull the positive wire off another breaker of the same amperage and move the VSD pump wire to that other breaker.. Takes all of 30 seconds.... If it works, you go buy a new breaker and swap it out.

It is very possible your breaker was simply undersized and run at too close to max load for too long, perhaps a 5A breaker....? Breakers should not be run at more than 80% of face value rating if you want them to survive..

#4 Do you have a foot pump in the system? Depending upon how it is plumbed they can often trap air or suck air and cause pump cycling.

#5 The failure modes of these VSD's is usually continual running or cycling. To test pinch off the output hose (radiator pinch off pliers work on PVC hose but not on PEX), plug the putput about a foot away or turn off a valve on the outlet side of the pump that is close by. If the pump continues to cycle into a small no-leak system then you know the VSD has failed... If it stops cycling, and holds pressure, then you have air in the system or a leak in your domestic water system.

Chris Patterson · Feb 8, 2014

Yep, I changed out one of those VSD pumps last year on a Cruisers. The owner was more than upset that a seemingly, (and actually), good pump failed. The place it was installed was clean and dry as my kitchen cabinets, but it just died of its own volition.
So I'm with Maine about that. I would not buy one of those pumps, my accumulator works fine, and probably will for years.

Oh yeah, the one I changed on MY boat was not a new pump.
(nor was the breaker)..

Stu Jackson · Feb 8, 2014

The C355 Google group has reported continued failures with these pumps. I agree with MS, why keep banging your head against the wall? Go back to the old tried and true technology. If you don't like the noise, just add an accumulator.

kloudie1 · Feb 8, 2014

I installed one of the ShurFlow Smart Sensor variable speed pumps back in '08. nothing but good to say about it at this point. I like the quiet . I didn't know about reliability issues when I bought it but figured that a simple on/off pressure switch would be more reliable than an electronic control. I figured that if the electronics failed, I could simply bypass the electronics and hot wire to the panel switch. That would let me get water until I could get it fixed. I would guess that the VS control probably could be replaced with a plain old pressure switch if necessary. (pumping head and sensor housing attachments probably same as non-VSD version) I figured they must have been having reliability issues since I didn't see splashy (!) advertisements for the variables .. My old Shurflow had lasted 23 years. It failed because a drooling leak had wet the wobble plate bearing and failed it. If the owner (me) had been more vigilant, that old fella would still be running.
EDIT: picture of old failed ShurFlo. Motor was still fine.. brushes and commutator were a bit worn, but had plenty life left. You can see the rust from the failed bearing on the pumping diaphragm in the top right of the picture.. An excellent, well made old pump.

Solstice · Feb 8, 2014

Stu Jackson said:
The C355 Google group has reported continued failures with these pumps. I agree with MS, why keep banging your head against the wall? Go back to the old tried and true technology. If you don't like the noise, just add an accumulator.

I was just about to add this info, but Stu beat me to it

Catalina has been replacing these on our boats at a ridiculous rate--not just one model, but several. The factory just sent one of our members a Shurflo Aqua king as they have finally given up on the Jabscos. I still have one, but I carry a spare (provided by the factory) for the inevitable....

Chris Patterson · Feb 9, 2014

That one that I replaced last year, I did take it apart one evening to see if It couldn't be repaired. The little sensor unit in it 'weren't no bigger than a squirrel'. Tiny. Millimeter tiny, with little recourse but to junk it. It could be bypassed at the sensor, no problem. On a pump, it's either N.O., or N.C., but this pump seems to slow down as it reaches its pressure, but that is maybe a perception due to the sound. (My old style pump sounds the same).
In the course of a day, an owner can not afford for me to disassemble and diagnose a faulty pump. The point of diminishing returns happen before I get it apart. But I was curious, (I operated on it on my dime), why a new pump died. Seriously, this thing is a dock condo period. I can't say for sure, but from what I know, I'll bet this pump didn't move over a hundred gallons of water before it failed. The owner was more than distraught, and you boat mechanics can identify with me when I tell the owner the bad news. He didn't exactly kill the messenger, but I had the bad news, and no one else for him to lament his feelings about Jabsco; except to me. Needless to say, Jabsco pump is not on my friends list.
Take it back. Take it back. Get your money back and get a tank. That is at LEAST fifty years of technology that worked. Still does.

If you solely depend on one of these turkeys to keep you in water out there, there is going to be some thirsty and nasty people onboard sooner or later. From what I've deduced, it won't be long.

Chris Patterson · Feb 9, 2014

Another thought. IF you bypass the switch, chances are the pump will run until catastrophic destruction. The pump, or the water lines. There is nothing at that point to tell it to stop.

You can keep your hand on the breaker and install a pressure gauge.

I wouldn't bother.

Water pump tripping circuit breaker

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