You really have to strain your bilge pump pickup!

[Pete Peterson]

My bilge pump stopped pumping on the last day of the season - Jabsco Model 37202 diaphragm pump 4.5 GPM. When we took it apart today, we found these small particles in the rubber valves, preventing a seal. Cleaned them out and the pump worked like new. My 2 yr old C320 did not come with a strainer on the bilge pump inlet hose, and I didn't even think about it since the boat was delivered with a sparkling clean bilge (Helliers did a really good clean-up on delivery). I guess I was lucky to get by this long without a problem. A warning to others.

 

[Bill Doyle]

Mine Too

Pete,I experienced the same thing this summer. Looked like building debris. I'll be anxious to see the response to your post to see what suggestions you get.Bill

 

[Chuck Wayne]

bilge cleanup

Me too! I spent an hour vacuuming up construction debris below the decks when my 356 was delivered

 

[Jack Tyler]

Suggest you add an upgraded strainer...

Pete, Jabsco (as just one example) sells tiny little filter bodies/screens for their bilge pumps to protect the pump from the kind of failure you experienced. But these are easily filled with debris and IME you end up transferring the problem from the pump to the strainer.Instead, consider installing the much larger type of strainer recommended in front of air conditioning systems. It has the same fine mesh screen and ports which can accept thread-to-barb adapters for your hose. This also allows you to avoid the screw-attachment of the tiny strainer, which eventually cracks the strainer housing. Instead, you just unscrew the strainer's base, pull the screen, and then clean both out.Jack