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Frozen/Thawed... maybe a leak?


JGL

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11 hours ago, JGL said:

Nope. Will try, I assume that's simple- i.e. find a valve on it and relieve any pressure (as I would a radiator?)

Okay, sounds simple... I'll investigate tonight when I'm back at the boat and see if this is looks as simple as it sounds :)

Right-o, thanks for the tips. I'm sure it's a decent pump in there now, but I'll check the brand.

 On the top of the calorifier there should be a pressure relief valve like a black plastic knob, usually they twist and you can bleed any air out of there.

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3 hours ago, blackrose said:

I've never found the need for one but my understanding is that you bypass the pump's internal pressure switch and use one of those square D switches instead. As far as I'm concerned a decent pump should have a decent pressure switch already, but if it doesn't then I'm sure these square D switches are a good idea. Looking at the video I suppose the other advantage is that the dedicated switch is far more adjustable - should one have the need for that feature. I don't.

I have yet to find a boat water pump with a decent pressure switch. My Par-Max 4's both switches failed within 18 months, that was 20 years ago since then with external pressure switches the pumps have run without problem (11000 hours). Many water pumps have been replaced by boat yards when the pressure switch failed rather then install external pressure switch. More profit to be made, mark up on a pump is far higher then a replacment pressure switch.   

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2 hours ago, nbfiresprite said:

I have yet to find a boat water pump with a decent pressure switch. My Par-Max 4's both switches failed within 18 months, that was 20 years ago since then with external pressure switches the pumps have run without problem (11000 hours).  

 

I'm not sure what was wrong with yours but my Parmax 3 is 10 years old and the pressure switch is still fine (liveaboard use). If/when the switch fails I'll get a square D switch but who knows, the pump motor might fail before that.

 

Do you really have an hours gauge fitted to your water pumps? ?

Edited by blackrose
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12 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Perhaps I've just been lucky with the pressure switches on the 3 pumps I've owned over the past 18 years of living aboard. 

 

Since everyone seems to agree that they go wrong on a fairly regular basis I might buy one of these external switches so I'm ready when it does happen.

I use the pump inbuilt switch, until it  packs up, I then wire up the square d in its place. So far I have had to do that twice.once on a shurflo, the other a jabsco

 

I reckon you have been lucky. Twenty one years liveaboard, I reckon we have been through 6 pumps. 

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16 minutes ago, blackrose said:

So is there just one water connection on these external switches which you T in on the high pressure side of the system?

 

What about the electrical connections? You just piggy back off the pump? But how do you stop the pumps own pressure switch from continuing to activate?

Yep.  You cut the short wires on the pump that go from it's inbuilt pressure switch and connect the D switch to the motor feed wires instead.

 

It's probably not worth doing until your inbuilt pressure switch fails though!

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1 hour ago, blackrose said:

So is there just one water connection on these external switches which you T in on the high pressure side of the system?

 

What about the electrical connections? You just piggy back off the pump? But how do you stop the pumps own pressure switch from continuing to activate?

I go with the Biscuits but otherwise just set the remote pressure switch to a lower cut out value than the one in the pump.

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2 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

Yep.  You cut the short wires on the pump that go from it's inbuilt pressure switch and connect the D switch to the motor feed wires instead.

 

 

 

Ok yes, that makes sense. It's been a while since I looked at my pump and I forgot about those short wires. I thought the connections were internal.

 

But instead of piggy backing off the motor feed wires why wouldn't you use the feeds to the pump's pressure switch that you just snipped?

54 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I go with the Biscuits but otherwise just set the remote pressure switch to a lower cut out value than the one in the pump.

Ok thanks

Edited by blackrose
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19 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

I'm not sure what was wrong with yours but my Parmax 3 is 10 years old and the pressure switch is still fine (liveaboard use). If/when the switch fails I'll get a square D switch but who knows, the pump motor might fail before that.

 

Do you really have an hours gauge fitted to your water pumps? ?

No gauge fitted, Just average useage, 1.5 hours per day x 365 x 20 = 10950 hours.

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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

I go with the Biscuits but otherwise just set the remote pressure switch to a lower cut out value than the one in the pump.

I understand what you are saying Tony, but why would you bother until the inbuilt pressure switch failed?  If the pump switch is working there is no need to change.

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16 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

I understand what you are saying Tony, but why would you bother until the inbuilt pressure switch failed?  If the pump switch is working there is no need to change.

You may wish to change the pump cut-in and cut-out settings.

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21 minutes ago, nbfiresprite said:

You may wish to change the pump cut-in and cut-out settings.

After the last time my pump leaked I bought one of a much higher presser setting and was unable to adjust the switch down to as low as I wanted so that is when I fitted my switch, I also fitted a 0-4barr pressure gauge at the same time.

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Once you've cut power to the pump's internal pressure switch does it matter what settings you use and how do you decide the best cut in/cut out pressure to set the external switch to?

 

The PRV on my calorifier is 3bar which is 43.5 psi. Is that a limiting factor for the cut out pressure setting and can the cut out pressure on these switches be adjusted down below that? Most look like they're set to 60 psi or higher.

 

One other question: if I want to fit a pressure gauge where's the best place to fit it? Between the pump and accumulator or downstream of the accumulator? Any recommendations on gauges to T into 15mm pipe up to say 60 psi? Needs to be something that's not going to leak all over the place.

Edited by blackrose
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Never bother to fit a gauge, I set the cut-off to just below PRV blowing (one turn of the nut should do). The cut-in was set by having the 1st mate watching the flow through the showerhead until it started to slow down. She calling out when it did and the cut-in was then set (which did take some time due to using a 24 litre accumulator, Why so large so I could have a shower at 5am without the pump kicking in and waking her up). The D switch I used was the 9013 FSG PUMPTROL Water Pump Pressure Switch

which has a  cut-in range of 15 to 30 psi and cut-out range of 20-60 psi. As for calorifier it would be test rated for 3 Bar (In test to 3.5 Bar) going above the test rating in daily use will shorten the life of the calorifier due to the extra stress under the increased presure.   

   
   

 

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A tyre pressure gauge on any accumulator air  valve will also give you the water pressure. Personally I set the cut out pressure to be that at which an acceptable flow comes from the taps. The lower the system [pressure I feel the less likelihood of leaking joints

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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

A tyre pressure gauge on any accumulator air  valve will also give you the water pressure. 

 

That's what I normally do but thought that fitting a gauge might make setting an external pressure switch easier.

 

I'm not going to fit it yet. I'll wait until the pump's pressure switch starts to go, but I just want to have the various bits on board. 

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1 hour ago, blackrose said:

 

That's what I normally do but thought that fitting a gauge might make setting an external pressure switch easier.

 

I'm not going to fit it yet. I'll wait until the pump's pressure switch starts to go, but I just want to have the various bits on board. 

Exactly why I fitted the gauge.

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3 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Did you fit yours between the pump and accumulator or downstream of the accumulator? Or doesn't it matter?

I can’t see why it would matter. The system pressure is the same throughout. 

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