water pump will not cut out

[chubby]

Hello

 

This morning i turned on my cold tap to fill the kettle . I turned it off and as usual and as expected the pump ran on for a short while to fill the accumulator . However , after the noise level of the pump went down i could still hear a low level whirring sound . I pulled the seats apart under which the pump is housed and the pump was still going .....&going . Ive had to switch it off at the wall now . If i switch it on again at the wall the pumps starts again - no taps on anywhere but its only making a low volume noise not the louder noise i get normally .

just before i posted this i tried it one more time . Switched on at wall . Pump ran and ran and ran - very quietly . i can see water bubbling up at the gauze just before the pump . When i tap the accumulator it just sounds hollow and empty .

This plumbing has driven me bonkers over the last few months . A few weeks ago , with some generous help on here , i fitted an expansion tank and hoped that would that was my last plumbing issue resolved ....for a while at least .

 

Any ideas why my pump just wont stop ? It seems to be not operating as the accumulator sounds empty ?

 

As always - thankyou for any help ,

 

cheers

[mayalld]

Hello

 

This morning i turned on my cold tap to fill the kettle . I turned it off and as usual and as expected the pump ran on for a short while to fill the accumulator . However , after the noise level of the pump went down i could still hear a low level whirring sound . I pulled the seats apart under which the pump is housed and the pump was still going .....&going . Ive had to switch it off at the wall now . If i switch it on again at the wall the pumps starts again - no taps on anywhere but its only making a low volume noise not the louder noise i get normally .

just before i posted this i tried it one more time . Switched on at wall . Pump ran and ran and ran - very quietly . i can see water bubbling up at the gauze just before the pump . When i tap the accumulator it just sounds hollow and empty .

This plumbing has driven me bonkers over the last few months . A few weeks ago , with some generous help on here , i fitted an expansion tank and hoped that would that was my last plumbing issue resolved ....for a while at least .

 

Any ideas why my pump just wont stop ? It seems to be not operating as the accumulator sounds empty ?

 

As always - thankyou for any help ,

 

cheers

 

Have you filled your water tank recently?

[RLWP]

Well, when this happens to us it's either air in the pump because the tank has run dry, or the pump is knackered

 

If you 'can see water bubbling up at the gauze just before the pump' it is sucking air and won't cut out.

 

Richard

 

The accumulator is essentially a bubble of air in a rubber bag, so empty is OK

[chubby]

an anazingly quick response ! Thankyou very much indeed .

The water tank hasn t been filled for a short while and is on my list of chores for today actually so ive just started filling up .

Have i made a mountain out of a molehill ? Im new to boats - i bought it in March .

When the tank fills up I'll try again and report back and hang my head in shame if its all because of a low water tank !! Having said that - its all part of the learning curve . Then again i may well have a knackered pump .... I ll know shortly .

 

Thanks again - very grateful .

[RLWP]

Those pumps can be a bloody nuisance to clear the air from once they have swallowed some, try opening all the taps fully to see if it will drive the air out

 

Richard

[Phil Ambrose]

If it is not lack of water or air in the system it could well be the micro switch which forms part of the pessure sensing switch may be stuck or if you are realy unlucky the switch may have failed.

 

Phil

[sassan]

I too spent half an hour fiddling with the accumulator tank the first time my water ran out.

[Captain Fizz]

If it is just down to an empty tank, you will certainly not be the first to start tearing the boat apart to find an alternative fault!!

[Dekazer]

This is how we know our water tank is empty. If you've been panicking all because your tank is empty we will all have a chuckle but it won't cost you anything to resolve

 

Good luck!

[David Schweizer]

If it is a Shurlo pump, limescale can build up on the pressure switch diaphragm and prevent it from closing, which usually only causes short bursts of running, but if the bulid up is bad, I guess it could cause the pump to run continuously. It is quite a simple job to remove the swich, dismantle it and and clean it (use a soft toouth brush and do the job in a high sided container to catch the parts if they spring apart) or you can buy a replacemet switch from places lke Midlands Chandlers.

Edited November 18, 2013 by David Schweizer

[Ex- Member]

We were going to fit a water level gauge, but living on the boat we noticed the pump wavers when the water level is low, (About a days supply remaining) it's a very distinct sound so works well for us and have not run out as a result.

[chubby]

Ok folks

 

The lesson o' the day .

Do not allow water levels on ones tank to drop too far . I filled the tank , ran the taps and shortly after turning them off the pump turned itself off . Having said that it does still seem quieter . Ive no idea how old it is and i think i ll keep an eye out on ebay for a spare just in case .....

I ve said it before but this forum is absolutely fantastic and maybe in the fullness of time i ll be able to help others too

 

cheers again for all your advice - i'm sure ill be back seeking more of it sooner rather than later !

[system 4-50]

Have you checked your diesel tank level? Letting that drop too low is much more inconvenient!

[bottle]

Chubby

 

Look on the bright side. you now have a method of knowing when the water tank is low, you noticed the pump running and sorted the problem and did not 'burn out' the pump, so a replacement can be found at your leisure.

 

Happy boating

[RLWP]

Ok folks

 

The lesson o' the day .

Do not allow water levels on ones tank to drop too far . I filled the tank , ran the taps and shortly after turning them off the pump turned itself off . Having said that it does still seem quieter . Ive no idea how old it is and i think i ll keep an eye out on ebay for a spare just in case .....

I ve said it before but this forum is absolutely fantastic and maybe in the fullness of time i ll be able to help others too

 

cheers again for all your advice - i'm sure ill be back seeking more of it sooner rather than later !

 

Welcome to the club, Chubby!

 

It probably is quieter - they don't like pumping air! it will have been sucking air and water for some time as the level got low

 

Richard

[chubby]

cheers again folks

 

all lighthearted mickey taking is entirely accepted and indeed necessary . I deserve not to get away with such hopelessness . So much has gone pear shaped on my boat since buying it in March that when something else appears to have packed up i immediately react by thinking " how much is this likely to effing well cost now ? " rather than a more constructive / appropriate / grown up " lets see what the problem might be , what are the options & possible costs involved ....... and then get the hump " .

Everyday is a schoolday at the moment . Lesson learnt

 

cheers again

[mayalld]

cheers again folks

 

all lighthearted mickey taking is entirely accepted and indeed necessary . I deserve not to get away with such hopelessness . So much has gone pear shaped on my boat since buying it in March that when something else appears to have packed up i immediately react by thinking " how much is this likely to effing well cost now ? " rather than a more constructive / appropriate / grown up " lets see what the problem might be , what are the options & possible costs involved ....... and then get the hump " .

Everyday is a schoolday at the moment . Lesson learnt

 

cheers again

 

The best that all of us can hope for is that each day we learn more things than we forget!

 

This problem is one that most of us encountered in the past, and many of us shared your view that the pump was knackered.

 

Because it is a fairly common occurence, you are now equipped to offer the same advice to others, so a good thing all round.

[PhilR]

cheers again folks

 

all lighthearted mickey taking is entirely accepted and indeed necessary . I deserve not to get away with such hopelessness . So much has gone pear shaped on my boat since buying it in March that when something else appears to have packed up i immediately react by thinking " how much is this likely to effing well cost now ? " rather than a more constructive / appropriate / grown up " lets see what the problem might be , what are the options & possible costs involved ....... and then get the hump " .

Everyday is a schoolday at the moment . Lesson learnt

 

cheers again

Well said. I applaud your attitude

[Dekazer]

Haha We all do it Our second night aboard we thought our plumbing system was cream crackered - turned out one of us had accidentally knocked the pump's switch and turned it off. And then there's the time I managed to bump my motorbike's killswitch at some traffic lights without realising, and had to wheel it across 2 lanes of traffic to the pavement I could go on...

 

With boats, I find it helps always to assume the stupid/simple cause first, before panicking At least this one was an easy fix!

[trackman]

I've had 2 boats that suffered from sudden engine failures.

In both cases it turned out to be someone knocking the ignition switch off inadvertently!

Heart stopping moment, especially if on a serious river at the time. Major relief when the cause was identified.

Always check the bleeding obvious is a good lesson not to forget.

[Dave_P]

I wouldn't get into the habit of using a stuck-on pump as a reminder to fill your tank. Not only will it put a strain on your pump but it also means that you'll be more likely to draw up tiny specks of dirt from the bottom of your tank. These can get stuck in your pump causing it to really stick 'open'.

 

I find myself lucky that my boat has a proper padlocked hatch above the water tank which i can lift up and simply see what my levels are. Why this isn't standard on boats, I have no idea?

 

I know people who's only access to their tank is the tiny hole they stick the hose in. They also seem to fill their tank every few days, because they're worried about the tank running dry.

[Dekazer]

After a while we found that we knew how full our tank is just by the look and feel of the boat. Plus, we have a good sense of our water usage, which helps.

 

We don't let ours run dry except when we make a mistake, and we don't run the taps for a while after refilling, in case crud gets stirred up and into the pump. Plus, it's important to check the filters on your pumps. Our water pump has a removable filter which we clean out periodically, which will help to extend its working lifespan.

 

Living on a boat gets a lot easier with time, although you'll still find yourself learning new things all the time

[deckhand]

Chubby,

 

just done same thing. Cleverley, having read your post earlier, I was able to show my husband my skilful knowledge of what the problem was when the pump kept going )))

 

Had to de-ice the hose pipe first before we can refill and its damned icy and dark out there but if 'im indoors wants his shower, he's got to get out there and fill up.

Chubby,

 

just done same thing. Cleverley, having read your post earlier, I was able to show my husband my skilful knowledge of what the problem was when the pump kept going )))

 

Had to de-ice the hose pipe first before we can refill and its damned icy and dark out there but if 'im indoors wants his shower, he's got to get out there and fill up.

[PhilR]

I wouldn't get into the habit of using a stuck-on pump as a reminder to fill your tank. Not only will it put a strain on your pump but it also means that you'll be more likely to draw up tiny specks of dirt from the bottom of your tank. These can get stuck in your pump causing it to really stick 'open'.

 

I find myself lucky that my boat has a proper padlocked hatch above the water tank which i can lift up and simply see what my levels are. Why this isn't standard on boats, I have no idea?

 

I know people who's only access to their tank is the tiny hole they stick the hose in. They also seem to fill their tank every few days, because they're worried about the tank running dry.

 

For anyone who doesn't have a tank like Dave's, it should be cheap (less than £10) and easy, to fit a sight gauge between the tank and the pump inlet filter.

[David Schweizer]

Is there really any need for a water level gauge? most boats already havve a feature which will do the job adequately - the lifting hole in the rudder. By observing the position of the hole in the rudder in relation to the canal surface, it should be possible to tell when the water tank needs re-filling. On our boat, if the hole is below the water line, the tank is getting near empty, if it is completely above the water level, it is full.