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Problem with Whale Gulper 220 - Fixable or Terminal?


Monsoon merchant

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Hi,

 

We have one of these as our shower waste pump.

 

Today, it started making a knocking noise part way through emptying, and as the water ran out, it started sounding laboured and did less frequent 'gulping' than normal.

 

Any ideas? I am wondering if it might have got clogged up - is it easy to have a look without causing any further harm?

 

Thanks.

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It is fairly easy to strip down and the way it works is pretty self evident once you get started on it. Normally its the diaphragm or valves that eventually go on them but that doesn't, in my limited experience of ones that fail.( limited 'cos they don't fail very often) seem to make them run slow, possibly it's the eccentric gears running dry or damaged. Diaphragms and valves are available as a repair kit but I don't know about other bits.

 

 

edit.....cross posted

Edited by John V
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Hi, sorry to hijack the thread but my parents have had a similar problem with their shower pump.

 

After removing from the boat and having a look inside it appears that the plastic cog has had the teeth stripped by the metal part driven by the motor. It's not gulping just whirring round.

 

Can you get a replacement for this, if so wheres the nest source?

 

Thanks

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Have now taken this to bits. First thing I noticed was that the diaphragm was not sitting square on the top, it was kind of squashed down on one side, is this just normal? No obvious evidence of any foreign bodies inside the pump.

 

The large white plastic gear has indeed had a section of teeth stripped from it, hence the noises and lack of gulping. However, even if I could get the part, it doesn't appear to be removeable - no obvious fixings I can see. Also wondering if it would just happen again, as I don't know what caused it?

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks again

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If you google whale pumps go to marine, then where to buy, then boater, gives you dealers.....unless very old and obsolete they can order any bits from Whale (They're in Co. Down) unless you have a REALLY silver tongue they won't deal with public direct, good luck.

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If you google whale pumps go to marine, then where to buy, then boater, gives you dealers.....unless very old and obsolete they can order any bits from Whale (They're in Co. Down) unless you have a REALLY silver tongue they won't deal with public direct, good luck.

Thanks John, but I can't see how the part is replaceable?
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Hi, sorry to hijack the thread but my parents have had a similar problem with their shower pump.

 

After removing from the boat and having a look inside it appears that the plastic cog has had the teeth stripped by the metal part driven by the motor. It's not gulping just whirring round.

 

Can you get a replacement for this, if so wheres the nest source?

 

Thanks

 

To you and Monsoon merchant; you can't get the teeth as stock replacement part but if you talk to Munster Simms in Northern Ireland they may either fix it or send you a new bit. I seem to remember the one I sorted for someone we sent it back to them and they fixed it for a reasonable sum.

Seems I'm wrong you can get the gear wheel now;

 

http://www.bradtech.ltd.uk/products/Whale_Gulper_and_Toilet_Pump_Spares.html

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To you and Monsoon merchant; you can't get the teeth as stock replacement part but if you talk to Munster Simms in Northern Ireland they may either fix it or send you a new bit. I seem to remember the one I sorted for someone we sent it back to them and they fixed it for a reasonable sum.

Seems I'm wrong you can get the gear wheel now;

 

http://www.bradtech.ltd.uk/products/Whale_Gulper_and_Toilet_Pump_Spares.html

cheers have saved that link very useful

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Hmmm.... does not sound quite like a 'quality pump' (as advertised). Our boat came with one. Oh dear.

 

 

Don't judge by this......everything has the odd problem.

Whale gulpers are very reliable. I have 3 on Sabina H.......shower/basin from small greywater collection tank. Kitchen drain from large greywater tank and one from the blackwater tank for offshore self pumpout.

All three have been in use for many years, problem free with the exception of the shower/basin pump which stopped pumping properly. (When stripped down I found a 30mm wallboard screw inside that had ripped a hole in the diaphragm)

The kitchen waste pump was replaced by a Gulper after the two previous pumps only lasted about a year or so each, that was about 10 years ago.

 

 

ETA the two earlier failed pumps were NOT Whale pumps of course

Edited by John V
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  • 4 years later...

Given how long they normally last I hardy think they're worth messing about with. You can pick up a brand new whale gulper 220 for about 100 quid on eBay, or if it's just a diaghram problem then a head service kit for about £20. But is anyone seriously going to start replacing the gears? I don't imagine it would be much cheaper. I'd just buy a new one and maybe keep the old one for spares but that's just me. I fix lots of things. I fixed a leak in my freshwater pump a few years ago as that was simple, but when it comes to replacing gears in a pump my time is more valuable to me.

Edited by blackrose
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On 24/09/2015 at 12:05, Emerald Fox said:

Hmmm.... does not sound quite like a 'quality pump' (as advertised). Our boat came with one. Oh dear.

Have you heard about other Whale Gulpers with the same problem? 

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3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Emerald Fox was banned quite a few years ago.....

Think its Foxy on the dark side....

Ah! Well pretty daft thing to claim that a solitary instance of the whale gulper having a problem means it's not a quality product. 

 

No wonder he/she was banned. 

Edited by NB Caelmiri
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I think  I will buy a new on e. I thought they were about 250 but only 100 is not so bad. At the top of the Basingstoke just now so hoping I can get one from pacer marine in Aldershot only a 20 min ride from the canal. Thanks

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12 hours ago, Mike Adams said:

My gulper has just failed and stripped the plastic gear. Anyone know where I can get one? Shame to scrap it as the rest is fine.

Might make one from brass but it would need a cust cutter

 

 

Fitted my third last week.  First did around six years but the second no more than two.  (Both stripped gears).  Contacted Whale asking for a parts list/diagram, didn't expect to receive one and I wasn't disappointed.

 

Such a difference in durability suggests either poor quality control or deliberate weakening to ensure premature failure.

 

Can anyone recommend a durable alternative?

 

 

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9 minutes ago, NB Esk said:

Can anyone recommend a durable alternative?

 

 

Somewhat old thinking but I would be looking to use a Jabsco Water Puppy but to do that the switch would need changing to a push button.  Easy to obtain and change impellers, tends to pass hair etc straight through. I had one on JennyB and it lasted the 20 years without any attention although I bet the impeller was well worn. We had it all without changing the impeller left from its hire fleet days. probably 30 years old by then.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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37 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Somewhat old thinking but I would be looking to use a Jabsco Water Puppy but to do that the switch would need changing to a push button.  Easy to obtain and change impellers, tends to pass hair etc straight through. I had one on JennyB and it lasted the 20 years without any attention although I bet the impeller was well worn. We had it all without changing the impeller left from its hire fleet days. probably 30 years old by then.

I have the same on the tug and has worked fine for 15 years. I used one of those240v corridor light vacuum timer switches set to run for a minute or so and it reminded users not to use too much water.

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