Water pumps- how to install

[Anna_Licorice]

Yes. I went to bed- a little stressed. We are back on the boat on Saturday to replace the water pump at the least. We are also trying to get someone to look at it.

Your replies have all been helpful. It looks like a job we can do ourselves.

[BruceinSanity]

The round thing is the filter. The Jabsco Parmax pumps are the same size if you can't get a Flojet, Anna. Make sure you get a 12volt one, assuming that your boat is not 24 volt (unlikely).

 

The main problem is likely to be remaking the electric connections, those look crimped to me. Buying a bit of simple connection block is the easy answer, though the purists on here won't like it!

[nicknorman]

Yes. I went to bed- a little stressed. We are back on the boat on Saturday to replace the water pump at the least. We are also trying to get someone to look at it.

Your replies have all been helpful. It looks like a job we can do ourselves.

It's difficult to see from the photo but typically the strainer (round thing on the right) is a push/lock fit onto the pump, and can be bought separately. It might be worth looking closely to see if it is just a matter of removing the broken-off bit of the strainer still in the pump, and fitting a new strainer.

[colinwilks]

I may be repeating some of what others have written, but here goes:

 

It sounds like you may have just snapped the filter off the pump. You can get spares for Flojet - https://www.jabscoshop.com/flojet-marine-products/flojet-water-system-pumps/so if it still runs when it's got power then it's probably OK. The pressure switch is integral to this pump.

 

They come new with various different push in hose tails so you may still have the unused ones on the boat somewhere. The top of the pump, which you may have cracked, is available as a spare.

 

If you can remove the filter (round black thing on right) and post a close up that would help.

 

The normal installation order is water tank, stop cock, filter, pump, T piece to hot water / cold water feeds. Yours appears to have the filter on the outlet side of the pump. There is an arrow on the Flojet pump body indicating the direction of flow. Worth checking since it's all coming to bits anyway.

 

ETA On second thoughts the red gate valve on the left may lead to a through hull fitting so that the system can be drained down for winterising. From memory the pump does look the right way round, with the flow exiting the pump on the left. The flexible hose and jubilee clips beside the filter would probably not have stayed put if the filter was, incorrectly, on the outlet side.

Edited March 9, 2016 by colinwilks

[Hairy Animal]

I would confirm what others have already said that the (broken?) bit on the inlet to the pump is a filter to stop rust and grit from the tank getting into the pump and damaging it. It's relatively cheap to replace (£10 - £20) compared to the pump.

 

It sounds as though you have a separate problem with the pressure switch which needs to be evaluated. Here (https://www.jabscoshop.com/files/Standard%20CWARM%20Instructions%20-%203%20bar%20zpwl6.pdf) is a really useful document from Cwarm, the front page of which has a very good diagram showing how a boat's plumbing system should look. It doesn't show the pressure switch which is normally built into the water pump. I'd suggest try to find where on the pump the pressure switch is and seeing if it can be repaired/replaced as it will be much cheaper than a new pump.

[Phil Ambrose]

You wouldnt buy two pumps like mine over £300, 240 volt jobbie very good loads of water pressure but not instant, which stops that surprise when you turn the tap on. I wouldnt go back to the click click of 12 volt pumps with the constant leaks from the plastic joints.

What's the surprise when you turn the tap on? and what's the click click. My pump and most others I've heard go Brrrrrrp and as for leaks , well they just need fixing, I've always been of the opinion that where ever possible a boat should have 12v everything and a 240v water pump seems so wrong on many levels.

Phil

[Paul C]

Spending £300 on a water pump where a perfectly good one can be bought for £50 or so, doesn't seem right either.

[George94]

Spending £300 on a water pump where a perfectly good one can be bought for £50 or so, doesn't seem right either.

 

Very true, plus there's an additional cause of failure - the 230v inverter.

[dmr]

If you do replace the pump then I second the advice given in posts above to replace the pump with a Jabsco, even though this might be slightly more complicated, and also to buy a second one as a spare.

 

..............Dave

[ditchcrawler]

Thanks again.

So if I replace the water pump and it still doesn't turn off when water is not in use then can I assume it is the relief valve?

That's the bit that snapped off. It was attached to the black cylinder thing.

That is the filter, if its just the filter broken you don't need a new pump unlles it bust the connection on the suction of the pump

[smileypete]

Might be good to have a little history, ie is this a problem in a recently aquired boat, or has it been seen working OK before.

 

Maybe get an equivalent Jabsco or even another Flojet, then see if the old one can be sorted and kept as a spare, might well be OK with a new strainer.

 

The Flojet pressure switches are replaceable, the site mentioned earlier lists them for £12 + s/h + VAT but are out of stock currently.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited March 10, 2016 by smileypete