Water Pump

[Adam]

Hi,

When i got my boat the water used to go then sort of splatter then carry on in the kitchen tap but the instant water heater still worked i recently changed the filter and the whole thing still gives out water but splatters a lot more and the instant water heater doesnt realise the pressure drop. Also the just trickles out!

 

Any ideas

 

Cheers Adam

[Tony Brooks]

Hi,

When i got my boat the water used to go then sort of splatter then carry on in the kitchen tap but the instant water heater still worked i recently changed the filter and the whole thing still gives out water but splatters a lot more and the instant water heater doesnt realise the pressure drop. Also the just trickles out!

 

Any ideas

 

Cheers Adam

 

 

IF the pump runs all the time it is splattering I suspect a blockage some where between the tank breather (have you rubbed the boat against mud?) and the pump allowing a suction to be built up and air drawn into the supply side of the pump.

 

Try it with the filler cap off the tank!

 

Your water tank should have a stop valve at its outlet, make sure this is fully turned on.

 

You do not specify the location of the filter and as it would not be normal to feed the gas water heater via a cartridge filter I think you mean an inlet strainer - did you make sure any rubber rings or seals went back as they came out. IF not you may have a water leak when the pump is not running (air leak in with pump running) but if your boat is as per the picture it would run into the bilge and you may not have noticed it.

 

only once you are sure the breather and inlet system is free of blockages and has all joints and unions tight should you think about working on the pump.

 

Tony Brooks

[smileypete]

Hi,

When i got my boat the water used to go then sort of splatter then carry on in the kitchen tap but the instant water heater still worked i recently changed the filter and the whole thing still gives out water but splatters a lot more and the instant water heater doesnt realise the pressure drop. Also the just trickles out!

 

Any ideas

 

Cheers Adam

 

Hi,

 

To add to what Tony said, try running the pump directly from a large bucket or bowl of water with a bit of clean hose. If it runs fine then the problem is somewhere upstream with the tank/and or feed pipe.

 

Edit: if you fill the tank and disconnect the feed pipe from the pump, there should be a good flow of water from the pipe, otherwise it's probably blocked or restricted somewhere.

 

cheers,

Pete.

Edited May 15, 2007 by smileypete

[StephenA]

How old is the water pump?

 

When you turn the taps off how long does it take the pump to shutdown? How often does it cycle?

 

The pump on Mintball started doing this and when we took it apart it was pretty gummed up inside.

[Adam]

How old is the water pump?

 

When you turn the taps off how long does it take the pump to shutdown? How often does it cycle?

 

The pump on Mintball started doing this and when we took it apart it was pretty gummed up inside.

 

 

I dont know its been there since i had the boat it doesnt shutdown it just splutters evry 2 0r 3 seconds

 

Regards Adam

[John Orentas]

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Sureflo pumps, the problems people experience with their water system, 99% of the time is caused by the very crude design of the integral pressure switch and/or an inadequate or badly adjusted accumulator. Dozens of perfectly sound pumps end up in skips every year. I have never replaced a pump in 25 years of boating.

[Theo]

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Sureflo pumps, the problems people experience with their water system, 99% of the time is caused by the very crude design of the integral pressure switch and/or an inadequate or badly adjusted accumulator. Dozens of perfectly sound pumps end up in skips every year. I have never replaced a pump in 25 years of boating.

 

The sureflow on Theodora was found to be completely inoperative when we bought her. Completely seized bearings. We bought her in 2006. She was built is 1983. That is only 23 years! We were cheated.

 

We now have an Aquaflow. I hope it continues to work OK.

 

Nick

[John Orentas]

The sureflow on Theodora was found to be completely inoperative when we bought her. Completely seized bearings. We bought her in 2006. She was built is 1983. That is only 23 years! We were cheated.

 

We now have an Aquaflow. I hope it continues to work OK.

 

Nick

 

 

You could replace all the bearings for a fiver!

[wrigglefingers]

The sureflow on Theodora was found to be completely inoperative when we bought her. Completely seized bearings. We bought her in 2006. She was built is 1983. That is only 23 years! We were cheated.

 

We now have an Aquaflow. I hope it continues to work OK.

 

Nick

 

My Sureflow failed quite spectacularly after only 14 years of liveaboard life. Guess I was done too!

 

The new Flojet works well so far (touches head as failsafe).

 

Jill

 

PS Sorry, just realised; it was because I live aboard that bad things happen ..........

[Tony Brooks]

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with Sureflo pumps, the problems people experience with their water system, 99% of the time is caused by the very crude design of the integral pressure switch and/or an inadequate or badly adjusted accumulator. Dozens of perfectly sound pumps end up in skips every year. I have never replaced a pump in 25 years of boating.

 

 

Which is why I fitted an external pressure switch to JennyB. Now I can adjust the cut in and cutout pressures and use "boat jumble" pumps with failed pressure switch.

 

I can also ensure that turning the tap on in the heads (small basin) does not result in embarrassing wet patches where the water jumped out of the bowel.

 

Tony Brooks

[smileypete]

Which is why I fitted an external pressure switch to JennyB. Now I can adjust the cut in and cutout pressures and use "boat jumble" pumps with failed pressure switch.

 

A good way to stop the pressure switch failing in the first place is to use a relay to drive the pump motor from it. Also means a 'master' switch can be located some way away from the pump without any extra volt drop, just put it in the feed to the pressure switch/relay coil.

 

I tend to leave the galley tap open then use the switch by the galley sink to turn the water on and off. (No basin in heads but 2 round sinks side by side in galley)

 

cheers,

Pete.

[Theo]

You could replace all the bearings for a fiver!

 

Now you tell me!

 

I needed one quick though. We were at Wilton and had to have one strightaway now.

 

Nick

[Adam]

I have fixed the problem i bypassed the filter and it works fine. Was it a dodgy filter or do you think it could be too big for the pump?