Shower drain pumps

[Mac Mackenzie]

I’m looking for a diaphragm pump that is quieter than the Whale Gulper 220

 

According to the sales info the Johnson Viking 16 pump claims to be a quiet pump although it is quite a bit more expensive 

 

Has anyone had any experience of the Johnson pump compared to Whale pump?

[WotEver]

I bet the answer is no. The Whale Gulper is generally considered to be the gold standard. 

[OldGoat]

6 minutes ago, WotEver said:

I bet the answer is no. The Whale Gulper is generally considered to be the gold standard. 

Agree - Being a cheapskate I bought a reciprocating (proper) marine type bilge pump (too mean to by a Whale). With a separate filter it rattles away under the bath - BUT it works and has for NN years. That was after one of those low cost centrifugal jobbies in a box which was quite horrid.

[Chewbacka]

1 hour ago, Mac Mackenzie said:

I’m looking for a diaphragm pump that is quieter than the Whale Gulper 220

 

According to the sales info the Johnson Viking 16 pump claims to be a quiet pump although it is quite a bit more expensive 

 

Has anyone had any experience of the Johnson pump compared to Whale pump?

I like having a pump you can hear, that way it’s not left running.  Likewise a freshwater pump should be heard so you know if there is a leak as I did the other night.

Edited June 17, 2018 by Chewbacka

[smileypete]

It'll run quieter if the supply voltage is reduced a little.

 

One way is to repurpose a FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER*, you'd need to connect the '+' terminal to the red wire of the pump and the '-' terminal to the red wire of the supply (doesn't make much sense at first glance I know...) and leave the AC terminals '~' unconnected. Here's a typical one with handy blade terminals.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KBPC2506-Bridge-Rectifier-Diode-25A-600V/282555840569

 

Each one in the supply would reduce the supply by 1.2V, or around 10% of a 12V supply voltage...

.

* A FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER is usually used as part of a circuit to convert AC voltage to DC voltage.

 

 

 

 

[Mac Mackenzie]

7 hours ago, smileypete said:

It'll run quieter if the supply voltage is reduced a little.

 

One way is to repurpose a FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER*, you'd need to connect the '+' terminal to the red wire of the pump and the '-' terminal to the red wire of the supply (doesn't make much sense at first glance I know...) and leave the AC terminals '~' unconnected. Here's a typical one with handy blade terminals.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KBPC2506-Bridge-Rectifier-Diode-25A-600V/282555840569

 

Each one in the supply would reduce the supply by 1.2V, or around 10% of a 12V supply voltage...

.

* A FULL BRIDGE RECTIFIER is usually used as part of a circuit to convert AC voltage to DC voltage.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info Smiley Pete. Ive never heard of this so is good to know.I'll get one and give it a try

10 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

I like having a pump you can hear, that way it’s not left running.  Likewise a freshwater pump should be heard so you know if there is a leak as I did the other night.

Good point!!

[Troyboy]

Buy some earplugs, they will make everything on your boat quieter even the engine.

[LankyStreak]

Our boat has a 24V Johnson Viking Power 16 shower pump.  It became unreliable after about 10 years and I replaced it with an identical one about three years ago.  On the plus side it's dead reliable (until it fails!), and has never needed to be cleared of hair or soapy gunge so it does the job well but I wouldn't say it's particularly quiet.  I've no data to compare it with the Whale Gulper 220 but if my wife's having a shower on a still morning you can hear the pump going from a couple of boat lengths down the mooring.

[Mac Mackenzie]

9 minutes ago, LankyStreak said:

Our boat has a 24V Johnson Viking Power 16 shower pump.  It became unreliable after about 10 years and I replaced it with an identical one about three years ago.  On the plus side it's dead reliable (until it fails!), and has never needed to be cleared of hair or soapy gunge so it does the job well but I wouldn't say it's particularly quiet.  I've no data to compare it with the Whale Gulper 220 but if my wife's having a shower on a still morning you can hear the pump going from a couple of boat lengths down the mooring.

This is exactly what I wanted to find out so thanks Lanky. Johnson claim their pump is quieter but its a lot more expensive than the  Gulper 220. Also have found a used Gulper on Ebay so will probably get that one. 

[OldGoat]

13 hours ago, Mac Mackenzie said:

This is exactly what I wanted to find out so thanks Lanky. Johnson claim their pump is quieter but its a lot more expensive than the  Gulper 220. Also have found a used Gulper on Ebay so will probably get that one. 

The Johnson pump looks like an old design - similar to the one I use - and that is noisy. OTOH the gulper looks well designed and I go on the mantra of 'if it looks good it probably is'

I'm obviously old fashioned but - does it really matter if it makes a noise?? OK embarrassing if it were a macerator loo, but part of the normal running of the boat. Perhaps I feel that boating is one step up from camping...