Fresh Water Pump

calamitys38

calamitys38

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I bought my boat last year (a Sealine S38). Every time we needed to use fresh water or flush the toilet, we had to turn the water pump on (no surprises there!!). However, every time we did turn the pump on, it made quite a loud noise and there was a noticeable vibration THROUGHOUT the boat. As it was like this from the day we bought the boat - we thought this was normal.

What's changed?

I noticed a week or so ago that the Fresh Water pump (a Flojet 4405-143) appeared to be leaking, but I couldn't see from where. I contacted Flojet and they diagnosed a faulty pressure switch and sent me a new one (£29.77) which I duly fitted. However, after the last bank holiday weekend, the pump was still leaking (and I still could not see from where - it wasn't the connections) and the vibration was as bad as before, if not a "tad" worse. When i say vibration I really mean it. The pump is in the Engine Room and when sitting in the saloon, you could feel the rumble and vibration. This really did not seem quite right.

So...I bit the bullet and splashed out on a new Jabsco Par Max 3 (£99.95 from Force 4) and fitted it yesterday. Now when I turn the pump on, there is......silence. This continues until I run a tap and the pressure switch activates, when I hear a very muted noise coming from the pump. The taps do not splutter and there is a constant stream of water (as opposed to what we experienced before which was water coming in "fits and starts" and an awful vibration).

Bliss.

And the moral of this story? Don't just accept what appears to be the "norm" if the norm (in your opinion) is unusual, such as turning the pump on which has a pressure switch and the pump immediately runs and there is a lot of noise and vibration.

Family (and myself) now happy because we have a constant stream of water, hardly any noise and definitely no vibration. As I said earlier in this post - bliss /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Err.......if you have a duff Flojet I'll be happy to accept it from you for price of postage as I need one. Maybe I can fix it in my home workshop? This is a bit of a cheek I know but out of work and maintaining a big old ex-hire boat on a limited (very) budget does mean the cheek level rises exponentially! PM me if you don't want it and I'll make arrangements. Thanks
 
Glad to hear to got it sorted, things like that can be sooooooo anoying and really difficult to put right.

Nice boat BTW /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
iww.. that's very annoying a it made quite a loud noise and there was a noticeable vibration THROUGHOUT the boat. If I will have that kind of boat I'll sell it quickly and buy new one.. Well, it gives a lesson buying cheap products won't worth it. Remember buying products you doesn't only have to look at the price but to the product as well.
 
Thanks for that. Mine started making a racket today.

Was the Jabsco Par Max 3 a convenient/in stock purchase, or your ideal one based on research/advice?

Appreciate any advice. Thanks!
 
Hi C_Playa

I could have gone for a like for like replacement Flojet (at least the screw holes would have been in the same place when fixing it to the bulkhead), but as I was a bit shy of this ('cause of the noise from the original unit) I specifically looked for those that stated "quiet running". Also, a replacement Flojet was over £100 (something like £125 + post and packing). I did source a replacement Flojet on e-bay at £49 plus £10 p&p, but was not sure of its newness and as mentioned earlier, not sure how quiet in comparison the Flojet was, as my original one now appeared to have been knackered from the start.

As a result, my choice at the end of the day came down to the Par Max 2.9 (£59.95 at Force 4) or the Par Max 3 (£99.95 at Force 4). I was originally going to get the 2.9 model (after all - a £40 saving is a £40 saving) and there was not "that" much difference in stated perfomance - I think something like 11 Litres ph for the 2.9 as compared to 12.5 litres ph for the 3 model.

Again, could have bought on line, but being a bit "pikey" did not want to pay p & p and as there was a Force 4 just down the road from where I live (the old Alladins Cave in Burseldon), I could just pop in and get one.

However, Force 4 (Alladins Cave) did not have the 2.9 in stock, so I bit the bullet and got the 3 instead, as I could walk away with it there and then and fit it that afternoon.

Very glad I did get the 3, as I think that on reflection, although the 2.9 would have done - the 3 appears to be a better flow. I also now think that a neew Flojet would have been equally OK - just didn't trust it because of not knowing what it "should" have been like.

There are other makes/models out there, but I'm not THAT practical and the Flopjet had "snap in" joints, which other makes of pumps (such as the Whale etc.) did not appear to have - so replacing was just so much easier without having to think about re-running pipes to make room and/or changing couplings over.

Hope above helps /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Regards

C38
 
Hi C38,

Thank you very much for the detailed info. I'll check what pumps are available in the swindleries locally. The specs on the Par-Max 3 sound good.

Thanks again.
 
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