Manual vs Electric galley pump...

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martinteeluck

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,,,do you have any thoughts/experiences/comments on the pros and cons of them?
I intend to swap a faulty Whale Flipper with a new one as it's an easy fix plus I like the idea of a simple and reliable way of drawing water - nonetheless I thought it might be interesting to hear from those that have had one or the other...or even both.
 
martinteeluck said:
,,,do you have any thoughts/experiences/comments on the pros and cons of them?
I intend to swap a faulty Whale Flipper with a new one as it's an easy fix plus I like the idea of a simple and reliable way of drawing water - nonetheless I thought it might be interesting to hear from those that have had one or the other...or even both.
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Have had both (still have foot pump as backup) but much prefer pressurised electric system.
 
We lived on a boat that had both. Conserving battery power was a priority so we used the foot pump and turned off the electric one. Moved ashore for the winter and really missed the foot pump. It offered hands free, drip by drip, control conserving not just the batteries but also the water tank content. We were lucky though that the two sinks on the boat were within outstretched leg reach of the pedal.

New boat has three sinks and no foot pump. But much bigger batteries.
 
davidej said:
ditto but the foot pump has a charcoal filter so use it for drinking/ tea/ coffee
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We've done it th other way. The electric pump does a mixer tap with hot water and the cold filtered by a Seagull.

Backup manual foot pump direct from the tank. Haven't had to use it yet, thankfully.
 
martinteeluck said:
We don't have plumbed hot water on board and don't have any immediate plans to - would that make any difference to how you pump your freshwater?
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Good point. To be fair we did turn on the pump when having a shower. Didn't do that very often though. Foot pump still used with hw for washing up etc. On that note tho, foot pump excellent for washing up, especially when underway in any kind of sea - both hands free for washing up/holding on throughout the process.
 
martinteeluck said:
,,,do you have any thoughts/experiences/comments on the pros and cons of them?
I intend to swap a faulty Whale Flipper with a new one as it's an easy fix plus I like the idea of a simple and reliable way of drawing water - nonetheless I thought it might be interesting to hear from those that have had one or the other...or even both.
Click to expand...

Both on board but while cruising got into the habit of just using the footpump, makes the water easily last twice as long between refilling the tank. Maybe use the lx pump for a big saucepanful.
 
Our galley was equipped with a Whale 'v' pump, originally a Mk 5, later Mk 6. These things are cheap and their typical lifetime bears this out. We have had three replacements and several service kits but each one leaked within a couple of weeks.

Like Ex Solent Boy we fitted a Seagull IV system with its beautiful faucet replacing the grotty Whale manual. Taken over a day the electrical draw of a water pump must be minimal and you would need to be desperate for battery power not to use one.
 
+1 for the foot pump, it's much better conventional tap.

We have both and only use the manual foot pump.
 
vyv_cox said:
...Taken over a day the electrical draw of a water pump must be minimal and you would need to be desperate for battery power not to use one.
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Working on the internet every day on a laptop without shore-power, we were desperate.

But another thing that's good about the foot pump (mine never leaked after 3 years of daily use, and it was 20 years old when I started using it) is that the water system is not constantly pressurised, so if it developed a leak it would likely just drip rather than squirt... and it's probably less likely to develop a leak in the first place.
 
We don't have anything sophisticated at all, but we do have a 12volt pump in parallel with the foot pump. It's not pressurised and only works when you press the button but for a sink full of water or even a pint or so into the kettle, it's easier and quicker than the foot pump which is there as a back up.

On the caravan we have the full pressurised system for hot and cold water so I know how that works, but on the boat the simple expedient of a push button operated pump is a great conveninence.
 
martinteeluck said:
Thanks for the responses - do any of you guys know of anywhere in SE London or N/NE Kent where I could go and have a closer nose at this Seagull IV system?
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I've found the best cost effective system (for me) is one of these plumbed in line, directly after the pump. Don't see the sense in only filtering one drinking water tap as we can drink or clean teeth etc from any.

http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/caravan/water/filters/Whale_Aquasource_in-line_Filter.aspx

Filters 2 x heads & shower + galley and lasts 12 months with onboard daily use 9-10 months/year.
 
davidej said:
ditto but the foot pump has a charcoal filter so use it for drinking/ tea/ coffee
Click to expand...

I fitted a water filter next to the galley mixer just for drinking water.

41bE0EIgF3L._SL500_AA300_.jpg


I didn't see the need to filter all cold water in the galley, and that to the heads sink.
 
There is an advantage to filtering all the water in the galley if you only have cold water. As the kettle is used to supply all hot water, it prevents it furring up.

Rob.
 
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