noelex
Well-Known Member
I love foot water pumps. They are much more practical than a normal tap for water delivery in the galley of a yacht, but Whale foot pumps have one glaring design flaw.
The axle for the foot mechanism is a stainless pin that is a simple push fit in the plastic. There is nothing to stop it gradually working its way out and with time it does just this.
When it moves enough to slip out of one side it tends to jam in place. The pump still works but pumps less well but it easy to miss the reduced performance. Worse of all, the greater movement of the lever seems to shorten the life of the diaphram.
I have had this problem with over 10 of these pumps purchased over a decade so it not an isolated fault.
So if you have one of these pumps check if the axle has moved. As the axle is under the pump you may have to use your finger. The axle goes through the pump so you need to check both sides. When fitting properly the pin should be flush as in the photo. If it is sticking out one side push it back so it centred. If it sticking out more than 6-7mm it has slipped enough to no longer be working correctly and pushing it back will make the pump work much better, and last longer.
You can easily modify the installation so the pin cannot move, or just push it back every 6 months or so.
The axle for the foot mechanism is a stainless pin that is a simple push fit in the plastic. There is nothing to stop it gradually working its way out and with time it does just this.
When it moves enough to slip out of one side it tends to jam in place. The pump still works but pumps less well but it easy to miss the reduced performance. Worse of all, the greater movement of the lever seems to shorten the life of the diaphram.
I have had this problem with over 10 of these pumps purchased over a decade so it not an isolated fault.
So if you have one of these pumps check if the axle has moved. As the axle is under the pump you may have to use your finger. The axle goes through the pump so you need to check both sides. When fitting properly the pin should be flush as in the photo. If it is sticking out one side push it back so it centred. If it sticking out more than 6-7mm it has slipped enough to no longer be working correctly and pushing it back will make the pump work much better, and last longer.
You can easily modify the installation so the pin cannot move, or just push it back every 6 months or so.
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