Shower discharge pump

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davidfox

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I have a shower discharge pump that doesnt pump, the motor works but it doesnt shift water it would have been fitted from new (Circa 1987) but i cannot identify it, it probably being so old.

It has a cylindrical motor mounted horizontally, this drives a sort of exposed cam which drives a circular horizontal diaphram up and down v fast, anyone know what it is?
I want to see if there is a service kit available.
I am not near boat so cannot take photo at moment

Thanks
 
davidfox said:
I have a shower discharge pump that doesnt pump, the motor works but it doesnt shift water it would have been fitted from new (Circa 1987) but i cannot identify it, it probably being so old.

It has a cylindrical motor mounted horizontally, this drives a sort of exposed cam which drives a circular horizontal diaphram up and down v fast, anyone know what it is?
I want to see if there is a service kit available.
I am not near boat so cannot take photo at moment

Thanks
Click to expand...

Sounds like an electric diaphragm pump of the sort Jabsco/Par supplied. The modern version would be their models Par 36680 or 36600. Could also be Jabsco no: 110033
 
Had same problem and expected to have to fit a new diaphragm but on dis-assembly discovered that the insides were gunked up with hair etc (including a nose-pad from a pair of specs) which was preventing it from running properly. One clean up later and all was well
 
On ours the filters are situated some distance from the actual shower drain, so we couldn't work out what the problem was until we found them!
 
PlanB said:
On ours the filters are situated some distance from the actual shower drain, so we couldn't work out what the problem was until we found them!
Click to expand...

+1

This must surely be the thing to check first - hair seemed to be the main culprit.



_________________
 
davidfox said:
I have a shower discharge pump that doesnt pump, the motor works but it doesnt shift water it would have been fitted from new (Circa 1987) but i cannot identify it, it probably being so old.

It has a cylindrical motor mounted horizontally, this drives a sort of exposed cam which drives a circular horizontal diaphram up and down v fast, anyone know what it is?
I want to see if there is a service kit available.
I am not near boat so cannot take photo at moment

Thanks
Click to expand...
As others have said dismantle diaphragm section and clean out hair and grease. If it's a Jabsco there are from memory two small disc valves inside - be careful to put back in the right places and the right way round.

These shower pumps are also often fitted with a pre-filter inline before the pump ( http://www.foxsonline.com/acatalog/2010462_l.jpg ) - these clog up very quickly, and still do not stop everything getting through to the pump itself. I have to clean the inline filter at least twice a year, and then the pump is only every few years.
 
davidfox said:
I have a shower discharge pump that doesnt pump, the motor works but it doesnt shift water it would have been fitted from new (Circa 1987) but i cannot identify it, it probably being so old.

It has a cylindrical motor mounted horizontally, this drives a sort of exposed cam which drives a circular horizontal diaphram up and down v fast, anyone know what it is?
I want to see if there is a service kit available.
I am not near boat so cannot take photo at moment

Thanks
Click to expand...

as others, however if ordering spares, be careful to get the correct one, as they all look the same but there are holes punched in the diaphram edge, that are just not quite covered by the plate, causing leaks.

clean and service kit, and it will do another 20 years. we have 2 and apart from diaphrams every 10 years, no issues.
 
They are good pumps and we have one, but for shower and bilge nothing sensibly priced beats a whale Gulper, just a strum box for the bilge and no filter needed for the shower. About £90 and very effective; also saves de-clogging pubic hair from a filter :eek:
 
Salty John said:
Sounds like an electric diaphragm pump of the sort Jabsco/Par supplied. The modern version would be their models Par 36680 or 36600. Could also be Jabsco no: 110033
Click to expand...

I thought the same. It may be an older version of this and may look a bit different if the plastic shield over the end of the motor shaft is missing. I fitted service kits to mine without difficulty.
 
david_bagshaw said:
as others, however if ordering spares, be careful to get the correct one, as they all look the same but there are holes punched in the diaphram edge, that are just not quite covered by the plate, causing leaks.

clean and service kit, and it will do another 20 years. we have 2 and apart from diaphrams every 10 years, no issues.
Click to expand...

I have cleaned out the pre filter I will take it to pieces this weekend and check inside for crud etc if it is an old jabsco do they do spares for them just incase it is a diaphragm?
 
davidfox said:
I have cleaned out the pre filter I will take it to pieces this weekend and check inside for crud etc if it is an old jabsco do they do spares for them just incase it is a diaphragm?
Click to expand...

I believe so.

often when the diaphragm goes it leaks a bit, or if completely failed , leaks when the shower tray is filled, assuming it isnt pumping from a catch box in the bilge.

while in bits , connect a hose to all the pipes to see they are clear.
 
Last edited:
We have the same setup for 2 shower drains and one bilge pump. None were working when I bought the boat 18 months ago.

Encountered the following problems:
- blocked pipes (took off and removed horribleness with wire coat hanger
- blocked seacock (needed clearing from the outside
- subtly split pipe so little leakage but not enough pressure
- burnt out motor
- bad connections due to rusted connectors and junction boxes
- clogged filters
- rusted filter
- half lolly stick in diaphragm even though past filter?
- diaphragm pump back screwed in back to front so little pressure

Basically it was trace it through step by step.
 
RupertW said:
We have the same setup for 2 shower drains and one bilge pump. None were working when I bought the boat 18 months ago.

Encountered the following problems:
- blocked pipes (took off and removed horribleness with wire coat hanger
- blocked seacock (needed clearing from the outside
- subtly split pipe so little leakage but not enough pressure
- burnt out motor
- bad connections due to rusted connectors and junction boxes
- clogged filters
- rusted filter
- half lolly stick in diaphragm even though past filter?
- diaphragm pump back screwed in back to front so little pressure

Basically it was trace it through step by step.
Click to expand...


For anyone interested, the pump is the Jabsco Par (installed on March 14 1987 according to the sticker!), i took it apart and found everything in remarkable order, all seals, diaphrams etc in pristine condition. Tried blowing water through the pipes from shower with dinghy pump and nearly gave myself a hernia, checked the prefilter again, which was clear, then decided to remove it. The problem was a blockage in the pipe prior to the filter, various bits of plastic and crud (so worth checking), replaced the pipes with new, replaced prefilter with better one as i damaged it slightly in my efforts to remove it and it went like new, very pleased that i didnt have to buy new pump.
 
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