[C320-list] Fresh Water Pump Keeps Failing

[Allan S. Field]

Do you routinely clean out the filter?

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Peter Herron
Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 1:28 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Fresh Water Pump Keeps Failing

Can anyone recommend a good fresh water pump?  By good, I mean one  
that lasts a few years.  I've had really bad luck with the Jabsco  
Sensor Max VSD pumps.  My 5th one just failed, for an average life of  
under 10 months, a low of 2 months and a high of 16 months.   
Fortunately they had a three year warranty (I think they've reduced  
that to one year).

I have no clue about the cause of failure.  They simply work one day  
and not the next.  All failures have been at the dock while connected  
to shore power through a True Charge 20 (I think that's the name)  
charger.  The tanks were never empty, the fuses were never blown,  
polarity was always correct, there was no sign of corrosion.  And  
everything else on the boat keeps on working.  On the plus side, I can  
remove the sink cabinet, change the pump and replace the cabinet in  
about 20 minutes.  Maybe blindfolded.

The original equipment pump lasted 4 or 5 years before rusting out, as  
did the replacement (with the same type of pump).  Four or five years  
looks  great to me now.

Any suggestions?  Shurflo?  West Marine?  Jabsco?

Thanks,
Pete Herron
Dreamtime, C320 #329