[C320-list] Fresh Water Pump Keeps Failing

[Peter Herron]

The filter is clean.  The unit is supposed to work from 10 to 29  
volts, so there shouldn't be a voltage problem...unless the dock power  
has huge spikes.  But that would bother all sorts of electronic stuff,  
and that's not happening on the dock.  And the fuse is never blown, so  
I don't think there is a current problem.

These things are about $180 on Defender and Amazon, and about $240 at  
West Marine.

Pete


On May 1, 2009, at 4:55 PM, Allan S. Field wrote:

> 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
>