I am very close to pulling my hair out (at least what is left of it). I have a 1980 CD30 with a pressurized water system. The system has never seemed to operate properly. The main symptom is that the pump fails to prime. The pump is a ShurFlo wobbler style.
To date, I have:
1) Cleaned the inline filter (on the suction side of the pump)
2) Removed the diaphram and cleaned the rubber reed valves
3) Replaced the rubber reed valves
4) Replaced the entire lower assembly (reed valves and housing)
5) Replaced the valve manifold (removed the old gate valves and installed ball valves)
6) Replaced the entire pump
7) Replaced the in-line filter and filter housing
And it still doesn't work!
The older and the brand new pump motors spin but but never pump enough water to satisfy the pressure switch (and turn the pump off). Niether the new or the old pump appeared to prime properly and actually pump water (no visible flow throught the filter). I have no downstream leaks and don't appear to have an upstream (vacuum) leak.
I installed a 6" length of piping on the inlet side of the new pump and it still does not draw water. If I disconnect the discharge line both the new and the old pumps pump a lot of water (against "0" head, I'd expect that).
Do I need to install an accumulator downstream of the pump or is it that the Shurflo Pumps are just pieces of sh**.
This issue has been going on for 8 months now.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Dave
davidlow@erols.com
HELP - Water Pressure Problems
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
Ed Wagner
Re: HELP - Water Pressure Problems
Dave:
Had the same problems with a Jabsco "wobble" type water pressure pump - could never really get it to prime reliably.
Bought a Shurflo centrifugal pump and eliminated my problems!!
Couple of points:
a) The PAR filter installed in the pump inlet (vacuum side) does create a fair amount of resistance to priming - the Shurflo seems to overcome it though.
b) The "wobbler" Jabsco is VERY sensitive to back pressure - one guy I know even put a small hand vacuum pump in the pump discharge line to help (it does work) prime the pump.
Hope this helps!
Ed
ewagner@aol.com
Had the same problems with a Jabsco "wobble" type water pressure pump - could never really get it to prime reliably.
Bought a Shurflo centrifugal pump and eliminated my problems!!
Couple of points:
a) The PAR filter installed in the pump inlet (vacuum side) does create a fair amount of resistance to priming - the Shurflo seems to overcome it though.
b) The "wobbler" Jabsco is VERY sensitive to back pressure - one guy I know even put a small hand vacuum pump in the pump discharge line to help (it does work) prime the pump.
Hope this helps!
Ed
David Low wrote: I am very close to pulling my hair out (at least what is left of it). I have a 1980 CD30 with a pressurized water system. The system has never seemed to operate properly. The main symptom is that the pump fails to prime. The pump is a ShurFlo wobbler style.
To date, I have:
1) Cleaned the inline filter (on the suction side of the pump)
2) Removed the diaphram and cleaned the rubber reed valves
3) Replaced the rubber reed valves
4) Replaced the entire lower assembly (reed valves and housing)
5) Replaced the valve manifold (removed the old gate valves and installed ball valves)
6) Replaced the entire pump
7) Replaced the in-line filter and filter housing
And it still doesn't work!
The older and the brand new pump motors spin but but never pump enough water to satisfy the pressure switch (and turn the pump off). Niether the new or the old pump appeared to prime properly and actually pump water (no visible flow throught the filter). I have no downstream leaks and don't appear to have an upstream (vacuum) leak.
I installed a 6" length of piping on the inlet side of the new pump and it still does not draw water. If I disconnect the discharge line both the new and the old pumps pump a lot of water (against "0" head, I'd expect that).
Do I need to install an accumulator downstream of the pump or is it that the Shurflo Pumps are just pieces of sh**.
This issue has been going on for 8 months now.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Dave
ewagner@aol.com
-
Mike Thorpe
Re: HELP - Water Pressure Problems
Dave,
Just a suggestion for a few things to check.
If you have an after market water purification filter it should be on the discharge side of the the pump.
On my CD-36 the fresh water hand pump has a shut off valve that must be closed for the water pressure system to work. If you have a similar valve is it closed?
Are the vent lines for your water tanks plugged?
No definate answers but some things to check.
Good Luck,
Mike Thorpe
CD-36 Journey's End
mthorpe@capecod.net
Just a suggestion for a few things to check.
If you have an after market water purification filter it should be on the discharge side of the the pump.
On my CD-36 the fresh water hand pump has a shut off valve that must be closed for the water pressure system to work. If you have a similar valve is it closed?
Are the vent lines for your water tanks plugged?
No definate answers but some things to check.
Good Luck,
Mike Thorpe
CD-36 Journey's End
David Low wrote: I am very close to pulling my hair out (at least what is left of it). I have a 1980 CD30 with a pressurized water system. The system has never seemed to operate properly. The main symptom is that the pump fails to prime. The pump is a ShurFlo wobbler style.
To date, I have:
1) Cleaned the inline filter (on the suction side of the pump)
2) Removed the diaphram and cleaned the rubber reed valves
3) Replaced the rubber reed valves
4) Replaced the entire lower assembly (reed valves and housing)
5) Replaced the valve manifold (removed the old gate valves and installed ball valves)
6) Replaced the entire pump
7) Replaced the in-line filter and filter housing
And it still doesn't work!
The older and the brand new pump motors spin but but never pump enough water to satisfy the pressure switch (and turn the pump off). Niether the new or the old pump appeared to prime properly and actually pump water (no visible flow throught the filter). I have no downstream leaks and don't appear to have an upstream (vacuum) leak.
I installed a 6" length of piping on the inlet side of the new pump and it still does not draw water. If I disconnect the discharge line both the new and the old pumps pump a lot of water (against "0" head, I'd expect that).
Do I need to install an accumulator downstream of the pump or is it that the Shurflo Pumps are just pieces of sh**.
This issue has been going on for 8 months now.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Dave
mthorpe@capecod.net
-
D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: Makes a POOR anchor.....
Captain Low,
I know where ya be Mate, did exactly the same thing on Hanaleis' water system. SurFlow has some good advertising, but they DO NOT make a good pump. Tear it out, roust it out from below decks and give it the heave ho to the briny deep! Purchase a Par Jabsco and a seperate(also much bigger) filter, and a expansion tank (all of this WILL be more expensive than the SureFlo, but it WILL work!).
I would NOT recommend the SureFlo pump it is a piece of .... (how did you put that in your original post?
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30C
CDSOA #1
I know where ya be Mate, did exactly the same thing on Hanaleis' water system. SurFlow has some good advertising, but they DO NOT make a good pump. Tear it out, roust it out from below decks and give it the heave ho to the briny deep! Purchase a Par Jabsco and a seperate(also much bigger) filter, and a expansion tank (all of this WILL be more expensive than the SureFlo, but it WILL work!).
I would NOT recommend the SureFlo pump it is a piece of .... (how did you put that in your original post?
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30C
CDSOA #1
-
Tom
Re: HELP - Water Pressure Problems
Some people refer to the Shurflo pump as a"Sh_tflow" pump. Whatever pump you go with, you need an accumulator behind it. Another possibility that you might not have considered is that if you have a water heater the heat exchanger inside the water heater may have eaten through with electrolysis. Especially if you haven't kept up on your zinc renewal on the engine heat exchanger. The water heater is downline so will get eaten if not protected. When it eats through as soon as the water pressure builds it leaks into the engine coolant, the coolant in the resevoir enlarges and is passed out through the resevoir or expansion tank overflow and thus you don't see any drip anywhere. You can check this by pulling the intake water hose to the heater and plugging it and then running the pump to see if it now will build pressure.
When it won't build pressure it's usually a leak in the system somewhere. That quick plastic tubing that came with the CDs is suspect also. I had to replace all of that with hose to cure my leaks. I suppose you've tried hooking up a short piece of hose to the exhaust of the pump and closing it, to eliminate the possibility that there is a leak in the system somewhere. If it won't build pressure then, you know the problem is in the pump or the lines leading to it. Then you can get a gallon jug of water and stick a hose from the pump inlet into the jug and eliminate the intake system. If it still won't build pressure, then it sounds like it's time to put the Stump plan into effect.
People have trouble with the Jabsco pump as well, so nothing is certain or forever, but you can improve your odds. Good luck.
TomCambria@mindspring.com
When it won't build pressure it's usually a leak in the system somewhere. That quick plastic tubing that came with the CDs is suspect also. I had to replace all of that with hose to cure my leaks. I suppose you've tried hooking up a short piece of hose to the exhaust of the pump and closing it, to eliminate the possibility that there is a leak in the system somewhere. If it won't build pressure then, you know the problem is in the pump or the lines leading to it. Then you can get a gallon jug of water and stick a hose from the pump inlet into the jug and eliminate the intake system. If it still won't build pressure, then it sounds like it's time to put the Stump plan into effect.
People have trouble with the Jabsco pump as well, so nothing is certain or forever, but you can improve your odds. Good luck.
David Low wrote: I am very close to pulling my hair out (at least what is left of it). I have a 1980 CD30 with a pressurized water system. The system has never seemed to operate properly. The main symptom is that the pump fails to prime. The pump is a ShurFlo wobbler style.
To date, I have:
1) Cleaned the inline filter (on the suction side of the pump)
2) Removed the diaphram and cleaned the rubber reed valves
3) Replaced the rubber reed valves
4) Replaced the entire lower assembly (reed valves and housing)
5) Replaced the valve manifold (removed the old gate valves and installed ball valves)
6) Replaced the entire pump
7) Replaced the in-line filter and filter housing
And it still doesn't work!
The older and the brand new pump motors spin but but never pump enough water to satisfy the pressure switch (and turn the pump off). Niether the new or the old pump appeared to prime properly and actually pump water (no visible flow throught the filter). I have no downstream leaks and don't appear to have an upstream (vacuum) leak.
I installed a 6" length of piping on the inlet side of the new pump and it still does not draw water. If I disconnect the discharge line both the new and the old pumps pump a lot of water (against "0" head, I'd expect that).
Do I need to install an accumulator downstream of the pump or is it that the Shurflo Pumps are just pieces of sh**.
This issue has been going on for 8 months now.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Dave
TomCambria@mindspring.com
-
Ken Coit
Re: HELP - Water Pressure Problems
Dave,
I just scanned my SHURflo documentation and came up with at least one item that you may not have checked. They say that low voltage will cause the pump to never reach full pressure and, therefore, the pump will not actuate the pressure switch. What is the voltage at the pump when it is running? It draws the most current just before it stops.
They also mention six screws internal to the housing that need to be tight.
Our SHURflo 200 has been in place for years, they have made millions of them. Something besides the design is wrong.
Keep on sailing,
Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC
PPPPparfait@nc.rr.com
I just scanned my SHURflo documentation and came up with at least one item that you may not have checked. They say that low voltage will cause the pump to never reach full pressure and, therefore, the pump will not actuate the pressure switch. What is the voltage at the pump when it is running? It draws the most current just before it stops.
They also mention six screws internal to the housing that need to be tight.
Our SHURflo 200 has been in place for years, they have made millions of them. Something besides the design is wrong.
Keep on sailing,
Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC
David Low wrote: I am very close to pulling my hair out (at least what is left of it). I have a 1980 CD30 with a pressurized water system. The system has never seemed to operate properly. The main symptom is that the pump fails to prime. The pump is a ShurFlo wobbler style.
To date, I have:
1) Cleaned the inline filter (on the suction side of the pump)
2) Removed the diaphram and cleaned the rubber reed valves
3) Replaced the rubber reed valves
4) Replaced the entire lower assembly (reed valves and housing)
5) Replaced the valve manifold (removed the old gate valves and installed ball valves)
6) Replaced the entire pump
7) Replaced the in-line filter and filter housing
And it still doesn't work!
The older and the brand new pump motors spin but but never pump enough water to satisfy the pressure switch (and turn the pump off). Niether the new or the old pump appeared to prime properly and actually pump water (no visible flow throught the filter). I have no downstream leaks and don't appear to have an upstream (vacuum) leak.
I installed a 6" length of piping on the inlet side of the new pump and it still does not draw water. If I disconnect the discharge line both the new and the old pumps pump a lot of water (against "0" head, I'd expect that).
Do I need to install an accumulator downstream of the pump or is it that the Shurflo Pumps are just pieces of sh**.
This issue has been going on for 8 months now.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Dave
PPPPparfait@nc.rr.com
-
Glen Snader
Re: HELP - Water Pressure Problems
Dave:
They have made tons of these pumps. I would not think that it is a pump problem. Some other titems to check are,
1. I would remove the from the inlet side and place it on the discharge side of the pump. Pumps do not like them on the inlet side. Also, there is to great of a chance for a vacuum leak when installed like this.
2. The pipe, hose or tubing used on the suction side of the pump must be reinforced. This will prevent a collape on the hose and therefore a restriction in the system.
3. All hose from the tank to the inlet of the pump must run up hill to the pump. If air should enter the system (low water in the tank) the pump will be able to pass it through.
4. I always install a swing check valve (brass) at the tank outlet to make sure the pump stays primed.
5. When the pump runs, are you pumping any water from the tank? If so you have a leak in the discharge side of the system.
6. Place a volt meter at the pump. Is there 12V. The pump will run on less then 12V but mat not pump to the discharge head.
I hope this helps and when you find your problem you will post your solution on the board.
glen@hobbymarine.com
They have made tons of these pumps. I would not think that it is a pump problem. Some other titems to check are,
1. I would remove the from the inlet side and place it on the discharge side of the pump. Pumps do not like them on the inlet side. Also, there is to great of a chance for a vacuum leak when installed like this.
2. The pipe, hose or tubing used on the suction side of the pump must be reinforced. This will prevent a collape on the hose and therefore a restriction in the system.
3. All hose from the tank to the inlet of the pump must run up hill to the pump. If air should enter the system (low water in the tank) the pump will be able to pass it through.
4. I always install a swing check valve (brass) at the tank outlet to make sure the pump stays primed.
5. When the pump runs, are you pumping any water from the tank? If so you have a leak in the discharge side of the system.
6. Place a volt meter at the pump. Is there 12V. The pump will run on less then 12V but mat not pump to the discharge head.
I hope this helps and when you find your problem you will post your solution on the board.
glen@hobbymarine.com