Marine wash down pumps question.

Started by gstours, April 14, 2019, 03:31:36 PM

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gstours

I've had generally poor long time performance from several brands of the 12 volt, pressure switched pressure pumps in the past and just gave up trying to keep them working.😫
   Butt was wondering if the diaphragm type is working for anyone?   I,m interested in trying something for the summer.  But need a good opinion of what works for you boaters.   I generally don't use a pump in the winter as obviously that's a 🤕 headache.   Thanks for some saltwater opinions.🚣‍♀️

Maxed Out


I stopped using my wash down a few years ago and found it much easier and faster to use a bucket
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Alto Mare

I haven't had luck with the pump as well. I replaced it once, I now use a bucket.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

SoCalAngler

#3
Rule pumps are pretty much the standard here in So Cal. Normally I get about 4 seasons out of the one for the bait tank and longer of the wash down.

The wash down does not get a lot of use as a bucket and sponge work well but I do use it almost every trip. I do keep it working though as a backup if the bait pump stops working and I can't get it going while on the water. If this happens I run the wash down hose into the bait tank.

El Pescador

#4
PLEASE!  

Someone come up with a better idea here!!!

or

Dominick & I will be bucket & mop washing the USS Maiko this summer during our week-long Aug. 2019 Silver Salmon trip to Gustavus, AK to visit Gary-The-BUTTman and MaryJo!

ANY IDEAS PLEASE ;D

Wayne

Never let the skinny guys make the sandwiches!!  NEVER!!!!

alantani

#5
You're going to find this as a familiar theme, but any pump will fail if used straight out of the box. Take any old pump and look at how badly corroded it is.  Now tear down a brand new pump, grease everything that was corroded in the old pump, and your new pump should last much longer.  ;D
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Tightlines667

#6
I have been disapointed in my Shurflo pressure-switched washdown pump.  It works but is a bit wimpy and wasn't capable of maintaining adequete flow for the live bait well.  

I decided to switch to a Rule 17A 3800GPH centrafugal pump.  This should give me a higher flow rate which I intend to use as a washdown and ocassionally for a 30gal live bait well.  This pump is non self priming and has no pressure switch, so its important to mount it above a dedicated seacock and below the waterline.
It will onlh have to pump a short verticle distance, and should give me plenty of water pressure.

I considered a washdown run off of an auxilary port on the engine, or off of a pully driven by the main engine (such as those available from Jabsco).  These give outstanding flow rates, and are exceedingly reliable given their simplicity, but they run constantly when the engine is running (unless you get one with a disengaging clutch system).  It seemed a bit more challenging to figure out how to make this setup work on my boat (I couldn't figure out how a setup that is gear driven and mounts directly to the engine, the pully-driven would require a new pully on the engine, and it would be located away from the thruhull, and plumbing might require a y fitting that allows water to pump overboard though an above water thru hull, which then would make switching the pump on/off the washdown hose an inconvient/mechanical affaur.  Also, a failure in the plumbing while underway and you are pumping water into your boat faster than the bulge pumps can pump it back out!).  In the end, I basically gave up on the idea.

I have a Jabsco diaphram pump mounted just above the waterline, that does a pretty good job of lifting water 2.5' up from the bottom of the bulge.  It is a quality pump, and its easy to diassasemble for service, but it's noisy, surgy, and a bit pricy.  I had a screw get sucked up that damaged the rubber diaphram.  A rebuild kit with new diaphram and seals along with a general service got her working good as new, until the motor went out on me 900hrs later.  I bought a new one, did a preservice, and keep the old one for parts.  I like it, but don't think it would make a great washdown.

My boat has 2 other bulge pumps (a Rule 5000 automatic), and a cheapo west marine pump for the front compartment.  The Rule worked great for over 1000hr, when the motor burned out and needed to be replaced.  The impeller needed fixing on the WM unit.

Honestly, I was looking for a heavy duty/marinized bronze impeller pump on a large electric motor, with manual switch, that can be mounted in a dry compartment above the waterline as my washdown.  My dad had one that worked great (high capacity, quiet, reliable) on his boat, but I just couldn't seem to find what I was looking for.  

The Rule seems like it will work good as a manual switch high capacity option, and fits well with the location of my boat's thruhull and general layout.  It is important that it is mounted/plumed correctly though.  

Most of the commercial style boats out here are using bronze impeller pumps driven directly off of the engine.  

I'm not sure what would work best for your needs, but I don't think the diaphram would make the best washdown.  

If anyone has suggestions on a better washdown/duel duty live baitwell pump option I am all ears, as I havn't purchased my pump yet.

John
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

Cor

I have repaired a Johnson Pump similar to this one https://www.spxflow.com/en/johnson-pump-marine/pd-marine-wash-down-pumps-aqua-jet-series/ that had lasted for about 5 years.
Also fitted two Shureflow pumps https://www.amazon.com/SHURFLO-BLASTER-II-Washdown-Pump/dp/B00TUNV39K
The latter two are still on the boat but they are very vulnerable to sucking in dirt that immediately blocks the filters.

When they work they are convenient, but in all honesty the bucket system is a lot more reliable!

I think the Johnson pump gave slightly less trouble.   So my experience seems not too different from gstours.    Anything on boats need constant attention and you do more maintenance then catch fish. ;) ;)

Hope this helps a bit.
Cornelis

Maxed Out


Ok Wayne, here is improvement from a regular bucket...

....It a deluxe bucket with custom rope handle. Just remove old handle, drill correct hole for rope, insert rope, add large washer inside and torch the rope ends. Now you have a deluxe washdown bucket !!

Ted
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Dominick

Quote from: El Pescador on April 14, 2019, 05:20:01 PM
PLEASE! 

Someone come up with a better idea here!!!

or

Dominick & I will be bucket & mop washing the USS Maiko this summer during our week-long Aug. 2019 Silver Salmon trip to Gustavus, AK to visit Gary-The-BUTTman and MaryJo!

ANY IDEAS PLEASE ;D

Wayne

Yo Wayno...speak for yourself.   :D Dominick
Leave the gun.  Take the cannolis.

There are two things I don't like about fishing.  Getting up early in the morning and boats.  The rest of it is fun.

Tightlines667

Quote from: Maxed Out on April 14, 2019, 07:26:13 PM

Ok Wayne, here is improvement from a regular bucket...

....It a deluxe bucket with custom rope handle. Just remove old handle, drill correct hole for rope, insert rope, add large washer inside and torch the rope ends. Now you have a deluxe washdown bucket !!

Ted

Love it.
Captain Jay is quite proud of his delux washdown bucket too.  Guess I had better get onboard with this one.
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

oldmanjoe

  You can wash down or replenish the live well  while under way , with just a pvc pipe hung off the transom.
 The faster you go , the higher the pressure no pump needed.
Grandpa`s words of wisdom......Joey that thing between your shoulders is not a hat rack.....    use it.....
A mind is like a parachute, it only work`s  when it is open.......
The power of Observation   , It`s all about the Details ..
 Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.   Alto Mare

oc1

#12
Besides centrifugal pumps and diaphragm pumps there are flexible impeller pumps like Marco or something.  They are self priming so you do not have to deal with pressure switches or foot valves and they can be mounted above the water line.  They are a little less efficient than centrifugal pumps but more efficient than diaphragm pumps and do not surge like diaphragm pumps.  But, they do not handle solids very well and flexible impellers wear out.
-steve

Alto Mare

I would think pumps should last longer on the left-side of the coast, here we have it rough.
I've run untifreeze prior to winter storage and still lost one :-\ . A little water gets in there and it is usually done, well mine anyway.
We have the same battles with powerwash units, being a GC, I've lost a couple through the years.

Sal
Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will.

El Pescador

#14
Quote from: Maxed Out on April 14, 2019, 07:26:13 PM
Ok Wayne, here is improvement from a regular bucket...

Ted

Ted!

A great idea, much better than the deck bucket used on a salmon trip we enjoyed several years ago!!!

Wayne

Never let the skinny guys make the sandwiches!!  NEVER!!!!