Fresh Water Pump Cycling Mystery

[Rick R.]

I'm stumped.

Last week our fresh water pump started cycling short bursts every 3 seconds when the faucets are off. The 32-200 has valves under the galley sink from the two tanks. To determine if the leak was on the supply side, I shut them off to no avail.

I reached up under the head and galley sinks and felt no moisture (also checked all of the joints and tightened them).

The pump is two years old and works well so I don't think it is the cause.

Any ideas?

 

[GrandpaSteve]

I'm stumped.

Last week our fresh water pump started cycling short bursts every 3 seconds when the faucets are off. The 32-200 has valves under the galley sink from the two tanks. To determine if the leak was on the supply side, I shut them off to no avail.

I reached up under the head and galley sinks and felt no moisture (also checked all of the joints and tightened them).

The pump is two years old and works well so I don't think it is the cause.

Any ideas?

Check the hot water tank vent.

 

[Afrakes]

Pressure switch

Possibly the pressure switch on the pump is going south.

 

[mkollerjr]

We had the same issue a few months ago. We tried a new pressure switch, but still the same problem. Took the pump apart and re-installed it, same problem. Installed a new pump, still the same problem. We tried to re-trace all the work we did on the plumbing system since the pump cycling problem began. I deduced it was on the hot water side of things, because I could hear water entering the water heater every now and then, even while we weren't using any water. Turns out we has a slow drip leak at a connection on the shower valve that we had replaced earlier. Not really enough of a leak to notice extra water in the bilge, but enough to cause the pump to constantly cycle. I suggest (1) see if your water heater relief valve is weeping, (2) inspect as much of your plumbing system as you can for leaks, (3) take the pump apart and inspect it for debris stuck in the check valve (4) try a new pressure switch, if none of those work, then go back to step (2). I've also heard that if your pump is not getting the correct voltage (possibly due to corroded connectors) it may cause cycling, so it may be worth checking that.

Mark

 

[Christian Williams]

Naturally you have already played with the pressure-adjustment screw on the pump.

 

[mkollerjr]

Naturally you have already played with the pressure-adjustment screw on the pump.

Be careful with adjusting that screw. You may find in the Owner's manual of your pump that it will void the warranty if you change it from the factory setting. And yes, I did try messing around with that screw quite a bit during trouble shooting, to no avail.

Mark

 

[Christian Williams]

Thanks, I had to look that up. Here's the paragraph from the Sureflow Aqua King manual to, ah, interpret for the most felicitous outcome--or ignore .

Anyhow, I did turn my screw six months ago so the pump would stop at less pressure (on initial installation it ran continuously). Now it shuts off almost immediately with the tap, and even days later the residual water pressure will give half a glass, which is kind of convenient.

ABOUT THE BY-PASS NOTE: By-pass adjustment should performed by a qualify technician with proper gauges and equipment.The bypass is a spring loaded diaphragm that opens up allowing water from the discharge side back to the inlet side. The by-pass is set to begin opening at about 30 psi [2.06 Bar] and creating full by-pass at about 65 psi [4.48 Bar].The pressure switch on the pump is set to shut off at 55 psi. If the switch or bypass are adjusted too much, the by-pass and switch shut-off can overlap and THE PUMP WILL NOT SHUT OFF. Screwing the switch screw in clockwise will raise the shut-off pressure. Unscrewing the switch screw counterclockwise will lower the pump shut-off pressure. Screwing the by-pass screw in will raise the pressure at which the by-pass starts and raise the maximum by-pass pressure. Unscrewing the by-pass screw counterclockwise will lower the pressure at which by-pass starts and lower the by-pass pressure. WARNING: If full by-pass is reached before the shut-offsetting, the pump will not shut off. Maximum by-pass pressure setting should be at least 10 psi [0.68 Bar] higher than pump shut off pressure.

 

[tenders]

Do you have an accumulator tank that's full of water instead of air? This is a tank perhaps a half gallon in size that is designed to store some pressure via air that gets compressed by water being pushed through the outlet side of the pump, so that the pump doesn't cycle as often. Over time, the water in the system absorbs the air in the tank and the pump cycles more than intended.

Easy fix: turn the pump off, faucets on, and once depressurized, either pump air into the accumulator using a bicycle pump (if equipped with such a valve), or disassemble the accumulator, dump the water out, and reassemble.

 

[Pat C.]

One of the under sink foot pumps primes my system, years ago it was doing what you describe, turned out to be the foot pump allowing air into the line downstream of the pump.

 

[Tom Metzger]

Plug the gazouta side of the pump and see if the problem goes away. Then you will know if it is the pump or the lines.

The pump will appear to pump normally if you have a small leak in the down stream system, but will cycle periodically.

Do this before screwing around with the pump; you can't afford a new windlass and a new pump in the same year. :0

 

[Pat O'Connell]

Water Pump Cycling

Hi Respected Sailors

Plug the out! Brilliant! A few years ago I replaced a twenty twenty year old pump with a new/bad shurflo pump. It started the hunt all over again until I caught on. Naturally it was a nice Saturday and I was too focused (read dumb) to drop the mooring and enjoy the day. West Marine thought my situation was very unusual but relented and replaced with another pump.

Pat O'Connell
1981 Ericson 28+

 

[Dan Callen]

Fresh water pump cycling

I'm stumped.

Last week our fresh water pump started cycling short bursts every 3 seconds when the faucets are off. The 32-200 has valves under the galley sink from the two tanks. To determine if the leak was on the supply side, I shut them off to no avail.

I reached up under the head and galley sinks and felt no moisture (also checked all of the joints and tightened them).

The pump is two years old and works well so I don't think it is the cause.

Any ideas?

Rick- I had this same problem on my Ericson 32-3 and it did turn out to be the foot pump. Took forever to figure this one out. I keep a spare foot pump aboard as these can cause problems. Good luck and let us know what you find. Dan Callen Ericson 32-3 Andiamo

 

[Christian Williams]

...And all you have to do to test that is disconnect and cap the hose from manifold to fresh-water foot pump.

That's a permanent condition on my boat, because I kept only the left foot pump, which provides either empty-the-ice box or sea water-to-sink, depending on valve setting.

(I'll just swap the foot pump hoses should the electric water pump fail while cruising)

 

[Rick R.]

Thanks for all of the input everyone!

Plugged the output and it still cycles so a new pump will be installed tomorrow. This one, a Shurflo 3 GPM was purchased new from WM in 2012 and has this issue already. Crazy!

Since the pump still functions except for the cycling, I am considering using it for an anchor locker wash hose.

The PO must have removed the fresh water foot pump, there is only a seawater foot pump and that taste a little salty...... ;-)

 

[Rick R.]

Thanks again to my fellow Vikings for all of the input.

After Metzger's admonition that one can't afford a new windlass and a pump in the same year (thanks Tom..... My wife was reading over my shoulder) and his thoughts on plugging the output side, we determined that the pump was bad.

Installed new pump today and no more cycling. Problem solved!

I will use the old one for a deck wash setup to keep the Maxwell anchor windlass from processing mud through its virgin dogs. (Song title here).

FWIW I should have bought the extended warranty from WM which would have covered a pump purchased in 2012:0. Instead, I spent $128 on a replacement (from a local merchant who is trying to compete with the big box store who wanted $149).

I love our EYO! Good folks, great advice............a home on the water!

 

[Tom Metzger]

After Metzger's admonition that one can't afford a new windlass and a pump in the same year (thanks Tom..... My wife was reading over my shoulder )

Rick - It was just an innocent little joke... I knew you bought the windlass last year. Can't the little lady take a joke? What is the matter with her?

BTW, did I ever mention that I can never come to Pensacola?

 

[Rick R.]

Rick - It was just an innocent little joke... I knew you bought the windlass last year. Can't the little lady take a joke? What is the matter with her?

BTW, did I ever mention that I can never come to Pensacola?