Fresh water pump

[jengels]

Can anybody tell me where the fresh water pump is located on the 30+? I can hear it but I can't see it. I have no water in the fresh water tanks so I can't run it for too long while I look for it. It sounds like it's under the cockpit. It's rather noisy so I'd like to replace it.*

John

 

[Pat C.]

Usually mounted in the engine compartment. Fresh water pumps are usually diaphragm pumps so can be run dry without damage. Open up engine compartment and turn it on, should be easy to find. Mine is on the starboard bulkhead high behind engine, easier to reach via starboard lazarette (easy being a relative term).

They are all rather noisy, noise quiets down some once primed.

 

[Frank Langer]

On our 1984 E30+ the fresh water pump is mounted on the inside of the house battery compartment which is in a locker underneath the quarterberth. A bit of an unusual spot, but the plumbing diagram for the E30+ also shows it to be there.

Frank

 

[jengels]

Thanks guys, I'll check it out tomorrow. Pat, our pump works but it's noisy. It's on off on off while it's on, that's why I thought it needed replacing. Maybe I'll just leave it.

John

 

[Christian Williams]

If the pump keeps starting up periodically, you likely have a loose fitting or cracked hose somewhere in the plumbing, which is letting air in.

The pump will only remain quiet if there are no leaks in the system. It's common to have tubing leaks in an older boat.

 

[Frank Langer]

It will also cycle while operating/pumping water. The only way I know to minimize that is to add an accumulator tank which apparently decreases the number of cycles while it's operating. If it cycles while the switch is on but you are not running water, then either there is an air/water leak in the system as Christian suggested above, or the seals in the pump may be leaking slightly.

On our boat I have double checked our system for leaks and I'm confident there aren't any, yet our pump will come on for a quick moment about once every 20 minutes when I'm not drawing water; while running water it will cycle on and off quite quickly. The pump is quite noisy, but I think that's the nature of these older pumps. They are not overly expensive to replace, but I'm not sure that will help unless it really is a dysfunctional pump on your boat.

Frank

 

[drcam1]

John,

I just had an accumulator tank go bad on my system and had the jumpy pump syndrome as well. Instead of replacing both, I installed a variable speed pump that doesn't require a tank. More money than just a new pump, but if potentially replacing both might make sense. And seriously simplifies the plumbing.

Cam

 

[Pat O'Connell]

Hi Respected Sailors

Have had (3) since 81. Last year failed out of the box. West Marine did not want to exchange after a day or so after purchase. Old fellow salesperson overheard conversation and ok'd the exchange. Replacement worked fine. I must have plumbed the first pump wrong. eh?

Pat
1981 Ericson 28+

 

[frostbiter]

fresh water pump and hose on E35

Just finished this project, and very pleased. The original pressure water lines and connectors had developed 1or 2 cracks every ear over the past four years. I decided it was time to replace as much as I could. Both the hot and cold runs to the head have been trouble free, so I left them alone.There was nothing wrong with the pump but the location is a knuckle buster when it comes time for replacement.So I had the pump moved to the locker under the starboard berth, just forward of the galley.
My E35 has two tanks, one under the V-berth, and one under the starboard berth just aft of the bulkhead.There’s a tee union there, with simple on/off selection for each tank.I started the new pressure hose from the tee union, and ran it aft to the newly located water pump.I put a tee in the hose about 6” from the pump input, and ran from there a new non-pressure hose to the galley foot pump.Then I ran new cold pressure hose from the pump under the galley back towards the hot water tank.I put in another tee union under the trash bin for the galley cold pressure.Then continued to the junction that splits the cold feed to the head and the hot water tank.I replaced the hot tank output hose plus the feed to the galley with new red hose.
That’s all for this year.All the pressure hose is Seatech 15mm, blue for cold and red for hot; and all the fittings are Seatech as well. The run under the galley required a plumber’s snake and much patience.All of the old hose had to be pulled.Ericson put in cable retainers every foot or so, and those all have to be removed and then replaced on the new hose.
The water pump is marginally louder… but accessible.