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Water Foot Pump?

David Grimm

E38-200
Greetings all, At the mid point of this season I noticed my Jabsco pressureized water not working well. It would sputter and sputter and it seamed I just couldn't get the air out.

Not putting two and two together previously I had been cleaning up and was tired of looking at this white electrical tape on the sea water spigot that the PO said he put there because he didn't want any of the dirty sea water entering his sink! I removed the tape!!!

Winter arrives and I need to get all the water out of the tanks... two jabsco electric pumps later and still the same sputter. Then it hit me! While sputtering and scratching my head I stick my finger over the sea water spigot and it gets sucked to it.... 3.2.1 water starts coming out of the faucet! But why?

It appears to me that when the Air Conditioner was installed by the PO they pulled the sea water foot pump line off the sea cock and used that hole in the hull for the AC cooling water. Then hooked the sea water foot pump up to the fresh water tank line.

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My question to you guys is when the foot pump is at rest should air be able to pass through it or is it broken. I have never seen it pump water either. Appears not to work. Replace the whole unit or buy the valve kit?

Fair winds,

Dave
 
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Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Hi Dave,
Our foot pump began to leak, so I phoned the company and spoke with a technician. They sent me a free gasket kit, but despite careful attempts to fix it, it continued to leak. I decided to buy an exact replacement from our local chandlery, and it has operated well ever since over a number of years.
In my experience the pump should not leak air. If there is a leak anywhere in the system, our electrical freshwater pump will operate erratically until the air is bled out of the system by running the pump with faucets open to let the air out. Once that's complete, it should run normally.
Frank
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Dunno about AC installation.

But the foot pumps (fresh and salt) are part of the plumbing system, and it is a classic case that they admit air, being seldom used.

When the electric pump sputters, or when beeding after an empty tank refill, many owners automatically pump the foot pumps. This stops any air leak they have created and restores line pressure. It may take only putting a finger over the spout--which is also the overfill outlet--for the same effect.
 

David Grimm

E38-200
My gally has only two foot pumps. One for the refrigerator drain and the other for fresh water. Is it possible my boat didn't come with a salt water pump and my assumption of the AC hose routing is incorrect?

* Merrimist up for sale just caught my eye. Same year and model. Only two pumps in her galley as well.

I think the foot pump has expired. No matter what I did to try and prime the pump it just wouldn't work. The instant I removed my finger from the spout the electric pump would suck air. New pump on its way.
 
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Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
Hi Dave,
Our foot pump began to leak, so I phoned the company and spoke with a technician. They sent me a free gasket kit, but despite careful attempts to fix it, it continued to leak. I decided to buy an exact replacement from our local chandlery, and it has operated well ever since over a number of years.
...
Frank

One of my Whale Gusher 3 foot pumps has been leaking too and I planned to go with rebuild kits for both. Has the $29 kit worked for anybody or do I need to just get another $87 pump? (X2).

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JSM

Member III
My gally has only two foot pumps. One for the refrigerator drain and the other for fresh water. Is it possible my boat didn't come with a salt water pump and my assumption of the AC hose routing is incorrect?

On our 34-2 there is a valve under the sink that allows the salt water pump to be used for either salt water or ice box pump out.
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
On our 34-2 there is a valve under the sink that allows the salt water pump to be used for either salt water or ice box pump out.

Same on my 32-III. Close the thru-hull and open the valve above it, and the foot-pump pulls water out of the ice-box. Close the valve and open the thru-hull, it goes back to pumping saltwater.

Note, if both valve and thru-hull are open, salt-water happily flows up into the ice-box....
 

Joliba

1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
In my 1988 38-200, I have the same plumbing as noted in the 2 posts above, with a valve that allows pumping the icebox or the sea water using the same foot pump.
Mike Jacker
 

David Grimm

E38-200
Wow. Great feedback. Thanks guys. I'll check for the icebox/salt water valve first thing tomorrow. In my dizzy from excitement delivery from the PO I do recall him say that he tried rebuilding the pumps and that it was a challeng year after year.
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
I don't have a great picture, but here's what mine (32-III) looks like.

When the red valve is closed and the black thru-hull is open, the footpump brings seawater to the sink

When the red valve is open and the black thru-hull is closed, the footpump pumps ice-box water to the sink

When both valves are open, seawater flows freely into the icebox (#VoiceOfExperience)


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David Grimm

E38-200
Well after banging my head around under the sink all I can make of it is I have a fresh water pump and a icebox drain pump. They must have pulled the salt water icebox diverter valve out when the installed the air conditioner.

When spring arrives I'll swap out that pump if I can't get it primed. Maybe I need an inline check valve or something. I'll check back here and let you all know how this unfolds. Thanks Guys.
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
Dave,

I have the two pump and diverter valve setup as described above. One foot pump for fresh water at the sink. My ice box was converted to refrigeration so the other foot pump is now dedicated to just seawater at the sink. I never use seawater at the sink so the thru hull is always closed. If I add A/C I will dedicate that thru hull for the A/C and remove the seawater foot pump. In your case the seawater foot pump got dedicated to the ice box drain.

An important point to consider is the quality of the hoses connected to the seawater thru hull for the ice box drain and the seawater foot pump. My hoses were very old potable water type that I would not trust below the water line.

I replaced all my below water line hoses (sink drains, head & engine intakes, cockpit scuppers) with Trident FLEX wet exhaust/critical intake hose: https://tridentmarine.com/product/trident-flex-marine-wet-exhaust-water-250100/#.XhhyMMIUk_w
Make sure you get the FLEX version! This hose is very flexible and easy to work with. It's much more heavy duty than potable water or bilge hose. It's more expensive than potable water hose but the lengths are typically very short and the diameters small so it's cheap insurance against flooding.

Mark
 
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