A/C water pump not flowing water....

Chambless Sanity

Chambless Sanity

New Member
Aug 7, 2019
17
Long Island, NY
Boat Info
1996 400 EC, twin gas 454, 7.4 Tbolt V, Kohler 6.5cz gas generator, 3rd owner
Engines
454 Mercruiser 7.4, approx 100 hours each
Genset running better now, more stable...however, the A/C water pump is not running anymore. Worked one time (for heat) this year while on shore power. Then, while still on shore power, it stopped pumping water. Now on mooring and still won't flow water. I have 110v at back of breaker panel and to the A/C breaker itself, but no flowing water from the pump. Hard to see if the pump is turning as the genset puts off a lot of vibration and is loud. Anyone out there have any suggestions? Thanks in Advance.
 
Welcome to CSR. Do you have 110v coming out of the breaker and at the pump? Take the outflow hose off the pump and see if you get water coming through. You may have air, lost the prime or a blockage somewhere down stream. It is not a self priming pump.
 
Korkie said:
Welcome to CSR. Do you have 110v coming out of the breaker and at the pump? Take the outflow hose off the pump and see if you get water coming through. You may have air, lost the prime or a blockage somewhere down stream. It is not a self priming pump.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info...I have 110v at the breaker but haven't checked the pump....my thought is the same that it may have lost prime, I will check that tonight...I also checked the strainer and it's clean.
 
Todd320 said:
Blockage? Last Memorial Day weekend, I had something blocking the intake. Also strainer could be filled up?
Click to expand...
Checked the strainer and it's clean. Prior to stopping, the water flow was strong both sides of the boat, may be prime...
 
I know in my 390 there is a relay box under the dinette that has several relays that turn the pump on. The relays are interchangeable. Could be a bad relay.
 
hottoddie said:
I know in my 390 there is a relay box under the dinette that has several relays that turn the pump on. The relays are interchangeable. Could be a bad relay.
Click to expand...
Are the relays between the breaker on the panel and the pump?
 
If you think it's the prime, easy fix if you have the ball valve on top of the strainer for flushing. Hook up the garden hose, turn on the pump and water... This will force water into the strainer and actually out the thru hull pick up. Let it run for 30-60 seconds like this. Close the"flushing ball valve", the pump should be pulling water from the thru hull now.
 
frosh coach said:
If you think it's the prime, easy fix if you have the ball valve on top of the strainer for flushing. Hook up the garden hose, turn on the pump and water... This will force water into the strainer and actually out the thru hull pick up. Let it run for 30-60 seconds like this. Close the"flushing ball valve", the pump should be pulling water from the thru hull now.
Click to expand...
Thanks, but my strainer doesn't have a ball valve.
 
Chambless Sanity said:
Are the relays between the breaker on the panel and the pump?
Click to expand...

If your boat is like mine it has 1 AC pump that circulates water thru 2 ACs. There are 3 breakers an the panel. One for AC circulator pump and the other 2 are for the main salon AC and the other for the Forward/Mid Cabin AC. The AC pump breaker supplies power to the relays and the individual AC control activate the relays to turn on the pump, compressor and fans on. Just today on a friends 340 Sundancer the AC pump would not pump water. We used a dock hose to force water in the discharge fitting on the side of the boat and the pump began pumping water instantly. You may want to try that.
 
...and if all those options don't work, it could be a bad trigger in the relay box itself. I have had that happen twice over the years. You have 1 pump for both AC's as mentioned above but you have a separate trigger in that relay box for each AC. If one AC activates the pump and the other one doesn't, that could be your issue.
 
Thanks for the help, didn't get to the boat last night with the weather interfering. I will get out there tonight and try to prime with your suggestions....stand by...
 
Have you verified the pump is running? Assuming it is, prime is likely the problem. I have found the easiest way to fix this is to force water back though from the outlet. While at the dock take a garden hose and press it to the outlet while the pump is running. Has worked every time. Someone on another thread just had the same problem and this quickly solved it.
 
Had a similar problem upon commissioning last week. AC compressor would kick on but pump wasn't pumping. Went down to pump and it was making a humming sound but wasn't turning. Felt around pump and there's a rotating collar or disk that's exposed that supposed to spin with the impeller. I just freed it up by turning it a few times and voila...the impeller started spinning again. Check to make sure it's turning!
 
marks737 said:
Had a similar problem upon commissioning last week. AC compressor would kick on but pump wasn't pumping. Went down to pump and it was making a humming sound but wasn't turning. Felt around pump and there's a rotating collar or disk that's exposed that supposed to spin with the impeller. I just freed it up by turning it a few times and voila...the impeller started spinning again. Check to make sure it's turning!
Click to expand...
I've confirmed the pump is not running as there is no noise, humming or vibration. I'm heading down tonight to see if there is power to the leads, I have it at the breaker on the panel so if not at pump, I've narrowed the search. If at the pump I've also narrowed the search at about a $300 cost...at least it wouldn't be another thousand....
 
I have a sea ray 390 sedan bridge, when i turn on the ac in the salon it blows cold and water pumps out, after a few minutes it stops pumping water and shuts off with an error code e1 pump pressure.
I also have an ac unit in the front state room that doesn't seem to turn the pump on at all when turned on. any suggestions? I was thinking these trigger relays but I don't know where they are located or what they look like..or exactly how to test. I've been in auto repair so if i know where i should have inputs and output i'm sure i can figure it out..any help.
 
Cont..when the pumps stops pumping water it is still makes a humming noise and does feel
kinda of hot. Its a Koolair Pump recently installed maybe a couple months ago. I had the boat shipped, and the pump was replaced prior to purchasing...not that is couldn't still be bad I guess?
 
Rob Wiley said:
I have a sea ray 390 sedan bridge, when i turn on the ac in the salon it blows cold and water pumps out, after a few minutes it stops pumping water and shuts off with an error code e1 pump pressure.
I also have an ac unit in the front state room that doesn't seem to turn the pump on at all when turned on. any suggestions? I was thinking these trigger relays but I don't know where they are located or what they look like..or exactly how to test. I've been in auto repair so if i know where i should have inputs and output i'm sure i can figure it out..any help.
Click to expand...

I don't know where it is located on your particular boat, but mine is behind the breaker panel. The relay box is a white rectangle box maybe 3x5 or 4x6 or so in size. You remove the screws to take the cover off and you'll see the triggers in there. They unplug from the board. I just switched them to find out if one was bad. There may be a way to test it but I found that way to be foolproof.
 
ENstig8or said:
I don't know where it is located on your particular boat, but mine is behind the breaker panel. The relay box is a white rectangle box maybe 3x5 or 4x6 or so in size. You remove the screws to take the cover off and you'll see the triggers in there. They unplug from the board. I just switched them to find out if one was bad. There may be a way to test it but I found that way to be foolproof.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, I got it running by priming...thank you all for your help!! tight lines!!!
 
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