fresh water pump issue

E

eashley

New Member
May 26, 2009
20
rhode island
Boat Info
310 sundancer 2001
Engines
twin 5.7 V- drives (300 hp each)
Anyone have a suggestion regarding the fresh water pump on my 2001 SD310. It is a Shurflo unit model 2095. It's rated at 45psi. I get plenty of water if I am connected to the shore water. However, if I shut that off and run from my onboard tank, the pump runs and never shuts down. The rate of water flowing out of the faucet is very low too. I've checked all of the conections and there are no water or air leaks apparent. The tank is full but can't draw any meanigful amount of water from it. The pump motor runs but does not shut off. It appears to be primed too. I took the pump apart and check the diaphram assembly and it loked clean and in good shape. The filter is clean as well. Does anyone have a suggestion if I should replace the parts or just go for a new pump. If a new pump, any suggestions on a model? thanks
 
Ernie, you seem to have checked & verified quite a few things. Did you verify that there is not a partial blockage between the tank & the pump? This would keep the pump running without suppling adaquate water where you wanted it. How about any leaks after the pump?

Remove the output line from the pump & turn it on. This will answer some more questions for you. As a side note, my pump has an adjustment screw. If you took the pump apart make sure that isn't the problem.
 
thanks,

no leaks after the pump either. In regard to a blockage, I guess it's possible that there could be a blocakge between the tank and the pump. It's just a short run which I could check. I'm not sure where the adjuctment may be on the pump, could you elaborate on that? Looking at the drawings of the pump on the shurflo web site I did not see any reference to an adjustment.
 
I had the same problem last year and I had found that on the pump there is a clear plastic bulb that has a screen in it, I twisted the bulb, removed the screen, cleaned it and my pressure was back to being normal again.
 
The plactic bulb with a screen is a filter. Remove t he screen and rub your finger across it. Many times on a newer boat plastic filings from where th e tank was drilled get into the system. THe filter can be blocked with clear poylurethane you cannot see unless you take the filter apart,

Before you do anything else, try this. Close all faucets, turn the pump on then go to the fauce the farthest from the tank. Open it let a little water run then close it.......do it again and again and again until you get a sloid stream of water. Move to the next closest faucet and repeat the process. Continue until you purge the air from all the faucets. It sounds like you just ran the tank empty and have air in the system between the pump and the faucets. Air is compressible so the pump will never shut off if air is in the system.
 
thanks. the filter is totally clean as is the diaphram within the pump( i already disassembled that and inspected it). After reassembly I tried to run water from the faucet farthest from the pump but had the same results--almost nothing comes out no matter how long it runs. All other faucets are abbout the same too. So I am guessing that the issue really may be with the pump itself. I sent an email to shurflo and asked their opinion but no one has bothered to reply. Went into West Marine but it was obvious that they did not know much about the pumps even though the salesperson claimed otherwise. It would be nice to realy know what is wrong before replaciong either the parts or the total pump. So, unlike the dealer and the manufacturer, I appreciate all of you offering advice.
 
Try closing all t he faucets, including the farthest faucet from the pump. Let the pump run a while, then crack the farthest one away and see it it burps or spits some air. Close it again and do it over. If the system has air in it, t hat moves the trapped air to the faucet and alows you to purge it.

You may still have a pump problem, but this idea is free and trapping air in a Sea Ray water system is very common. I have 2 pumps in parallel on my boat and if we run the water tank dry, it takes an hour to purge all the air because we chase it from one pump to the other.
 
It would be hard to disagree with Frank's trapped air theory so I wont. I'd still like to see water flowing from the pump. Purging my system (smaller I know) is a piece of cake, so again, I want to see the pump actually pull water from the tank & push it out the other side.
 
Just a stab in the dark but any chance you could be sucking air in between the tank and the suction side of the pump:huh: Maybe a small crack in a fitting or a line or even a loose connection that is perhaps creating the trapped air problem that Frank is describing?

One way to isolate this condition would be to disconnect the suction line at the pump and run a new suction hose from a bucket of water as a temporary source. If the pump builds up enough pressure to satisfy the pressure cut off you have your answer.:thumbsup:
 
fwebster said:
Try closing all t he faucets, including the farthest faucet from the pump. Let the pump run a while, then crack the farthest one away and see it it burps or spits some air. Close it again and do it over. If the system has air in it, t hat moves the trapped air to the faucet and alows you to purge it.

You may still have a pump problem, but this idea is free and trapping air in a Sea Ray water system is very common. I have 2 pumps in parallel on my boat and if we run the water tank dry, it takes an hour to purge all the air because we chase it from one pump to the other.
Click to expand...

Frank, this sounds like what I have going on...dual pumps #1 & #2. If pump #2 is on it pressures up and sits by quietly in standby.... If I turn pump #1 on it runs & runs never stopping and if both are on then #2 pressures up and then goes to standby but #1 will run & run.... ??:huh:
 
Mark,

Turn off the pump that runs normally and cycles off, turn on t he pump that runs all the time, then purge the air as I described above. It'll take a while, but eventually the pump that stays on will cycle off. When it does, turn both pumps on and go thru the purging process again.

I never found them to do much good on a 450DA, but you might check your accumulator tank and be sure it is charged with air. If they get full of water, it will cause rapid cycling, which is not what you have going on right now, but the system works marginally better when the accumulator can function.

Finally, do not ever let the water tank on a run dry again!
 
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To continue this thread....since this is the most recent thread on water pumps. Is there a difference between RV Shurflo water pumps and Marine Shurflo water pumps? The one thing I did notice on Shurflo's website was the marine pumps were listed at ignition protected. I just called an RV store and the pumps were considerably cheaper than the marine options. That is what caused me to wonder, what exactly are the differences.
 
Bottom Line said:
To continue this thread....since this is the most recent thread on water pumps. Is there a difference between RV Shurflo water pumps and Marine Shurflo water pumps? The one thing I did notice on Shurflo's website was the marine pumps were listed at ignition protected. I just called an RV store and the pumps were considerably cheaper than the marine options. That is what caused me to wonder, what exactly are the differences.
Click to expand...


I believe anything that is electrical and mounted in the engine compartment must be ignition protected according to USCG regulations. This prevents any spark source igniting fuel fumes in the engine compartment.
 
Does the pump run fast or slow? I've seen these run when they don't have enough 12 v power and they can't generate enough pressure to shut themselves off. You'll know if you've heard a good one run. It runs hard and fast. When the voltage is low, it sounds sick an enemic.

I suspect the filters are clogged or there is air in the lines as Frank mentioned! Make sure you burp the hot water side. When mine sits for a while, I seem to get air even when the tank hasn't been run dry!

My pump is located in the aft cabin. I'm sure it's a marine unit, but I wonder if it's really required since it's NOT in the engine compartment?
 
the question seems to be:
is the pump pumping?
easy to find out...
 
AKBASSKING said:
I believe anything that is electrical and mounted in the engine compartment must be ignition protected according to USCG regulations. This prevents any spark source igniting fuel fumes in the engine compartment.
Click to expand...

That is kind of what I am thinking maybe the difference between the two. The RV model is about 1/2 the price of the marine model.

My is running, but will not shut off. The filter is clean. I took the clear "bulb" off when I was cleaning the filter and turned the pump on. There was hardly and suction on the "water-in" side of the pump. I would think there should be stronger suction to suck the water from the water tank.
 
My father owns a 2001 310DA and had this problem in the spring. Turns out the pick up tube to the tank was cracked at the elbow and it was sucking air. Access to the tank is from the mid-cabin. This was very difficult to find and caused us fits until discovered.

The crack occurred do to the tank flexing from full to empty.

Replacement parts were simple cpvc fittings and pipe available from Home Depot or any other hardware store.

There are other details that are quite involved. If you discover that the pick-up line or elbow are indeed cracked, I would be happy to explain in more depth.
 
AKBASSKING said:
I believe anything that is electrical and mounted in the engine compartment must be ignition protected according to USCG regulations. This prevents any spark source igniting fuel fumes in the engine compartment.
Click to expand...


I am sure you are absolutely correct here.... But I am diesel and my pumps are located under the bed in the aft cabin... I would have no issues buying RV pumps over marine pumps..... ( and saving 50% )
 
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