Fresh water pump pulsating - is it end of life

After doing a search I came across this thread and was hoping to get some input/advice.
My boat is also equipped with a Shurflo 2095-233-234 and a Shurflo Accumulator 181-201 and I'm suffering through the loud pulsating sound.
It happens whether I open a hot or cold faucet, or any combination of both. I've followed the lines and there is no sign of a leak anywhere, and the filter at the pump is clean with no signs at all of any kind of leak or bad "O" ring.
I've never had an accumulator on a boat before so not sure how they work or how to check and maintain them, but my pump turns on as soon as I open a faucet so I'm not sure if the accumulator is doing what it's supposed to do.
Wondering if my pump is going bad, the accumulator is shot, or if there is a way to bleed or drain the accumulator. I see a Schror Valve on the accumulator that looks like it could be used to check pressure or something, but not sure what kind of pressure is supposed to be in it.
Does anyone have any ideas?
 
JVM225 said:
After doing a search I came across this thread and was hoping to get some input/advice.
My boat is also equipped with a Shurflo 2095-233-234 and a Shurflo Accumulator 181-201 and I'm suffering through the loud pulsating sound.
It happens whether I open a hot or cold faucet, or any combination of both. I've followed the lines and there is no sign of a leak anywhere, and the filter at the pump is clean with no signs at all of any kind of leak or bad "O" ring.
I've never had an accumulator on a boat before so not sure how they work or how to check and maintain them, but my pump turns on as soon as I open a faucet so I'm not sure if the accumulator is doing what it's supposed to do.
Wondering if my pump is going bad, the accumulator is shot, or if there is a way to bleed or drain the accumulator. I see a Schror Valve on the accumulator that looks like it could be used to check pressure or something, but not sure what kind of pressure is supposed to be in it.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Click to expand...

I hear my pump run as soon as I open a faucet also....this is because it is mounted on the bulkhead wall between the ER and the cabin....but when I turn off the faucet the pump will stop running in a second or two after the lines have been pressurized.....I believe this is normal function for the pump.....if your pump is running while no faucets are open then most likely there is a small leak somewhere or you may have a bad pressure valve on the pump.....

cliff
 
Thanks Cliff. Yes, the pump coming on when a faucet is opened, and shutting off when you close a faucet is normal. Mine doesn't run when no faucet is open. There are no leaks.
It is not functioning properly in that it is pulsating loudly instead of a consistent smooth run when a faucet is opened.
There are flex hoses to and from the pump and accumulator to dampen sound somewhat. Something is definetely not working properly. I just need to figure out if it's the pump or the accumulator and if whatever it is can be corrected with an adjustment of some sort or if a replacement of one or the other is needed.
 
Same boat and same issue. I am suffering through as you are. I don't have any leaks either. The issue is that it is mounted right on the floor stringer in the master stateroom. Anytime someone turns on a faucet you heat it hammering away. The noise is common to these era pumps, not much you can do to dampen it other than re-mounting it with some small diam. PVC pipe to dampen the vibration, the noise will still be there which is not much help...

The only answers I have is to change the pump to a newer one, variable speed, the new ones still make some noise but not as loud. I did that on the old boat and it was much less noise. Or my easy fix, hook up to shore water all the time when at the dock and treat the tank water so it stays fresh. I like Aquabon or the West Marine knock off. On shore water the pump is off and all is quiet, makes for a much nicer sleeping time in the master!!!

I followed your purchase on the 410 and am learning a lot just like you!!! Took me a weekend to figure out all the mods my PO did to the TV system, WOW!!
 
My pump was noisy so I added some rubber grommets to the bottom of it, and that helped but I still wasn't happy with it until I swapped the pump out for a new one. I can hardly hear it now. Now if I could just figure out how to do the same with the jet engine on the vacu-flush in the middle of the night....

-Tom
 
TNT8808 said:
My pump was noisy so I added some rubber grommets to the bottom of it, and that helped but I still wasn't happy with it until I swapped the pump out for a new one. I can hardly hear it now. Now if I could just figure out how to do the same with the jet engine on the vacu-flush in the middle of the night....

-Tom
Click to expand...

I installed a new vacuflush whisper quiet kit from sealand. It made a big difference noise wise.


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Looking into it now, and thank you.

-Tom
 
Solved the pulsating problem! Duh!
While playing with it today I realized that the new faucet I installed in the cockpit doesn't cause the pulsating so I retraced my steps and tried every faucet, wash down, shower. Turned out that it only pulsates when I open the galley and forward head sink faucets. I took those aerators out and cleaned them over the weekend and reinstalled them but never tried the pump with them removed. Tried both offending faucets with aerators removed today and the pulsating went away. Put the squeaky clean aerators back in and it came back. My guess is that they are too restrictive, or clogged internally where I can't get to so I have to stop in Home Depot tomorrow to see what else is available.
I've taken several showers on the boat in the last month since I brought it home, but never realized that it wasn't pulsating with the shower because I was closed in there. Although we use the forward head sink and galley faucet all the time, we haven't really used the aft head so didn't realize that it's faucet wasn't causing the pulsating. All other outlets are outside, and didn't notice the pump from the outside. But after testing today they are all clear.
Now I just have to figure out how to have a quieter pump.
It's already mounted on rubber feet and has flexible lines going to and from it.
 
TNT8808 said:
My pump was noisy so I added some rubber grommets to the bottom of it, and that helped but I still wasn't happy with it until I swapped the pump out for a new one. I can hardly hear it now. Now if I could just figure out how to do the same with the jet engine on the vacu-flush in the middle of the night....

-Tom
Click to expand...

That's great Tom! What make and model pump did you use as a replacement? Did you keep the accumulator, replace it, or just eliminate it all together?
Hardly noticed the sound of the Shurflo fresh water pump on my old boat, but that one was stashed under the aft berth so the noise was dampened by the covering panel and thick foam in the aft berth cushions. Like this one, it was also mounted with rubber grommets and had flexible hose coming and going to it.
The fresh water pump in this boat is very load. I guess the sound bouncing around in the compartment doesn't help and the carpet covered wood access hatch doesn't insulate the sound too well.
 
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Good to hear you found the source of the pulsating issue John. I looked through all my documentation, and oddly enough all I could find on the replacement pump was that it was another Shurflo. Now that I think of it, the noise reduction could have come from the pump replacement or the relocation. When I had my bow thruster installed they relocated the pump much closer to the starboard stringer, so perhaps I'm getting less vibration from that too. Also, I don't know if you've noticed but in the service manual it actually shows the pump/filter being located on the wall/bulkhead and not on the floor.

-Tom
 
All new aerators at the hardware stores are limited to 1.5gpm. I found a few leftover 2.0 gpm aerators and put them on my three faucets.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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TNT8808 said:
Good to hear you found the source of the pulsating issue John. I looked through all my documentation, and oddly enough all I could find on the replacement pump was that it was another Shurflo. Now that I think of it, the noise reduction could have come from the pump replacement or the relocation. When I had my bow thruster installed they relocated the pump much closer to the starboard stringer, so perhaps I'm getting less vibration from that too. Also, I don't know if you've noticed but in the service manual it actually shows the pump/filter being located on the wall/bulkhead and not on the floor.

-Tom
Click to expand...
My pump is mounted on the floor closer to the starboard stringer too. The accumulator is mounted on the starboard stringer.
Not sure if it was always mounted on the floor, or if they relocated it there when they installed the bow thruster.
The pump is in a bit of an awkward place to get to under the fixed section of floor behind the thruster. It can only be gotten to through the hatch outside the salon door for the forward head. Would be nice if it were a few inches further back so it was more accessible.
The accumulator is a few inches aft of the pump and very accessible through that same salon hatch.
 
They sure do put these things together differently day to day, and year to year. There was just enough room even after my thruster install to keep my pump under the hatch in the master stateroom, and my accumulator tank is actually mounted on the forward engine room bulkhead on the starboard side next to the water heater. I didn't want anything in the storage area under the floor just outside the salon door for the forward head as that's where we keep all of our travel gear (75' water hose, extra dock cords, etc). As you may have figured out, there's a severe shortage of storage on these 410's. I'm getting ready to cut in another access behind the aft door for more storage.

-Tom
 
dcpringle said:
Is it losing prime? I have Shurflos in mine as well. I opened one of them up this year and actually found it was dirty inside it beyond the screen. I cleaned it up, added a bit of Vaseline for lube, and it works like a champ now. Evidently the previous owners didnt use the boat as much as we do. Hope this helps..
Click to expand...

Outstanding tip! Did the same and it solved my problem. Thank you! Mine was spotless inside after 15 years. All I did was disassemble, wipe down, lube with Vaseline, and reassemble.
 
Sea Ya Capt. said:
Outstanding tip! Did the same and it solved my problem. Thank you! Mine was spotless inside after 15 years. All I did was disassemble, wipe down, lube with Vaseline, and reassemble.
Click to expand...

And remember all those little rubber parts are available if replacements are needed vs. replacing the entire pump
 
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