Swiching to DC Fresh Water Pump

[Sadey]

Our Craftsman ac fresh water pump failed last year. Of course it was right before a trip we had planned so a fast replacement was necessary. Based on suggestions of HOF'rs we installed a Mach 5 Headhunter pump. The pump is fantastic but it will expose any abnormalities in your FW system.
We are trying to get away from an all AC boat. We go to a cove for the day often and most of those days we don't need any air-conditioning and the fridge will be fine for the short time on the hook. I hate running the Gen's just to flush the toilets. I want to convert the FW pump to DC. At first I planned to add a DC pump on selector valve so I had both. However that now seems like over kill so I think keeping as a spare or selling the ac HH pump and just R&R with a dc pump. I'm considering going with Headhunter again. I'm a noob so I'd love to here thoughts about this or suggestions on another brand of dc pump.

 

[jmooney]

Our Craftsman AC pump is still going strong after fifteen years. Cheap to replace . I have the original Galley Maid DC pump and as an addition, the prior owner installed a Jabsco DC backup . All work well .

 

[bigbill]

i switched to dc for about the same reason, when at the beach and return to the boat i had to start the genny to rinse off. went dc and never looked back

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have one AC and one DC pump. They are on separate pressure switches with the cut in pressure set higher on the AC pump so it will run when there is AC present and if not then the DC pump runs. No switching, no thinking. It just works.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

A decent size pressure tank can provide a decent amount of water w/o pump operation.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I went through a series of DC FW pumps by companies like FloJet and ShurFlo. (they are in the basement somewhere). Years ago, I bought a Groco. They are very well made (by a local MD company in business for 100 years, here!) and totally rebuildable, which it has not needed. When it needed service one time, I called them, and Don Gross- the owner of the company!- came out to fix it. All made in Maryland, in USA, and the best you can get. Not cheap, but they sell different sizes, and they all work very well. Give THEM your money, don't buy something made overseas somewhere.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

For DC, I have the OEM Galleymaid. Also made in the US of A!

 

[Sadey]

I like Sky’s set up but there is a laundry list of me do’s to get through with higher priority. The simplistic R&R approach appeals most considering I’ll have to buy a new pump regardless. Getting a few flushes and faucet cycles out of our new pressure tank is a possibility but I’d rather have a continuous supply. I’ll look into Groco, is that the strainer company?
There might be a less then one year old Mach 5 going up for sale soon if anybody is interested. Or I might keep it as a back up.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I like Sky’s set up but there is a laundry list of me do’s to get through with higher priority. The simplistic R&R approach appeals most considering I’ll have to buy a new pump regardless. Getting a few flushes and faucet cycles out of our new pressure tank is a possibility but I’d rather have a continuous supply. I’ll look into Groco, is that the strainer company?
There might be a less then one year old Mach 5 going up for sale soon if anybody is interested. Or I might keep it as a back up.

You need an inverter. I wouldn't have a boat without one. Then you don't have to run the generator and you have all of the conveniences of doing so without the noise; at least for several hours at a time.

 

[Sadey]

I know but I guess I’m just lazy and cheap, the thought of wiring one in then deciding what to power from it gives me a head and wallet ache.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I know but I guess I’m just lazy and cheap, the thought of wiring one in then deciding what to power from it gives me a head and wallet ache.

I run mine off of the house bank. No extra batteries. That would work fine for you since you seem to anchor out only for the day and the batteries are charging while you're running so no need for generator when underway.

 

[carolinacoast]

I have the gm 32V dc as the backup. use a 110 volt shallow well pump as primary. same mechanical pressure switch setup as SKY, but valved to run one side or other. pressure tank. easy if one side fails. we always seem to need power, so I run one of the gens all the time off dock. kids, laundry, whatever.
have the outback 3232, but never wired inverter side. maybe one day.

 

[Pascal]

I consider having two pump on a boat an absolute necessity so it may as well be DC and AC connected like Sky suggested

 

[jim rosenthal]

I like Sky’s set up but there is a laundry list of me do’s to get through with higher priority. The simplistic R&R approach appeals most considering I’ll have to buy a new pump regardless. Getting a few flushes and faucet cycles out of our new pressure tank is a possibility but I’d rather have a continuous supply. I’ll look into Groco, is that the strainer company?
There might be a less then one year old Mach 5 going up for sale soon if anybody is interested. Or I might keep it as a back up.

Yes, they do make strainers and a lot of other stuff besides. All made in USA in factories in PA and MD, all backed up by them, virtually all rebuildable (not that they need it much) and all do exactly what they are supposed to do. I have quite a few of their items on my Hatteras, between water pump, through-hulls, strainers, fittings, etc. Good stuff.

 

[JCG-PR]

We have a 12V West Marine pump, with integrated pressure switch. The system also has a pressure accumulator tank. Shortly after buying the boat, we had to replace the pump with a spare the PO ha left, due to a water leak from the pressure sensor. Has been good ever since.

My dad's old boat had a twin pump setup, 32V Galley Maid and a 120V craftman pump, like for a pool. He used a mechanical pressure switch and valves to switch from one to the other.

 

[mgernes]

We added an inverter about 10 years ago, and get roughly 6 hours of battery life between charging either at dockside shore power or when we start the generator. The batteries seem to last about 3-4 years. Our inverter runs everything but the reverse airs, washer/dryer, and microwave. Before the inverter, we had to start the generator to run our stereo, or shower, or keep our full size fridge/freezer running. With a full charge on the inverter batteries, we can keep the generator off on nights that we don't run heat or air, and the batteries are just getting to their end of charge by morning.

Maybe an inverter is not the right fix for everyone, but I will never be without one.

My GM went out a few years ago, and we replaced it with an in-line pump, and have been surprisingly satisfied. I still have the old GM sitting in the starboard engine room, and maybe some day I will spend a few hundred bucks to get it fixed again, but not until I figure out why the in-line option should be changed out.

Marcus
Beach House

 

[Hat52MY]

Agree on having two freshwater pump on a boat, one DC and and one AC. Connected as Sky suggested above. But if you only want one, go DC and you will not have to worry about starting the Genny to rinse off. Our 24v DC Galley Maid fresh water pump has been rock solid.

 

[Sadey]

It seems after some research that no matter the manufacture, any DC pump will not pump with as much pressure as our Mach 5 or any other AC pump brand. Both my wife and I prefer the higher pressure over the old man peeing type stream. I know all DC pumpers will say there’s enough pressure but we will notice the difference right away and be disappointed. We don’t stay hooked up to dock water unless we need to fill the tank. One night while enjoying the sunset and our second bottle of wine the high water alarm went off for real. One of the fresh water connections in the port ER failed and the boat was filling up. My plan now is to research an inverter to run the AC pump along with a few other items. I needed the excuse to add an inverter and now I have it. We travel the Great Lakes so I don’t see the need for a back up pump for now. However once we start to become transients I’ll pick up a back up pump. Thank you for all the input.
Now, if I could talk Sky into helping me do the install I’d be set.

 

[Boatsb]

There's no excuse needed. Like buying a new fishing rod. Its something you need and nobody should judge you for it.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

It seems after some research that no matter the manufacture, any DC pump will not pump with as much pressure as our Mach 5 or any other AC pump brand. Both my wife and I prefer the higher pressure over the old man peeing type stream. I know all DC pumpers will say there’s enough pressure but we will notice the difference right away and be disappointed. We don’t stay hooked up to dock water unless we need to fill the tank. One night while enjoying the sunset and our second bottle of wine the high water alarm went off for real. One of the fresh water connections in the port ER failed and the boat was filling up. My plan now is to research an inverter to run the AC pump along with a few other items. I needed the excuse to add an inverter and now I have it. We travel the Great Lakes so I don’t see the need for a back up pump for now. However once we start to become transients I’ll pick up a back up pump. Thank you for all the input.
Now, if I could talk Sky into helping me do the install I’d be set.

If you would cross over from the dark side (of the lake), I'd be happy to assist.