Toward the end of our glorious New Year Cruise, the bilge started filling with nasty-smelling liquid and I finally traced the leak to the macerator pump. I decided not to try to salvage the pump with a repair and just installed a replacement last evening.
This is the second macerator I have replaced since owning the boat. One was in 2007 after (assumedly) 8 years of service, and now this one after 5 years.
The first two were Jabsco, and this one is now a Shurflo.
I'm just curious how long others' macerators have lasted. Please report if you flush with salt water (as we do) or fresh.
Thanks.
Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/
Duane
We flush with salt water. Replaced the macerater about four years ago. The old unit was the original. However, the admiral likes to visit every yacht club along the way during our cruises so we do not anchor out as much as you, thus we use the land based facilities more often then you with less overboard discharges in open water. Occasionally I turn the macerater a revolution or two by hand just to keep it from sticking up.
Maybe an hour meter on the macerator would be a more realistic measure of total usage for comparison.
__/)__/)__/)__Capt Mike__/)__/)__/)__
Punta Gorda Florida
1990 Std WK M35 Hull #1050
Thanks, Mike.
Since the interior of the pump has 'stuff' in it (including salt water in our cases) regardless of whether you ever use the pump for overboard discharge, it may not matter how much you actually use it.
Having said that, it is never a good idea to let machinery sit unused and unmoving for long periods. Your original macerator lasted a good long while it would seem.
Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/
Commodore, I would like to know the exact nature of the macerator pump failure. You described a stinky fluid so I assume it was leaking about a seal or some such, but I can't quite picture where that would be. With an in-flow and out-flow hose, one would assume that the housing of the pump would be totally sealed and integral; hard to picture where it would leak.
I ask because mine is also non-functional. It was completely locked up. However, having had experience, I used the shaft slot to get it turning again manually and now it will run the pump motor, but with no effect. I assume the impeller has come apart, but not sure. I am just trying to get as much understanding as I can about it all.
How did you manage to replace the pump without spilling the contents of the tank? Can you lift the hose high enough? Does it have a valve before the pump? I am thinking of installing a small ball valve to facilitate future repairs/removals of the pump.
Lastly, did you get a good deal on the new pump? If so, please share :)
Thanks
Nick
Nick Tonkin
*Former* Website Administrator, C36/375IA
*Former* owner, C36 tr/fk #255, Santa Barbara, CA
[QUOTE=Channel Islander;11393]With an in-flow and out-flow hose, one would assume that the housing of the pump would be totally sealed and integral; hard to picture where it would leak.[/QUOTE]
The drip was occurring near the junction of the motor and the pump body, so I assume it was a seal leak where the motor shaft goes into the pump. I elected to discard the entire pump rather than try a rebuild because the body of the motor was corroding badly.
[QUOTE=Channel Islander;11393]How did you manage to replace the pump without spilling the contents of the tank? Can you lift the hose high enough? Does it have a valve before the pump? I am thinking of installing a small ball valve to facilitate future repairs/removals of the pump.[/QUOTE]
Fortunately, we had pumped out prior to the cruise. Unfortunately, whatever we put in the tank during the short cruise had mostly leaked out into our bilge. Cleaning that up was not fun (rubber gloves, sponge, bucket). In anticipation of the job, I pumped lots of sea water into the tank while we were still in relatively open water to dilute whatever little waste was still in the tank, then used the macerator to discharge the mostly-water contents. Yes, removing the macerator lets tank contents flow out, but in this case it was almost nothing and what did drip out was 99% water.
It would take a bit of re-plumbing to add a ball valve betweent the tank and macertor, and it is a big size (1.5 inches), too. You mentioned 'small' but you really can't make the tank discharge any smaller and expect it to work properly.
[QUOTE=Channel Islander;11393]Lastly, did you get a good deal on the new pump? If so, please share :)[/QUOTE]
I used Google shopping to find the absolute cheapest price (think it was $118), printed that out and then West Marine gave me their in-stock item for that price, plus sales tax. Good luck with your project.
Duane Ising - Past Commodore (2011-2012)
s/v Diva Di
1999 Catalina 36 Hull #1777
Std rig; wing keel, M35B, Delta (45#)
Punta Gorda, FL
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/diva-di/
Thx Duane :)
Nick Tonkin
*Former* Website Administrator, C36/375IA
*Former* owner, C36 tr/fk #255, Santa Barbara, CA
Jabsco macerators don't have a very good reputation for longevity and are prone to leaks as you found out. I think you will have much better luck with the Sureflo.
When changing the macerator you are going to get some leaks. Even with a good flush or two and a pump out, you won't get it all. Layer the area under the macerator with pampers or similiar disposable diaper. They do a great job of absorbing anything that drips and with the plastic layer won't allow it to get through to the hull.
Ken and Vicki Juul
SV Luna Loca
C34 #1090
Chesapeake Bay
My Jabsco macerator also began leaking with foul results while away from the boat. Fortunately the tank had been pumped but there is always some contents left over. The main problem with the Jabsco seal failure seems not to be the seal itself but the bolts holding the motor housing to the pump. The rebuild kit in cludes two short bolt studs but there are two additional longer studs that go through the body also that are not part of the kit (That costs half of the price of new pump). Either saltwater or tank contents corrode through the bolts and one or two fail and allow the seal to leak into the bilge. The acorn nuts and bolt stub may or may not remain in the housing. I removed the pump and capped the line since we primarily sail within the 3 mile limit. I would recommend that everyone check the bolts regularly because opening your boat after its been closed up with a leaking seal will defintely put a damper on your cruise plans :eek:
Fair winds and following seas,
Sid
'95 C36 MkII #1448
Based on my experience, the failure is not due to use, but rather due to corrosion. The jabsco uses some sort of bronze (maybe not correct marine grade) studs to hold the pump to the motor, the Shurflo uses SS machine screws. So far I have seen the studs fail on two Jabscos. Currently have a Shurflo in place for a year, works fine but time will tell.
Jason V
Vancouver, BC, Canada