Freshwater Pump Cycles

[Jim Smith]

I recently bought a 2004 Crownline 290 CR. The freshwater pump cycles about every 5 seconds when turned on, but water flows reasonably well. Is this a leak in the pressure water system somewhere, or do i need somekind of additional equipment, maybe a small bladder tank ?

 

[rbh]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

Check your fittings before the pump (Tank side), replace O-ring at filler cap and make sure its clean and nor corroded
Pump should work on vacuum activation.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

Sounds very normal. Basically your pump is able to pump faster than the flow. If the constant on/off is annoying, you can get one of the bladder tanks(accumulator). The pump will still run but for a longer amount of time and at longer intervals.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

Sounds very normal. Basically your pump is able to pump faster than the flow.

+1 on this. The pump runs based on a pressure setting. The pump is reaching this setting, switching off, the back on when the pressure drops. You can either try to install new pressure switch parameters (hassle) or install a smaller pump (hassle). As long as it's not cycling to maintain pressure with the water flow off, you're fine.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

At the beginning of the boat season, my freshwater pump did the same thing. It finally quit after a week or two. I contacted Sure-Flo and they said the back check valve was leaking past enough to drop the pressure causing the pump to kick on. Drove me nuts thinking I had a water leak somewhere, but every line and fixture was ok.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

At the beginning of the boat season, my freshwater pump did the same thing. It finally quit after a week or two. I contacted Sure-Flo and they said the back check valve was leaking past enough to drop the pressure causing the pump to kick on. Drove me nuts thinking I had a water leak somewhere, but every line and fixture was ok.

You might have missed this statement:

The freshwater pump cycles about every 5 seconds when turned on

EDIT: to the OP...When you say "ON", do you mean just power to the pump ON, with no water flow, or water turned ON?

 

[Jim Smith]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

Folks...
Thanks for the info... I've got a bunch of checking todo....
I also found an interesting article at West Marine...
I'll let you know what I find...
JimView attachment Freshwater Systems.pdf

 

[boat1010]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

I took this as turned on "meaning that there was power to the pump" not necessarily meaning the water was running. My water pump in my camper would do this also and found a very small leak. Fixed the leak and only comes on when the water is running.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

I took this as turned on "meaning that there was power to the pump" not necessarily meaning the water was running.

You are right. If thats the case then it has an internal pressure drop.

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: Freshwater Pump Cycles

Shut off is 55psi, the pumps come in 2 models, 110, And 12v. The diafram can leak, or there could be a small leak. Our old RoadRunner did this till I checked all fittings. my guess small leak, we got away from the 110v model at work for ink always dribbled somewhere, but was easy to find fix till another leak started.