Saltwater washdown pumps

[Dwk]

I never knew there were so many 12v washdown pumps available. I'm looking for ones that I should stay AWAY from and ones that have served/servicing members well and any tips for installation.

 

[rslifkin]

I've got a Delvan FB2 installed as a washdown pump. Only 1 season of use on it so far, but it's been excellent. Not too expensive, rated at 7 gpm open flow (more than most pumps sold as marine washdown pumps). It's a bit big and draws a ton of power (~25 amps). However, it moves a lot of water and isn't too noisy (no worse than my fresh water pump).

After adjusting the pressure switch on it up from the factory 60 psi setting to avoid cycling (pump is rated to 100 psi) against the resistance from the hose and nozzle, it generates about 70 psi at the pump output with the nozzle wide open, which means I'm flowing a bit over 4.5 gallons per minute at significant pressure. With the same nozzle, it's stronger than the shore water hose at my home slip. The water volume from the shore hose is higher with no nozzle, but the pump can push more pressure than the shore supply, so with the nozzle installed it moves more water.

I also haven't run salt water through the pump (only fresh), but there's nothing materials wise in the wet end of the pump that would cause any durability concerns in salt water.

Picture below is a test spray set to a jet stream. Stream is aimed straight out about from 7 - 8 feet above the water surface and carried about 30 feet despite a slight crosswind.

 

[jleonard]

I put a Johnson washdown pump in my Albin and it worked well for the 14 years I owned the boat.
I put in a larger thru hull and strainer for the generator and T'd off the strainer. I could run the generator and the pump at the same time and both had plenty of water available.

 

[boomerang]

Dave, What we have for the anchor washdown is a Sureflo 3.5 gpm pump because it's what I happened to have. I can't recommend one brand over another but what I do recommend it get the most gpm size that you can. The 3.5 is adequate but just barely. Sometimes ,when we've anchored in sticky mud, it'll take as much as 10 minutes for us to retrieve and clean the rode, 65' of chain & the anchor. A larger volume pump would make a big difference.

 

[caltexflanc]

I was really happy with the Shurflo Pro Blaster 5gpm unit I installed when we bought our boat. It got a whole lot of use over the 6 1/2 years we owned the boat, most of that spent cruising fulltime and anchoring all up and down the eastern seaboard. There's some mud that a firehose would take 10 minutes to clear off. I know this because I watched a guy anchored near us with a diesel fire pump doing just that in Georgia. I had my turn in the barrel the next day.

 

[Ironworker]

I've had several Devlans. They are chemical pumps and work well BUT.


The draw high amps, you'll need at least a 25 amp breaker and 30 is better. They will eventually succumb to saltwater corrosion. The longest one of mine lasted was 4 years. This is in the Bahamas where life is hard for a saltwater pump.

 

[Simi 60]

. This is in the Bahamas where life is hard for a saltwater pump.

Why would the Bahamas salt water be any harder than anywhere else?

 

[FF]

"Why would the Bahamas salt water be any harder than anywhere else?"


In many anchorages the water is very shallow , so the wash down water may contain loads of light sand.

 

[caltexflanc]

I never found the need to use the raw water wash down much, usually not at all when anchored in pure sand, so I'm kinda curious on that one.

 

[rslifkin]

I've had several Devlans. They are chemical pumps and work well BUT.


The draw high amps, you'll need at least a 25 amp breaker and 30 is better. They will eventually succumb to saltwater corrosion. The longest one of mine lasted was 4 years. This is in the Bahamas where life is hard for a saltwater pump.

Yes, mine is on a 30 amp breaker. I don't know why corrosion would be an issue, as the wet end of the pump is plastic and rubber. Unless there's a leak that corrodes the motor or kills the pressure switch, it should just work. Then again, the area mine is mounted seems to be kind to equipment. There's a 35 year old and still working PAR diaphragm pump right next to it.

 

[Ironworker]

Why would the Bahamas salt water be any harder than anywhere else?

Good question. First in many anchorages there is a mix of salt and fresh water fed from rivers, etc. In the Bahamas you only have salt water. The salinity is higher and there is no relief. Fresh water is expensive and even the fresh water has salt in it.


If the human race abandoned the Bahamas, in 50 years it would look like it did 50,000 years ago. Its a harsh environment on stuff.

 

[FF]

For folks that hate taking time to wash stinking mud of a 100+ ft of chain , an engine driven , say 2 inch clutched pump will move massive water at high pressure.

It is also a great bilge pump or fire pump could even be used to show your thoughts on the boat that just passed you.

Folks with a good inverter can use a 120v house well pump as many are almost all plastic and many will self prime a foot or two.

 

[OldDan1943]

American Tugs match the fresh water pump with wash down pump. If the FW pump dies, if necessary, the wash down pump can be remounted as the freshwater pump. I carry a spare FW pump.

 

[Dwk]

FF you've got me thinking "Folks with a good inverter can use a 120v house well pump as many are almost all plastic and many will self prime a foot or two." I have done this with a sump pump that we carry for emergency. Attaching a spray nozzle makes a powerful water cannon. The most inconvenient/hassle is attaching the heavy duty extension cord to reach the inverter outlet. I'm thinking about creating a new dedicated inverter outlet closer to bow making the pump "plug and wash" therefore eliminating foot switches, washdown pump, associated wiring, hose etc.

 

[caltexflanc]

I had a shallow well pump as a freshwater pump, it was terrific. These jet pumps typically are not self priming, so don't lend themselves to a portable application.