Variable Speed FW pumps?

[wilboro]

My Flojet 4525 VSD pump would supply water to 3 faucets and a shower. It was quiet, and very compact.

My Flojet 4525 VSD, (same as Jabsco Sensor-Max 17 VSD) went out after several years of light duty use. It started running and wouldn't stop at 2 AM when we were sleeping. There were no water leaks and the tank was full. I removed the pump from the boat. The pamphlet is inadequate and doesn't show all parts. I set it up at home. I set up a test an exhaust hose that is elevated to bleed all the air and then was closed. The south pole of a magnet does not slow or stop the pump and it just keeps running full speed as it did on the boat. The control wire runs from the magnetic activated pressure sensor into the controller (brains) in the back of the motor case. I took the pump appart and put it back together. There is no sign that water had ever gotten on the pump. It still does not shut off.

At any rate after 1 email reply from Xylem I sent them the S/N and address for replacement and they quit responding. So much for the warranty.

Xylem did say that they planned to discontinue the Flojet Sensor VSD and Jabsco Sensor-Max in favor of the Jabsco Vflow pumps at some point. At any rate I will probably replace it with a Jabsco vFlow (Which seams like a VSD pump) and since I no longet trust the technology or the company I will buy an identical spare because choices are limited. Both will have the West Marine extended warranty.

I don't have room for an expansion tank. I got 28 years of service on 2 seperate previous boats out of the 36800 series type Jabsco pumps both with expansion tanks. If I had the room I would install another one.

Has anyone repaired a VSD pump successfully? Has anyone fixed the controller in the back of the motor housing? Have you been able to get parts quickly? If so from where?

Would any of you recomend another brand of VSD pump?

[Captain Bill]

I have had two Jabsco Sensormax VSD pumps. The first one lasted 2 years and 11 months. It fried when I pumped out my water tanks all at once to flush it. It's supposed to be thermally protected, but apparently not well enough to pump out a full 100 gallon tank without overheating. Jabsco replaced it under warranty and the replacement is now nearly 2 years old. The only problem was they had no replacements in stock and I had to wait three weeks for a new production run in Mexico where they are built. I bought a less expensive pump to get me through the three weeks and it is now my backup since I really can't afford to be without a water pump.

I too have occasional pressure releases from my hot water tank because I don't have an expansion tank. It's always a fairly small amount.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, wilboro.