I Need a Strong, Reliable Galley Foot Pump

[WaterFixer]

I am looking for some help here. I am looking for a good Galley Foot Pump for my customers who want to install our Model 500 under the Galley sink in their sailboat. Our unit draws less that 1 amp and is ideal for sailboats. The foot pump would allow them to save even more power.
The main issue is the pressure that it takes to push through the .5m or 1m absolute filters in our system and be reliable. Does anyone have any experience with this issue and/or any suggestions?

Here is a link to our Model 500.
WaterFixer Water Filters And Purifiers Model 500

[Cheechako]

I've got a 2gpm unit under my sink. The only problem is that I have to run a lot of water before I get cool water to drink. (the water in the UV vessel gets pretty warm sitting there exposed tot he UV) Have you considered adding a small SS tank after the UV to collect water and allow it to stay cool? Even 1/2 gal might work.
Sorry for the "side trip".

[WaterFixer]

Cheechako,
Thank you for the input. It would be best left up to the owner/installer to place a small tank after. Thats not a bad idea.
The hot water in the light chamber is a nagging problem. Most owners put their unit on a switch to turn it on when they choose to use water. It is best to wait up to 30 seconds before running water through the system to let the lamp heat up.
What we are working on right now is upgrading to LED UVC lamps and ballasts. This will allow for disinfection at greater flow rates, less energy use and also deal with the overheating issue. We are excited about this possibility, but it will not be available to us for testing until late 2013. j

[Cheechako]

I suppose just another filter housing (empty) after the UV would work. I never turn mine off, I thought it shortened the bulb life to turn it off and on...? any idea if that's true? They seem to easily last a year+ anyway.....

[skipmac]

Back to the original question.

The Whale Gusher MK3 foot pump seems to be the standard but could not find specs anywhere on psi generated, just a flow rate of 4 gpm. Subjectively, the one on my boat seems to put out a pretty good stream, at least equivalent to the electric pressure water side.

Maybe give Whale a call to see if they can supply a pressure spec or pick one up and do come in house tests?

[WaterFixer]

Yes, it does shorted the life of the lamp. However, consider this. If you shut it off just for each night saving 8 hours x 365 thats 1/3 of the 9000 hours saved. The bulb life is not shortened by that much. In situations where the lamp is turned on 2-3 times daily for short durations very little of the lamp life is actually used. You then subtract for the shortened lamp life due to turning it on and off, but the two almost never meet. It works out to your favor. We recommend replacing the lamp at 9000hrs or 2 years of use whether or not your have reached that limit. j

[WaterFixer]

Skipmac, Thanks! I just dug that one up and have been considering them. I will give them a call.

I just gave them a call and they are closed till the 2nd. I will post their reply when i have talked with them.

[sailorchic34]

The whale gusher foot pump data sheet lists a maximum discharge head of 10' and a maximum suction lift of 7 feet.

http://www.whalepumps.com/marine/sit...yDatasheet.pdf

[Matt Johnson]

I one time had a bit too much chlorine in one of my tanks. I used a .5 micron carbon filter I had lying around as I didn't have access to a fresh water source to flush the system. Pushing through my Whale foot pump was very hard and resulted in little flow. I really think you would need something with a bit more power for what you are looking for.

[CarinaPDX]

I doubt that the Whale Gusher Mk 3 will do an adequate job for you. They will push water through a charcoal-impregnated filter at an adequate rate, but the flow is not much more than a trickle through a charcoal block filter. Since it is a double-acting pump, the force of the return spring is the limiting factor.

Greg

[WaterFixer]

CarinaPDX

Thank you for the input. I am beginning to get that picture. Our second filter option is looking like the one to go with. It is a 1 micron absolute that meets NSF standards for water safety and allows for much greater flow without the restriction. I am going to request a demo model from Whale to test out my filters and system.

[WaterFixer]

Ok, here is a second question. Our 1 micron absolute filter allows for much greater flow through the system, but it's drawback is that it does not filter out taste, odor and chlorine. Is this going to be a major drawback?
What are your thoughts?

[sailvayu]

To be honest I am not sure anyone buying your system would not have an electric pump. Almost all boats these days have pressure water I even see it on 23 foot center consoles. I think most boat with foot pumps have them as a backup. i know there are some out there that only use a foot pump but I think they are few.

[CarinaPDX]

A charcoal-impregnated (not charcoal block) filter will filter out taste and odor (including chlorine) in moderate amounts with a low pressure drop. I have found it to be effective with my foot pumps, and it should of course work fine with electric pumps. sailvayu is correct that there are few of us out there with exclusively manual systems. I think there at least needs to be a manual backup for getting water out of the tanks, but it needn't be incorporated in your system as it will rarely if ever be used.

The charcoal block filters drop a lot of pressure and are not suitable for low pressure systems - which may include systems with electric pumps. For filtering water out of a tank in the quantities we use they are not needed; they are intended for filtering the larger needs of a household. All filters should be replaced every three to six months in any event, to prevent bacterial buildup: once the water has passed the charcoal the chlorine is removed so things can and do grow. Stick with the impregnated filters and change and flush regularly. This is inexpensive using standard 10 inch filters.

I would argue that it is most important to ensure that the water going into the tanks is safe (and chlorinated or similar) and that the water coming out of the tanks can then be filtered for chlorine/preservatives. Putting water of questionable quality into the tanks risks contaminating them.

[CFR]

Hi to all, perfect thread because i just in the way to install a similar system. i have the same foot pump i do not know which filter to install. Only a charchoal one or better a 2 micron membrane one like from Katadyn. here is expect problems with the flow rate. I just got an offer for a inline UV lamp in the range of 400 USD which is nearly free flowing but quite expensive.