baitwell pump used as washdown?????

[phatmanmike]

i want to add a saltwater washdown to my 16 foot centerconsole, but those prices are redicoulous(WHATEVER). can i use a good baitwell pump, it doesnt have to be FULL FORCE WASHDOWN, KNOCK EM OVER pressure..... anybody ever try this?<br />washdown pumps and kits are from 100- 300 bucks, baitwell pumps i can get for 40 - 50....

 

[ThomWV]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

Sure, well almost sure.<br /><br />You can use a general purpose pump that doesn't cost too much and get great results. The Jabsco Waterpuppy is the best one I've used for both purposes. They can be had for less than a hundred bucks new and considerably less than that on E-Bay.<br /><br />There are some converted bilge pumps that can be used too. Some of them are made with canister type tops so they can be removed and replaced. I don't think much of them myself, but you might not mind them.<br /><br />ParMax pumps are good, and of course the very top of the line in 12-volt systems are the Groco's. Keep as far away as you can from Shur Flo and Waterjet pumps, pure crap right out of the box.<br /><br />By the way, if you go to one like the Water Puppy, which really would be best for you, go ahead and put a T-fitting in the line and use it for both washdown and live well. No reason not to, all you need is a shut off valve on the baitwell side and a gun type nozzel on the hose.<br /><br />Thom

 

[seadiva]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

I use a bilge pump with a long wire ext, and a long hose. just hook up to the battery with clips, drop the pump overboard and it works fine. like you said you dont expect the same results as a car wash. just water to rinse off a spilled mess or blood from a fish. roll it up and put it in storage on the boat out of the way.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

Anything that spits out water can be used for washdown. Some pumps are designed for dry run without damage, some have higher head, some are exotic and common replacement parts are harder to find. To that end there is definitely a preference for which pump gets used for what application when purchasing one. But if you already have the pump, go for it! <br /><br />Jabsco (ITT) and ShurFlo (Wicor Industries) are both quality appliances with parts readily available almost anywhere marine toys are sold. I am not sure I agree that Groco’s pumps are better in any way. The common parts for one are certainly not as readily available.<br /><br />I like Thom’s idea of one pump with a “T” to allow multiuse of the resource. I like the multiuse of any resource. Whatever you decide, just know that all pumps require routine maintenance. Availability of common parts is a consideration for any pump I choose.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

Rule 700gph baitwell pump used here... Not high pressure, but it does the job...

 

[ThomWV]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

I just thought this might be of some value to you. I have only owned 3 ShurFlo pumps myself, and not one of them lasted so much as a year in the salt. They cost me around $150 each. I have replaced at least 25 others of them over the years (I make a little money on the side doing installations - its not a full time job but I've been doing it for about 15 years) and I simply refuse to buy another one for myself and I strongly recommend to others to look elsewhere for their pumps.<br /><br />For my own use (23' Walkaround) I am now using a Groco C-60 washdown system that my wife bought me for Christmas a couple of years ago. This is not an exaggeration. My pump and hose (15 foot) are at the rear of the boat. I can lean back against the transom and squirt water to the bow pulpit and wash down mud off the anchor. There is enough flow and pressure to do that with ease. The down side of these pumps is that they are heavy power users and in fact they are much more powerful than you would want to use for a baitwell. Although I rarely use it I have pressed an old Water Puppy into service for the Bait Well (home made 30 gallon version) where it works very well. This is the same pump that I had previously used for about 5 years for dual baitwell and wash down duty.<br /><br />That is the background against which I made the recommendations above. I just thought you should know where I was comming from.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

Thom - Cool! You’ve experienced all three of them. What are the differences in the periodic/routine maintenance of the three pumps? Cost of parts? Availability?

 

[ThomWV]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

18Rabbit,<br /><br />Well, there's not much to say actually. With every ShurFlow I've ever had there had been no maintainence at all. They all died before I ever got to look at them. I did take each of the ones I owned apart (its been a good while back now) and in each it was water intrusion, along with its salt, into the motor cavity.<br /><br />With the Jabsco's I've had, all I've ever done with them was pull the face plates off in the fall and drain them for the winter so they would't freeze up and crack. I also take a look at the impeller when the plate comes off, never had to replace one though.<br /><br />With the Groco that I have now I have had to replace the plastic head that spins the impeller blades. This was after about a year and a half. For some reason mine self-destructed and lost its center. I called Groco (in Maryland) and they overnighted a replacement along with new blades. No charge.<br /><br />I've also used those converted bilge pumps (centrifugal pumps) and they are OK for flow but you get no pressure out of them. In fact I still have a small one in the line for my fresh water. We have a small (10 gallon) fresh water tank and a sink in the cabin - drains over board. Its absoltuly great for cleaning the salt(water) off of sunglasses without having to worry about scratching them. The one I'm using was made by Atwood.<br /><br />Anyway you have scavenged every single shred of knowledge I have of pumps. They're really not something that I know much of anything about other than the little bit of experince I mentioned above. Ain't much

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: baitwell pump used as washdown?????

thanks for all the replies, fellas, and ladys alike. i currently do not have a bait well pump nor a wash down pump , contrary to what some of you may have thought, but before i spend my hard earned chesese, i alwasy check on here at iboats and find out what the other people have. and thank you very much!!<br /><br />and by the way, for all you norther, FROZEN guys, eat your heart out...73 degrees, went out today for 3 hours from 6-9 am by myself wearing shorts and a shirt.. ahahahaha