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Manual bilge pump

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 5:06 pm
by mjwalek
My manual bilge pump (whale) on my Pedrick 35 stopped working so plans were to replace it. Unfortunately new Whale models are now of a different size and will not fit in the original opening. Has anyone a similar problem or have tried rebuilding the old pump? I feel the need to have this manual pump in good working condition just in case!

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 10:16 am
by andygc
Which Whale pump? Whale has a range of spares kits, so I'd be surprised if you couldn't refurbish it.

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 3:43 pm
by mjwalek
Unfortunately there is nothing on the pump assembly identifying a specific model number. Rebuilding makes sense if I knew which kit to order

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 5:28 am
by andygc
Do you have any photographs of your pump?

The range of manual pumps is shown here: https://www.whalepumps.com/marine/produ ... ilge-pumps
I don't think Whale has changed the design of any of their traditional manual pumps - the Mk5 and the Gusher 30, for example, have been the same for 50 years or more. The Mk5 deckplate has changed, but both old and new designs fit the same pump. I recently fitted a new Mk5 to replace a Mk5 that was fitted in 1981.

[Actually that was removing a Jabsco bilge pump that had been fitted as a replacement for a Henderson (now Whale) Mk5, so that I could use the same hole for a holding tank pump out]

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:06 am
by Salacia
I replaced mine with a Whale Gusher Urchin last summer with no memorable problems.

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:52 pm
by mjwalek
I actually purchased the Urchin (why fix it when you can replace it!) but unfortunately the outer plate/flap didn't fit into the molded indentation in the cockpit above the settee even with the slightest bit of modification. I did go to my local marine supply where I able to get an Urchin rebuild kit which fit my old pump perfectly. By the way, after some cleaning it did show that it was a Gusher. I would like to get a flap to cover it although the boat seems to not originally had had one.install tomorrow! Thanks for all the help!

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:27 pm
by TonyB
Kick starting an old thread here. My manual bilge pump isn’t working. After a bunch of researching I figured a Whale gusher Titan has the same hole pattern as the deck plate that fits into the molded cutout in the combing of my F 40/40. So I bought one online (returnable of course). Just wanted to have it available to swap in as necessary.
Well yesterday we got inside there and determined that the pump is an Urchin. So it will work with that Hexagonal deck plate. Removed hoses and pump seems to work fine.
So now we are trying to figure out what else is going on. We can’t get it to prime at all.
Spent some time trying to trace the run of the pickup hose. But lost it when it dives down by the holding tank. I assume it comes into the aft end of the deep bilge. On my boat this is a tough place to get to. Anyone know for sure? Are there any places the hose might have a connector inserted that might have come loose? At the pump the hose is a light grey corrugated hose. Haven’t been able to find that in the bilges anywhere yet.

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 2:21 pm
by TonyB
Still troubleshooting Manual Bilge Pump on my F 40/40. Finally found the pickup in the rearmost section of the deep bilge, which on my "Anniversary Model" means pulling up the floor and removing the center 4D battery to access. And really the rearmost 4D as well since who wants to lay across a battery while working.
After cleaning out that bilge compartment of 22 years of accumulated junk, and clearing the bilge pickup, still no amount of pumping would prime the pump.

-pump pickup clean

-hoses removed from pump and verified it definitely "sucks and blows" with plenty of pressure. By the way it is a Whale Gusher Urchin model and seems to fit the hexaganol deck plate just fine.

-I had purchase a Titan to replace it with in case it needed replacing, so tested with the new Titan which has twice the pumping power. Still no luck.

-I can blow down pickup hose fine.

-reversing hoses on pump creates pressure and pickup end

I am assuming at this point that there is an air leak in the pick up hose somewhere. Has anyone traced this hose? Are there any fittings anywhere that might be leaking? Next step will probably be to replace hose, but it is long and convoluted.

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 10:11 am
by bad
Since you can get to both sides of the pickup hose, can you seal one end and pressurize it to check for a leak? Also, any chance there are two pickups?

Re: Manual bilge pump

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2020 1:56 pm
by TonyB
Hi Bad,
that was our thinking on next step. Try to seal the pick up end and pressurize it. Maybe even pressurize it with colored smoke (we have a friend who works on HVAC systems and this is what they do). But the hose seems to run such a "buried" route I am not sure we would find it, but worth a try.

The double pickup idea is interesting. Not sure where another pickup point would be though. but I will think on that.
Thanks,
Tony