Electrical neophyte looking to replace a water pump

ddenver

I am afraid I am electrically challenged. At home, I can change an incandescent light bulb w/ no problem but fluorescents are a bit of a challenge. All I am really sure of when it comes to dealing w/ electricity is when you turn the switch on if the light does not come on there is a problem.

So, being faced w/ replacing the cabin water pump in our Venture 23' I am a bit dazed and confused. The Venture 23' has an automatic water pump which is giving me problems. When the sink tap is opened while the pump is switched on the pump initially works fine. However; after the water runs for more then a second or so the pump gets real loud (louder then the normal pump sound). Also, when the tap is closed, the pump keeps pumping for a few seconds.

I was told that this typically indicates an air leak. Tightening all the hose fittings has not resolved the problem. The fine folks at C-Dory sent me a new Jabsco PAR-Max 3 Automatic Water Pump with the idea that the pump diaphram might be bad. All I need to do now is put the new pump in!

In addition to the pump, they sent me some waterproof butt connectors. Per the West Marine catalog, these are "heat shrink connectors". Trolling around the internet I came across a few apparently related items. After reading these items I headed to my friendly neighborhood hardware store and purchased an AWG Stripper and Crimper tool. I then sought out heat guns - which I understood were needed to seal the butt connectors after crimping.

The only heat guns I came across were in the paint department and offered only 750F and 100F settings. This sounded like extreme overkill to me (too much heat!) so I asked the guy working in the hardware store. He told me I do not need a heat gun that the crimping tool was sufficient.

Is this correct? Do I need a heat gun to seal the butt connectors or not? If so, what power outage (750F?? 1000F??) do I need or should I be looking for lower temperature settings?

Any suggestion you can offer me in this regard are greatly appreciated. Do I need a heat gun or not? Any other hints and tips?

Nothing VENTUREd (C-Dory pun!) nothing gained.

Tanks,
Dan "Confused in Quilcene" Denver

kennharriet · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 1:02 am Post subject:

You can buy cold seal water proof butt connectors at any parts house. I bought some yesterday at the local Napa. You just crimp them with your crimping tool like a regular connector. They are a bit spendy... $3 for a pkg. of three. They have a liquid sealant in the connector that hardens after crimping.

When using shrink tubing, I carefully heat with a propane torch, only because I don't have a heat gun. If it would help you justify the cost of buying one, I would borrow it. Wink

colobear · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 1:11 am Post subject:

With a 2008 Venture I would say the way to change the water pump is to call the factory, you surely are covered by warranty.

thataway · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 11:07 am Post subject:

I use anything from a heat gun (if lots of connectors) to a cigarette lighter--just keep the not flame off the connector. At some point you may want to purchase a good ratchet crimper, rather than the cheaper ones. The hardware store only do a straight single crip--the ratchet are more like a swage, with containment of the sides of the connector, and are a double crimp--so that the inner crip is over the wire, and outer crimp is over the insullation jacket.

Putting in a new pump is easier than rebuilding the pump, but it may be just something stuck in the valves of the pump. Do you have a fine mesh strainer in the water line from the tank, before it enters the pump? There also rebuild kits. When you have the old pump out--take it a part, and see if there isn't a bit of "crud" in one of the valves. Fix it, and then you will have a back up pump.

ddenver · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 12:03 pm Post subject:

Tanks for the many helpful replies.

Regrettably, the Hood Canal Bridge - the most direct route to/from the rest of the world - is closed until perhaps mid June (the word is they might possibly re-open as early as the beginning of June also but nothing official). This makes towing the boat over to either the C-Dory factory, or anywhere else (Master Marine in Mt. Vernon or Kitsap Marine in Port Orchard) 'factory' work might be done a problem at this time.

Frank Walter from the C-Dory factory, mentioned getting together to make the repair but, since the bridge is closed, things are kind of on hold.

Since the pump is still working; albeit not optimally (and likely heading for eventual failure), the repair need is not immediate.

Tanks again for the tips.

Regards ,
Dan