Beware of Plastic Crud in Freshwater Tank.

Bill.Secure

The freshwater system worked fine yesterday in the slip. Today I turned the water on and it petered out quickly. After calling Cutter Marine for tech advice, I removed the filter (held in by a difficult to see little ear) and then removed the filter holder from the input line. I'm so glad I did this last step as it wasn't part of the tech advice

There were a small amount of plastic shavings in the filter screen, but much more significantly there was a piece of plastic crud in the input line that was so large it wouldn't fit in the nipple of the filter.

After removing the crud (shavings and the big piece), the pump still is working very poorly, never reaching sufficient pressure to turn itself off. I can see air at the top of the clear plastic piece. Even with the water tank full, water exits the hose leading to the pump (but disconnected) at a rate appreciably lower than I would have anticipated. I may have another blockage either in the hose from the tank to the pump or at the fitting where that hose connects to the tank. If scheduling permits (and that's iffy) I'll see if I can work on it further this afternoon.

The Cutter tech guy said it isn't at all unusual for plastic shavings from the tank to block the filter to a point where the pump won't pump. I could see that, but the large piece of plastic crud was quite disconcerting. Give that we were out in rough water last week, it's possible everything was stirred up.

As an aside, the manual says to drain the water tank before working on the pump. I let the water run into the bilge (always very wet) and let the bilge pump take care of it.

Bill
Edgewater, MD

Alasgun · Guest

We have no filter on our 04 25ftr! And speaking of disconcerting, I find it rather odd that you must drain the entire system to work on the pump or anything else in the water system. I only did that once, and once drained I put a nice ball valve in the main line to make life easier in the future.
Mike

Pat Anderson

You have a manual?? Our CD25 "manual" is just a notebook with the manufacturer manuals from the various components that were installed. Do you have something more than that?

I also am unaware of a filter in our fresh water system. But our system has worked quite well since the original "self-priming" pump that didn't was replaced.

seahooked

Bill.Secure · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:01 pm Post subject:

I ran a cable up the input hose that connects the freshwater tank to the pump. I think I ran it far enough to enter the tank and there was no difference in flow from that hose after having performed this operation.

The pump runs long enough to build a head of pressure but can't maintain the pressure even though the pump continues to run after a faucet is turned on. The stream starts strong and then peters out after about 30 seconds. I'm going to see if I can find anything germane on pump priming, but this is what was happening with the freshwater system this morning prior to my opening things up to and removing the plastic crud, so I doubt I have a priming problem

With the addition of this problem, my count of warranty items to be corrected is now either nine or ten, depending on how I count.

thataway · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject:

It is possiable that some debris got into the pump. I had a pump cycling problem and the factory replaced the pump. I will tear the old pump down and rebuild it. I suspect that a small pice of plastic in the valves was the problem. All of the water systems should have a FINE screen--not the coarse screen used for showers, between the tank and pump.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:37 am Post subject:

Is the supply tube fairly rigid?

A weak or soft walled tube could collapse from air pressure as a strong pump reduces the pressure behind it when putting out pressure on the output side.

Joe.

Bill.Secure · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 11:51 am Post subject:

The input line seems rigid although it has become very hot out the past several days so that could make the hose softer. The problem occurs even when I disconnect the lines from the output side of the pump. It has occurred to me that the hose could be constricted by a bend.

The opening to reach the input hose is so small and constricted I can just get my hand in a small distance so I can't check for bends. The hose appears to leave the tank, make a circle with about a ten inch radius, and then connect to the pump. From the feel, it seems there is a clamp with a screw into the hull part way around the bend. It looks like any maintenance to this area must be done by removing the "tray" which is mounted 12-18 inches above the hull. There are two trays, one port & the other starboard. Their main function is supporting the batteries.

Bill
Edgewater, MD

Larry H · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 12:26 pm Post subject:

Bill,

It is possible that the tank vent is plugged or restricted.

To test, try draining the tank thru the output hose with the filler cap removed. If the flow is improved, then the vent line or vent fitting is blocked or plugged.

thataway · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:00 pm Post subject:

I couold not find a filter in my 2003, CD 25. The tank is foamed in, along with the fittings and tubing under the V berth.
I guess another project is adding a filter ASAP....
Any other owners of 2003 and 2004 C D 25's have a filter inline before the pump?

Dora~Jean · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:45 pm Post subject:

I pretty certain I don't have an input filter to the pump. I put in a large hatch at the forward part of the cabin's footwell to observe the tank's water level, and also a port hole with screw on lid on top to get to the tank fittings.

Bill.Secure · Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject:

It was my understanding from Cutter Marine that the older models (whatever that means) didn't have filters and that filters were added because the pumps were biting the dust.

Over the weekend I spoke to another 2007 owner whose pump had given up its last squirt. He had removed the pump and it was marked "not for marine use" and a different model number suitable for marine use was cited.

My pump worked well enough over the weekend to provide sufficient water for toilet flushing. In operation it sounds better but I haven't tested it yet to see whether it will produce a prolonged normal flow again. If it does, then it either finally became primed or it came back to life only to die again another day.

Bill
Edgewater, MD

Bill.Secure · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:39 pm Post subject:

I'm now aware of three 2007 CD-25s that have (or have had) recent fresh water pump problems. I noticed Wild Blue's post, my own boat, Barnacle Bill, and one other 2007 CD-25 I encountered over the weekend.

Barnacle Bill's pump has, for the moment, taken a vitamin pill and gotten all its energy back. I've no idea whether the recovery is temporary or permanent. I've been systematically cleaning, tightening and applying dielectric silicon compound to the electrical connections, fuses, etc and it's possible this aided the recovery.

Bill
Edgewater, MD

thataway · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:08 am Post subject:

The "not for marine use" may be a spark protection problem--which may not usually be an issue in outboard boats (since the spark protection issue is in engine rooms--but then on the other hand if there are fuel tank problems...and the pump is in the under the cockpit floor with the fuel tank--that is an issue. )

I am going to put a filter in--already have one on hand. But in the Tom Cat 255, the pump failed within a few months, with the filter present, so that is no guarantee.