Need help to fix water pump on 2006 Tomcat

P

pwsuser

New member
Hi,

I have a 2006 Tomcat. Last year my water pump on the boat worked fine. This winter I had a new Esbar heater installed and a new Garmin GPSMAP with radar installed.

Now my water pump does not work. I have checked the breaker switches that were installed at the factory, checked every fuse I could find, but no luck. I have not done any checking with a multimeter yet and the pump is barely accessible in the starboard hull.

I do not know if one of the people installing my other parts did something or if it just quite working.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks

Dave
 
Dave, It might mot make a difference, but I believe there are 3 water pumps on the TC255:
1. House water system
2. Fresh water washdown
3. Macerator, black water pump system.

It might be helpful to know which pump/system is the offending one.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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Dave,
As usual, Harvey is spot-on, except there are 8 water pumps not 3 on the TC255 (he missed the sump pump box , which handles the shower and water heater overflow on my boat, plus the 2 fishbox macerators and 2 bilge pumps). EACH of the 8 has BOTH a Blue Seas switch/30A combo breaker panel AND an un-labled 30A fuse in the Blue Seas fuse box under the helm, and SOME have an in-line fuse close to the pumps in the 12v+ leg.
Your 8 2005 pumps in your 2006 boat all carried a 1 year warranty because their Maker figured they wouldn't last much more than that.
First, let's assume you mean the Freshwater distro pump won't pump. Nothing to do with your improvements; they didn't go anywhere near this problem. Make sure you have 1/4 water in the freshwater tank (I have to remove the V-berth cushions and port sponson cover to see it).
Make figuring out what EACH under helm fuse box controls an off-season project and label each fuse position then.
Empty the cabinet under the helm seat and remove the sponson cover to access the freshwater distro pump (as well as sump pump box/pump). With a LED headlamp and some contortions I'd say it's 'fairly' accessible for us youngsters under 160lb with long arms. As a cheap shortcut (not my style, but you asked), cut the 12v leads and connect them directly to 12v (a little 7A 12v battery will do). If it doesn't turn on, it's dead, or has a bad pressure switch, which would cost as much as a new pump/switch and require more skills and contortions than either of us has.
If it does turn on, you have some Tracing to do, so re-connect the 12v leads (and paint some Liquid Tape on the connectors) and Trace away. Know Thy Systems.
I bought a Whale pump on closeout sale at 50% off 2 years ago, knowing the freshwater distro pump would fail sooner rather than later, but so far it's still working, though the pressure switch went bad, so it never turns off. We actually like that, since we can hear it running if the switch is ON (even without my hearing aid).
Good Luck,
John
 
John, Thanks for the counting lesson. I really missed on that. I guess I was thinking that if a pump wasn't working it would be where he was want to see water move. I didn't think of those out of sight places, (well except the macerator.)

You do a great job of ferreting out the right information and giving good advice.

Thank you for your posts, always enjoyable and educational.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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I've had three water pumps (fresh water supply) go bad. The first one was bad from day one when we purchased the boat. It was replaced by the dealer at no cost. One was my mistake as I did not put anti-freeze thru it prior to winter. The motor on the third one just seized due to rust/moisture getting into the housing; it was mounted in the bilge and our bilge is notoriously wet on 25s. I've since moved it up to the battery tray to get it out of the bilge water and sealed the wire entry to the motor w/ clear silicone. I also went with a Johnson vs. a Jabsco.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

The pressure switch on the front can also go bad, either from corrosion or just age. They can be replaced if the motor is still working. My experience is the cost of parts is prohibitive. A new pump is not that much more.

My point? Pumps go bad. Especially when exposed to moisture for prolonged periods of time. No knowing exactly which pump and where it is located...that's the best I can help with.
 
One would think that all of the Tom Cats would be the same--but not so. In my Tom Cat the water tank was on the Starboard side--I think it was in 2007, that the shift was made to the port side. Different brand pumps may be used.

One possibility, is that one of the butt connectors is not conducting well--corrosion? In my boat, one of the connectors to a water pump, was not done properly at the factory, so it had to be redone . It could be something that simple.

The pressure switch on most of these 12 volt pumps or rebuilding the valves is both inexpensive as well as easy to do. Shurflo, Jabsco, or Flojet fresh water pumps have all been used at one time in C Dorys. Often these pumps have quick release fittings at the pump body for the water, and it is easy to put in a quick disconnect fitting for the power. John is correct that they do fail--but the frequency can vary. I have had them fail every few months (Old style diaphragm Jabsco) or last 7 years in daily use. I buy a second pump, like or identical, so they can be switched out quickly (on the cruising boats it was usually when Marie was soaped up in the shower when the pump went out)...And the second pump is rebuilt ready to go.

If you do cut the wires to the pump, be sure and use an adhesive /shrink tubing butt connector, to avoid corrosion issues down the line.

I have found instances where there were both circuit breakers and fuses in the same circuit for the C Dory.

I also agree, take some time off season to go thru the wiring and label it all. I have done that on all of my boats. In this caae you can start at the switch, and follow that wire. It is possible that size, color, strip color, or wiggling the wire one place and looking


I thought I had submitted this last night--must be old timer's, late timer's syndrome setting in!
 
Thank you all for the great information, I do appreciate your knowledge.

Yes I meant my pump for the sink and toilet, I need to write down the 8 pumps I have.

My 2006 # 6 Tomcat is like Dr Bob's, the tank and pump is on the starboard side. I can see the pump in the hull under the sink and can reach it with one hand, but I am too big to get in the cabinet to get two hands down there so it will be a challenge to access.

Thanks again.

Dave
 
that one of the butt connectors is not conducting well--corrosion?
Click to expand...

This occurred on the pump that rusted. We were in Canada and the pump stopped. Removed it and the male butt connectors were rusted away.
 
Dave,
You're in luck, assuming you don't have/use the hand shower in the head (the 3rd distro point for the freshwater pressure pump after galley sink and gravity toilet...+ water heater if you have one) then you can wait til the off season to replace that pump. Use a gallon water jug from home for galley sink duties, it just drains directly overboard as gray water. The Dometic gravity toilet/holding tank does not really require a freshwater rinse of the bowl, but if for aesthetic reasons you want to, just pour in some from the same jug into the 9g holding tank and empty it by marina pumpout or overboard macerator pump if over 3 miles out to sea...whichever is your usual disposal method.
For those few with a Jabsco 18590 series black water sewage macerator pump, there are some messy issues to be aware of which I'll post as a new thread.
Happy Boating!
John
 
How far forward of the hatch under the sink is the pump in your boat? It is very possible that you can put another access hatch over the pump--One of the round 8" diameter plates may be adequate. If you cannot get it there, then you may have to go under the helm seat--the water heater was there in my boat--some had refrigerators there. Remove that, and then put an access hatch in. Put in quick disconnects. But if you can access the wires, it is going to be a reasonable bet that you will find it is electrical.
 
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