Bait pump help sort !

[Lucky_Phill]

Had a new bait pump for live tank installed recently and has now gone the way of the old one. >:( :(

The new one was only operational for 10-15minutes running time.

Have power to the unit, but she no go. The power source comes from the switch panel on the dash, has no fuse inbetween. has not earthed out, but may have got a little clogged with some crap / weedy stuff in the water.

Why does this happen ? Any ideas ?

Phill

[Gorilla_in_Manila]

Phil,

What did you pay for it? Is it a cheapy? I assume there is no warranty (or you would have just taken it back to the guy you bought it off and asked him to tell you what happened.)

Sounds like something has jambed the impeller and then the motor windings might have burnt out. Or it might just be jambed still and the windings are ok. (there is often an electrical cut out on things with small motors like hair dryers and stuff like that to stop them overheating and the motors burning out.)

Assuming no warranty, try sticking your hose in the outlet pipe and seeing if you can push the impeller backwards with water pressure and clear any possible blockage. Then see if it will go again.

If not, and it isn't worth getting anyone to look at it and fix it, when you buy MKIII put an inline fuse on the postive lead and tie some stocking over the intake to make sure no weed or little twigs get sucked in.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Heath]

I'm guessing it is a Johnson???

[Lucky_Phill]

Yes Heath, you know something I don't ?

Water is going thru OK, when we motor along, but seems it's just the power prob. I guess it's a burnt out motor thingie, but why ?

Yes, it should be under warranty, I'll go down that path I think.

And the Johnson thing Heath ?

Phill

[nofrills]

hey phill
dont know about the johnson thing either?.
for what its worth i use a 500gph rule pump on my tank.im not sure on cost but i know they are fairly cheap.
i get around 2 years per pump which would be about 600hrs cause i just leave it running.they all eventually die when the shaft rusts through and the impeller falls off.which is probably a good point for people useing them for bilge pumps to keep an eye on.
all in all though i reccon their a top little pump,especially if the johnno thing is something very bad :P
cheers scott

[Heath]

IMO, Johnsons are a heap of crap >:(.

Have had the same problem with both my bait pumps. They get sticky. Turn the pump on & pull the unit out of the housing & manually turn the impella. It will start spinning after a dozen or so turns ::)

A VERY BIG worry considering that they are used as bilge pumps as well. >:(

I have taken to back flushing my pumps when I get home. Stick the hose in the inlet of my bait tank for 30 sec or so & blow fresh through the pump & have not had them go crook since doing that.

They are very noisy as well, recently I had to take to one with a file to knock a few thou off the impella as it was rubbing on the housing.

I don't reckon they will last & will be changing all 3 over to rule pumps after summer. . Already 1 shaft is showing signs of rust. Real good for a salt water pump & at that it is only 9 months old.

WHEN they stuff up again, replace them with a rule.

[Lucky_Phill]

I hear ya guys.

I'll let you know what happens with warranty etc.

Cheers Phill

[Heath]

Well, one of my johnsons has bitten the dust. A cracked housing. >:(

Arrived at our spot this morning & could hear a noise like a tape running. Saw water spewing out of the cracked pump housing. Turned off ball valve & pumped bilge out.

Not even bothering with warranty as I want something reliable.

Johnsons are nothing short of pieces of shit.

Go Rule I say ;)

[Lucky_Phill]

Comon Heath, tell us what ya really think !

I have the low down on why the pumps fail.

Restrictive water flow, not from the out / in but at the tank end where the nozzle is turned to a position that makes the water flow like a jet. Taking that plug / nozzle out and letting the water flow at the same rate as it can get pumped in, will lengthen the life of the pump, unless of course, it's a Johnson.

Brett bought a Rule, but got wrong sort, none cartridge type. Might try to exchange it or make up new mounting for Rule.

Hope I explained this alright.



Phill

[Big_Kev]

Phil it can be said that pumps pump volume not pressure.(ie;GPH)
Pressure is acheived by constricting the flow.
And by what you say if the head pressure becomes to great (ie;fitting spray nozzels)will cause the pump to malfunction.
And your advice would be that the Johno pump will take less than perhaps other brands will.
Is that what you mean?
Cheers Kev.

[Remo]

I would have to agree with Kev, with his comments, (should have checked the pump curves prior to buying) LOL. :D :D
It doesnt take much to trap the impeller with a bit of grit or the like. ;)

But Rule are the dux nuts of the cheap bilege pump world

Ray

[Lucky_Phill]

Yes Kev, that's about what I mean. Or at least that's what we've been told by the " experts ".

I can visualize what they mean, just pop ya finger over the end of your garden hose, yep, finer spray and certainly more pressure built up at the source, although I doubt we'd affect the system in our mainspressure water. But you got the idea.

No need for the water going into the live bait tank to aerate it, just replacing water keeps it clean and the fish alvie.

Phill

[JoeCool]

SO...can I take that to mean that spray heads arent neccesary???

[Heath]

I honestly can't see the value in spray heads when you are pumping in freshwater all the time. It is a different story however if you have a setup that is reusing the same water that is in the tank.

[Cloud_9]

gaday Phill.

i have rule 380 on cloud 9's bait tank (50/60L) i dont have a spray head on the end. i have a spray bar.
a piece of hard tube drilled ful of holes so that there's lots of small jets of water so no restriction of flow. or little restriction.works for me. 15 months old still going.no rust on shaft

[Lucky_Phill]

That sounds the go Jamie !

Phill

[Heath]

Well, both Johnson bait pumps have now gone to heaven. Both have water inside of the motor.

Heaps of shit they are >:(

[Heath]

Just replaced both bait pumps with RULE pumps. Man are they quiet [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

Looks like I may have had a win. Also am going to modify the intakes slightly, upon excellent advise from Kevin Nichols from Cruise Craft.

These guys customer service & relations is fantastic [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[team_mongo]

heath,

i was pretty neutral on the idea, but am now up to my THIRD johnson bait pump in 14 months. [smiley=thumbsdown.gif] I started to wash back thru the bait pump after the first one died, but within 6 months the second one started to moan and groan.


Took it out, and the shaft is corroding. The pumps have a 18 month warranty and the boat 2 year. After the warranty is over will change to rhule.

heath, did u have the enclosed bait pumps that are inboard. If so, how did u modify them for the rhules.

George

[Heath]

George,

I don't really know what you meant :)

So here is a picture of my setup, except of course there are 2 new RULE pumps in there [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[team_mongo]

those johno have enclosed bases, do the rules have a similar setup?

My johno, has a rigid tube thru the transom to the pickup, I was wondering how you connected them. I take it from your pic that you just replaced them and clamped them on to the flexible tubing. Is that right?

George

[Heath]

Yes, the RULE pumps are exactly the same setup. I reused all fittings.

I have through transom pickups, that then connect to the ball valves which can be seen in the picture.

[Lucky_Phill]

The Johnson has been replaced, under warranty.

I'll keep you updated on the performance.

problem............unlucky !

Phill