CHEAP air con raw water pump

[kulas44]

Early last spring my AC raw water pump went TU (or so I thought, turned out to be a clogged thru hull). I had a cheapo HarborFreight pump so I installed it,,,, then cleaned the thru hull. I left the pump installed. It runs continuous when I'm on the boat (a lot) and is still doing the job. I bought a spare today at HarborFreight and it was $47. A PacificHydrostar clear water pump. 3/4 hp, 120v, 550 gph, 1 inch fittings.110 ft max head lift. pulls 5 amps, can put out 50 psi. Even comes with a foot valve (didnt need that). The currently installed pump may have several thousand hours on it and shows no signs of giving up, I just like to have spares. And, for $47 dollars, hard to beat.

 

[psneeld]

Early last spring my AC raw water pump went TU (or so I thought, turned out to be a clogged thru hull). I had a cheapo HarborFreight pump so I installed it,,,, then cleaned the thru hull. I left the pump installed. It runs continuous when I'm on the boat (a lot) and is still doing the job. I bought a spare today at HarborFreight and it was $47. A PacificHydrostar clear water pump. 3/4 hp, 120v, 550 gph, 1 inch fittings.110 ft max head lift. pulls 5 amps, can put out 50 psi. Even comes with a foot valve (didnt need that). The currently installed pump may have several thousand hours on it and shows no signs of giving up, I just like to have spares. And, for $47 dollars, hard to beat.

Nice out of the box solution...have to keep it in mind and research the ups/downs...

Thanks...

 

[kchace]

Nice cheap solution. My only reservation would be the 5 amps required. For comparison, a similar performance March pump only draws about 2 amps.

Ken

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

Bought some Harbor Fright (sic) air tools to use under salt water and then planed to throw them away.

Used them for 3 days then rinsed and oiled and 4 years later I still have them and yep they still work.

For disposable junk that somehow works they are not a bad deal.

If it works, good on ya.

 

[psneeld]

My new Harbor Freight story is my heat gun gave up the ghost...bought 1983, looked cheap and worked like all get out...HARD use over the years.


Luckily had a coupon for a new one at Harbor Freight (as usual...reg price $100, on sale and with coupon $8.99 )...Looked great out of the box...much slicker and heavier duty than my old one...cool...


Plugged it in, turned it on...a small pop and puff of smoke.


Yep...didn't last a second.


Disassembled it...several inches of heating element smokes and broken free.


Called, and in 5 minutes they had a new one on the way.


Great customer service but less than one second????? I had to laugh.

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

PS as you know, all things electric work off the power of smoke, never let the smoke leak out or the item will no longer work.

 

[RT Firefly]

 

[psneeld]

RT is that 12V or 110V smoke?

 

[Donsan]

RT is that 12V or 110V smoke?

You mean 12V or 240V smoke. It is made in U.K.

 

[psneeld]

You mean 12V or 240V smoke. It is made in U.K.

Could be for US market or US products....

 

[hmason]

Having owned an MGB, I am right now about to wet myself. RT, you are about to commit murder by laughter.

 

[kulas44]

Me to. Lucas, prince of darkness

 

[kulas44]

I do agree on the HF stuff, but several thousand hours later and still going strong (apparently to strong, amperage wise) is hard to argue with. The originall pump was a Teal 3/4 hp. It lasted a good long time to, but the replacement is over $300. A March pump of that size is stupid $$$, and not even close to as good.

 

[kulas44]

Doing a little research, looks like a comparable March 3/4 hp pump pulls 10 amps at 120 volts. And moves more water. And its not stupid $$$ its insane. Over $800. $47 looks better all the time.

 

[BruceK]

A while back someone posted a pic of a 3 position bilge pump type switch, ? Lucas made,with the 3 positions marked as Off, Flicker, and Dim.
Positions

 

[HopCar]

Don't forget that Lucas makes replacement smoke for "positive earth" wiring systems as well as negative ground. Don't buy the wrong one.

 

[LarryM]

In the late 70's Lucas launched a new Medical Division.

Now, can you imagine what it would have been like going through life with a Lucas pacemaker?

 

[CPseudonym]

A while back someone posted a pic of a 3 position bilge pump type switch, ? Lucas made,with the 3 positions marked as Off, Flicker, and Dim.
Positions

I remember that one well.

Pretty much the reason Brits like warm beer is because Lucas made the refrigerators too.

 

[BruceK]

...can you imagine what it would have been like going through life with a Lucas pacemaker?

Short?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Lucas replacement fuses...

 

[FF]

As a emergency bilge pump or big volume deck wash the house well pumps 2 inch or so do a great job at non yacht pricing.

Noisemaker or inverter not included in cost.

 

[kulas44]

I dont think ive seen a 2 inch house well pump. Usually 1 1/2 in and 1 inch out. Bertram used pumps like this in the 80s for fresh water pressure. They used swimming pool pumps for washdown, bait tanks, etc. They worked just fine.