Do I need an accumulator tank?

[sunchaser]

RickB and Sunchaser, how about some pictures of how wire connections are made on your boats? ?

Nice try Hopcar. Whether the electric connections around my fuel transfer pump or under my water pump are "top notch" (they are) or not is hardly the issue. The issue is quite simple, open connections around liquids are not good practice and non comforming if flammables are involved.

 

[mahal]

I have an exposed terminal strip for my flybridge radar and chartplotter located inside a storage area (console?) where I also keep my metallic radar reflector when not in use. And yes you guessed it - the radar reflector touched the exposed strip and blew fuses. The terminal strip is now temporarily fixed with electrical tape as its cover.

 

[RickB]

RickB and Sunchaser, how about some pictures of how wire connections are made on your boats?

I use these, Electrical Installation Accessories, or a version of that make but prefer to use proper waterproof feed-throughs like on the little box pictured with three of them fitted. You can even buy the parts at Home Depot.

They not only protect the connections, reduce the chance of a fire, ground, or short, they look like a professional boat builder installed them.

 

[HopCar]

RickB, that excellent. That's the setup I recommend to my customers for use in exposed locations. Newmar makes a wide range of waterproof terminal strip boxes but I'm sure you saved a few bucks making it up from off the shelf parts.
Here is a link to the Newmar boxes: DC Power Onboard with Newmar offers Water Proof Junction Boxes and Splashproof Junction Boxes. Water Proof Boxes are ideal for making wiring connections above or below decks, even in areas subject to occasional spray. Splashproof Boxes Provides for s

 

[RickB]

RickB, that excellent.

A plus is that the blank cover plate provides an opportunity to install an isolation switch or an LED indicator light to monitor or control circuits that are routed through the box.
You don't have to solidly mount a terminal strip in the box, it can just lie there supported by the wires. Buy long strips and cut them to the number of terminals required.

If you want to do a really professional job, use larger boxes and install DIN rails and components.

Don't let cheap Chinese labor and low budget techniques set your standards.

 

[Delia Rosa]

We have just removed our accumulator tank because it was not holding pressure from our pump. Although the pump output is 45 psi, the accumulator would drop down to 20 to 30 psi as soon as a tap was opened and not go back up to 45 psi for some time. (The accumulator is rated up to 125 psi.) The 30 psi the accumulator provided didn't seem to be enough pressure to properly flood the bowl of the head. Without the accumulator, it now seems to be flush better.

Of course, now the pump cycles on as soon as any water is used. The pressure stays pretty constant at 45psi but I don't know how hard this will be on the pump - it is a new Shurflo.

 

[FlyWright]

Did your accumulator precharge look normal? Here's a good link to some accumulator FAQs.

 

[Delia Rosa]

We 'rebooted' the system (not a particularly nautical term) as per instructions provided. The system pressurized up to 45 psi but immediately drops to 30 psi as soon as water is used. The pump seems to 'think' that the appropriate pressure is in the accumulator because it won't come on until pressure drops even further to about 20 psi... It is an older model jabsco accumulator (2 gallons) and the instructions and info provided don't include much detailed info.

 

[theran5317]

I agree with FlyWright, that you need to look at the charge pressure in you accumulator.

Sounds like the pressure is at 30 psi in the accumulator, and that you are stretching the bladder to get to 45 psi. Immediately when you open a faucet, the bladder stretch will be released, and you will be back to the 30 psi air pressure charge. I think you will want to correct this issue before you damage the bladder inside the accumulator.

Normally all you need to correct this is a tire pressure guage, and a tire pump.

 

[Delia Rosa]

I agree with FlyWright, that you need to look at the charge pressure in you accumulator.

Sounds like the pressure is at 30 psi in the accumulator, and that you are stretching the bladder to get to 45 psi. Immediately when you open a faucet, the bladder stretch will be released, and you will be back to the 30 psi air pressure charge. I think you will want to correct this issue before you damage the bladder inside the accumulator.

Normally all you need to correct this is a tire pressure guage, and a tire pump.

So how do we change the pressure from 30 psi to 45 psi.... you mention using a tire pressure gauge and a tire pump... could you explain a little more! The manual gives us no details about changing pressure amounts. Are you suggesting that we try to pump in more air at the top valve to increase the pressure?

 

[FF]

Usually the air pre charge in the accumulator is about the same as the pump ON selection of the water pressure switch.

Home switches are usually adjustable , RV and boat stuff is not.

Changing to a better switch can be done only with some water pumps .

 

[Wxx3]

question- just replaced my flo-jet pump 4406-143 and the paperwork says it "has a built in bypass valve eliminating the need for an accumulator tank" and not install it in a system with a tank as it would interfere with that valve. My system had a tank when I got the boat. Should I remove the tank? pump seems to work but a little slow to recover. old pump was a 4405-143

I just saw this thread and I purchased the same Flo-jet 4406-143, because it was 1/3 the price of the Shurflo that stopped working.
I could not get it to work with my accumulator and then I read in the installations instructions not to use an accumulator, I just uninstalled it and got an Aqua Jet by Johnson Pump.
Now, when I first installed it, it also cycled on and off immediately, though the taps were open. I took out the water filter element and that cured the problem. The Flo-Jet may have worked then, but it seemed adamant about not using an accumulator, which I do not want to eliminate for the reasons mentioned above.