Fresh Water Pump

I have a X-Caliber Headhunter pump, 12V, rated for 10GPM.* It has a contral panel that allows adjustment of power (300Watts, 400Watts, 500Watts) and pressure.* I tried every possible combination of the settings and still could not get the pump to run without shut down.* It is primed and water is in the tank.

I'm not looking forward to replacing this pump (Over $1000.).* Do I need 10GPM.* I see the high end Shuflo pumps putting out 6 or 7 GPM and at 1/3 of the price of the X-Caliber.*

Any suggestions?

Do you still have the manual for the pump? There is some quite explicit start up procedures that they want you to do, open a tap, turn on pump and let cycle for a certain period of time etc.... You may also have some debris caught up in the check valve. They can be pretty temperamental, and the boat builder I used to work for finally switched over to a HD Jabsco. I revitalized one once by hooking a garden hose up to the intake side of the pump and running the pump, this seemed to clear out the system so to speak and it worked fine after that. This shouldn't hurt the pump as they can be used as an inline boost pump as well. (I had an open discharge with no restriction)

You DO have a strainer in line from the tank, I assume?

*
When the pressure get high enough the pump will shut down.* We have a sure flow*4 gpm rated 45 psi and it shuts down/off.**10 gpm*is*provable way over rated for your lines as its twice the*gpm most pumps are rated.
*
domestic water pumps are rated*usually rated by PSI and/or gpm, not watts.*

*


-- Edited by Phil Fill on Saturday 16th of April 2011 08:01:05 PM

Next time try a Headhunter.

umm it is a headhunter

The Headhunter used to be built in SIMPLE.

A std house pressure switch , ($18. at the hardware store) with no electronic mysteries .

That's the pump I would select , but then I' pretty lazy.

I would simply call the factory and see how this jewel can be wired for a simple switch control, rather than an electric marvel.

With a STD house pump control switch 2 Sureflows in Parallel should do the requirements .

I was considering the Headhunter XRS124 as well, my concerns about this pump is the electronics required to run it and the price tag......

Maybe a simpler Jabsco 31705-0394, which is delivered without the pressure switch, then add a SquareD pressure switch......I don't know how to do that though....

http://www.pumpagents.com/JabscoPumps/31705-0094.html

There is also the CW332 which is a really good and simple pump, a bit cheaper than the XRS124 and no electronics.

http://pressuresystems.cleghornwaring.com/itemimages/cw332.pdf

eddited to add the last link below

http://pressuresystems.cleghornwaring.com/aqua-major-pump-systems/aqm2-24-water-pressure-system-24v.htm


-- Edited by Singleprop on Wednesday 20th of April 2011 08:13:29 PM

We have a Jabsco Sensor-Max 17 model 31755-0000, 4.5 GPM- and for us it is plenty of water. The lower GPM probably saves some water.

Re the Square D pressure switch...my boat came with that setup, and I was always replacing the damm thing. Now it was upstream of the accumulator tank, probably should have been downstream. It chattered so much that it would tear up every year or two. If you use one, be sure to put it downstream of the accumulator tank, and wire both sides together to minimize arcing. Maybe even put capacitors in there.

I ripped my entire system out and went with a variable speed Jabsco pump and couldn't be happier. No accumulator tank, relays, pressure switches, etc.

"It chattered so much that it would tear up every year or two. If you use one, be sure to put it downstream of the accumulator tank, and wire both sides together to minimize arcing. Maybe even put capacitors in there.

The chattering is caused by not matching the pressure in the accumulator (you did service it ?) with the cut in cut our pressures the switch is set for.

The switch it self is adjustable , should you have special needs.

Washing machine . dish washer or some ice makers.

The tiny accumulators on boats , maybe 1 gallon tank,(houses use 15 to 40 G tanks) will cause more cycling than a house , but the unit should easily go 5 years , no hassle.

Singleprop wrote:
I was considering the Headhunter XRS124 as well, my concerns about this pump is the electronics required to run it and the price tag......

Maybe a simpler Jabsco 31705-0394, which is delivered without the pressure switch, then add a SquareD pressure switch......I don't know how to do that though....

http://www.pumpagents.com/JabscoPumps/31705-0094.html

There is also the CW332 which is a really good and simple pump, a bit cheaper than the XRS124 and no electronics.

http://pressuresystems.cleghornwaring.com/itemimages/cw332.pdf

eddited to add the last link below

http://pressuresystems.cleghornwaring.com/aqua-major-pump-systems/aqm2-24-water-pressure-system-24v.htm



-- Edited by Singleprop on Wednesday 20th of April 2011 08:13:29 PM

Click to expand...

I have to bit my own words.....just bought a XR-124 on sale (around 600 $) and there are a few more available at that price.

Drop me a line if any one want me to add one for the order.

I just recieved the Headhunter XR124 ......it's HUUUGE (about 4 times as big as a Jabso 31705)....so make sure that there is plenty of room before ordering one of these puppies.

Our $150 40 psi 4.8 gpm Par MAX 4 unit has worked well for 8 years. It feeds a Groco accumulator. The suction head is nil unless tanks are near empty. Much more than a few feet of suction head or line restriction can make a real difference in most pumps longevity and performance.

A good friend of mine had a heck of a time with a Headhunter pump as well. He did eventually get it to work but he spent hours on the phone with them and had to replace some parts. I like the variable speed Jabsco's. You can eliminate the accumulator tank as well.

WE chose the Shureflow deck wash pump for domestic water.

It has the same pump and switching as all Sureflow , the difference is the motor is 2X as large (long) .

With any accumulator tank , (here bigger IS better) the service life is fine, years for a liveaboard.

And with 5/8 copper tubing the delivery will run a dishwasher or washing machine .

We've been quite happy with a pair of Flojet VSD pumps.* Ours are 24v, and put out an alledged 4.5 gpm.* I assumed that they would poop out fairly quickly, but we have 5 years on them now and they work just fine.* There has never been insufficient flow to handle showers, feeder for hydraulic high pressure wash down,*washer, galley, etc.* There is no 'pulsing' of the water flow, which I thought would be the case given the lack of a need for an expansion tank, but it always seems to be constant.

We'll stick with these as they work as advertised.