Failed macerator pumps

[Tetepare]

I'm assuming you have the ubiquitous Jabsco pump that is on thousands of sailboats.

If so, they can stop working (impelling/ chopping) for a few reasons, besides electrical: corrosion of the impeller and/or stuff in the chopper. "Stuff in the chopper" is typically hair, although those POS AqualFlush packets, I discovered, do not disintegrate under normal use!

In any case, these pumps are reliable. My first one lasted about 20 years until it needed a rebuilt; after that it was killed by the POS Aqualflush packets.

Disassembly is easy; take the four nuts off the crown and it pulls apart. There are long bolts that keep it all together. Wear gloves. It's pretty simple from there. If you can't diassemble and reassemble a Jabsco macerator you shouldn't be operating a boat.

Jabsco has (or had) a rebuild kit. The caveat (that I discovered) is that the long bolts also get stressed/ and/or corroded, so mine were weak.

Now all that said, the only reason to take one apart is if you're really cheap, or if you just must know what caused the failure. The latter may be a good idea, as if you ID the problem (e.g., hair) you can ensure it doesn't happen again. My suggestion: just buy a new one.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

...

belizesailor: If I take it apart to clean, what all should I be prepared to replace while it's opened up? I assume impeller and gaskets. Should I be prepared to replace the blades? Are there o-rings I need to know about? I'll look up a parts list for my specific model, but any tips about trouble areas would be helpful.

....

Likely nothing more than the gaskets (2 on a Jabsco). The chopping blade is stainless, so unless someone is eating nails for snacks, it should be fine. Usually the impeller is fine too for the same reason...no hard stuff to damage it. You can buy service kits that include all the usual parts.

Re maceration: my perspective is by the time any normal human waste has gone thru a manual head pump and plumbing it is effectively macerated. So I think macerating pumps for typical recreational applications are unescessary.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

.

Now all that said, the only reason to take one apart is if you're really cheap, or if you just must know what caused the failure. The latter may be a good idea, as if you ID the problem (e.g., hair) you can ensure it doesn't happen again. My suggestion: just buy a new one.

And it's attitudes like this that is ruining the planet.
Things so easily serviced being thrown away due to laziness and an uncaring attitude.

[Sohum]

On one unit, had cracked housing seal plate, part of macerator housings edge was broken off, and the external case was looking pretty crusty, stained,, .. the new pumps pretty darn $, but should have a good service life.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

And it's attitudes like this that is ruining the planet.

Things so easily serviced being thrown away due to laziness and an uncaring attitude.

If you really want to reduce your foot print then not owning a boat would be a good start.

From construction, to maintenance, to end of service life disposal...boats generate a lot of waste.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

If you really want to reduce your foot print then not owning a boat would be a good start.

For you perhaps

Our vessel is our home unattached to land or the grid
No cars, no shops, no buy buy buy
Our carbon footprint is considerably less than when we were dirt dwellers.

From construction, to maintenance, to end of service life disposal...boats generate a lot of waste.

That may be the case for some people and boats but not all.

Our vessel has been recycled once from a working trawler to a pleasure vessel.
Most systems on board are sevicable/ rebuildable so get to live again.
Even the tv and computer screen onboard has had me pull the back off, replace bulged parts and bring them back to life for anotger life instead of throwing them away.

If more did the same instead of living a throw away lifestyle and continually upgrading with new and shiny for the hell of it the world would be a better place.