Marco UP6/E

[arthurn]

Thought I would share some interesting info that might be of value to others who have this pump, particularly if you own a Helmsman Trawler.

My wife and I purchased our Helmsman in May of 2019. For over a year the freshwater pump worked fine. It is a variable speed pump that does not need an accumulator tank to avoid pump cycling. Well in September the pump stopped working. It would shut off completely. If I turned the circuit breaker off and then on it would work for awhile but then stop. It would usually stop after I used the head which is fed by the fresh water tank and is electric.

I cleaned the inlet filter, and checked the idle and driving gears which pump the water and they were fine. I then assumed it must be the pressure sensor which is not a serviceable item. I then purchased a new pump and low and behold the pump worked well for one day and then did the same thing as the first pump.

When I looked at how the pump was installed, I saw there was a check valve in the line after the pump in the discharge line. Mind you, the pump has a check valve in the pump but before the pressure sensor. I checked the check valve in the discharge line and it was ok.

I was about to pull the pump and switch to either a shurflo pump and possibly add an accumulator tank when I called Scott Helker, the importer/distributor of Helmsman trawlers in the United States. He told me that the check valve on the discharge side was placed when they use to use the Jabsco variable speed pump and he didn't think the Marco needed that valve.

Well when I removed that check valve the pump worked fine.

I am still unclear why that pump worked for a year, but I am relieved that I didn't have to install a whole new system.

 

[Don G]

I bought the same pump, over $600, and it quit working after about 16 months. It was the middle of the summer and the pump needed to go back to the factory for warranty inspection so I bought another and installed it. The factory sent me a new replacement pump under warranty.
Now after another 16 months that one has stopped working so I installed the new warranty pump I had.
I removed the cover plate and the black coating is worn off plus it's rusty.

Not impressed with these high-end expensive pumps.

 

[Comodave]

I bought the same pump, over $600, and it quit working after about 16 months. It was the middle of the summer and the pump needed to go back to the factory for warranty inspection so I bought another and installed it. The factory sent me a new replacement pump under warranty.
Now after another 16 months that one has stopped working so I installed the new warranty pump I had.
I removed the cover plate and the black coating is worn off plus it's rusty.

Not impressed with these high-end expensive pumps.

Welcome aboard. I personally don’t care for the variable speed pumps. I tried one years ago and had nothing but trouble with it so I went back to the regular pump with an accumulator. No more problems.

 

[tiltrider1]

Just a note. All variable speed pumps say no accumulation tank needed. Deep in the fine print they all say an accumulation tank will extend the life of a variable speed pump.

I just installed a UP12/e. Since I have only had it for one week I can’t report any useful experience at this time.

 

[Don G]

Unfortunately, I dumped my accumulator when I put in the variable pump. Now I'm going back to an accumulator and regular pump. I see everyone else seems to have quit offering the variable type due to reliability.

Maybe I've just been unlucky but both of my Marco pumps had the same problem. When I pull out the gear and turn the motor shaft with fingers it comes up against a tight spot. When it stops in that position it won't restart unless I remove the cover and turn it to a different position.

I'm not a liveaboard so it really doesn't get very much use.

 

[Comodave]

The variable pump I had would make whining noises that sounded like you were sticking a cat with a knife. And the flow wasn’t very good compared to the regular pump we had before.