Johnson Pumps 10-13329-103 Master 5.0 GPM Variable Flow Dema

[R29Sunshine]

I see many people talking about this pump. I’m looking for inputs....are you happy with it? Is it whisper quiet...lol?? Would you opt for something else?? Trying to get an idea of how you like this one....I have my eye on it but wanted some feedback prior to the purchase. Where would you purchase it from??

Thanks in advance,

Tim K.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

Tim,

I sort of posted on this already. I installed one a few weeks back thinking it would solve my cycling problem. It is not, at least on my boat, silent. And it has some pretty entertaining noises that are foreign if you are used to the cycling of a normal pump. It genuinely "zooms" as pressure comes up after opening a faucet. On our boat, probably as on yours, the pump is beneath a floor hatch just as you enter the cabin from the cockpit. So you are going to hear it no matter what.

Others can chime in on this (and the goal of this site is to get folks to do that), but swapping the variable flow pump for the cycling pump is a breeze. Same fittings, even the same base plate so you do not have to put in new screws. Just put in blade connections on the wires and swap it out and it is in. One hour job.

BUT, in our boat we had to add a Johnson accumulator tank (3/4" I think) that is cut in right after the pump. The reason was that the variable speed pump zoomed up to full pressure (I think 50 psi) and then friction within lines would cause it to cycle while running, on and off very quickly. I talked to the Johnson factory folks about this and they said you really should have an accumulator tank to make this work best.

Both the pump and the accumulator tank are available everywhere, including Amazon. I think the pump is only quiet if you are on a Ranger 41 where they can put the pump in some place that is far away from you. It still makes noise.

Again, I hope others will chime in. I am not certain it was worth swapping out, in retrospect.

Jeff

 

[Wee Venture]

We installed this pump about a year and a half ago, mainly to quiet things down and to see if it would smooth out the pulsing of the water pressure. It has definitely helped with that, though as has already been mentioned it is not without its quirks. If you turn the faucet on moderately, a little water squirts out and then there is a hesitation as the pump is anticipating demand. You then hear it “whoosh” and start delivering the appropriate flow rate. If you turn the faucet full on, it rapidly pulses to deliver a very fast rate of flow, and the pulses are softer and smoother than the OEM pump. I prefer it, but you have to get used to that one or two second delay when you first turn the faucet on.

One other consideration is that the installation technically calls for a 20A circuit breaker. On our boat, the original pump was installed with a 15 amp. If you change out the 15 for a 20 you should increase the gauge of the wires supplying the pump. I figured we would never max out the pump and didn’t want to do all that. So since the new pump *max* draw is just over 15 (I forget exactly what it is), I thought I would just try it with the existing wiring and breaker. That has worked so far. If it starts tripping the breaker I will run new wires and resize the breaker.

John

 

[Heronboy]

I also swapped out my pump recently. I decided to replace the factory Jabsco Par Max after it was left on for an extended period and had gotten VERY hot.

After reading a host of reviews and opinions, I settled on a Remco, model 55Aquajet-ARV. They are an RV pump maker and had some very good reviews. Plus they answered the phone and didn't mind talking.

The Remco works notably better in every way.
1. Quieter across the board. One faucet on half way to multiple faucets on full, it's quieter across the whole operating envelope.

2. On the multiple faucet note, the Jabsco could handle 1 or 2 fixtures before notably losing volume at any one fixture. The Remco is good for 2 or 3.

3. In comparing the original single speed vs the new variable speed, the Remco actually runs more frequently and for longer periods. That's to be expected given its design. Most of the time it's running at a low to medium level so noise is further reduced.

4. I still get a bit of cycling but only when cracking a tap, say below 10% of flow. Then it cycles on and off a bit.

5. And no, there is not an accumulator. Remco was adamant not to use one, saying they result in more motor run time and poor pressure consistency. Long term, they result in premature pump failure. This applies to Remco pumps. Other variable speed pump brands may handle an accumlulator fine.

 

[SJI Sailor]

FWIW, I installed the Johnson Pump 10-13329-103 a few days ago. So far, we're very happy with it.

Echoing Jeff's comment, I added a small accumulator and that no doubt helps as well. Overall, the water system is quieter and much better regulated. It also came with a slightly higher quality intake strainer, which was nice both to get a new and perhaps better one, and to have the old one for backup.

As for the voltage, the pump I received was labelled for 15A fuse with a stated maximum draw of 11.5A. So the existing wiring and fuse were fine.

 

[Wee Venture]

As for the voltage, the pump I received was labelled for 15A fuse with a stated maximum draw of 11.5A. So the existing wiring and fuse were fine.

My bad. Not on the boat now to check it but either I have a different Johnson Flow Master pump, or I consulted the wrong data sheet. Thanks for setting me straight!

John