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My Whale Flipper pump

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T O P I C R E V I E W
Voyager	Posted - 06/10/2020 : 21:05:10 I have a Whale Flipper manual pump in the head sink and it used to work pretty much. I�d flip the handle and water would flow into the sink. Basic stuff. I mostly used it to wash hands but once the water holding tank turned into an algae science experiment, I decided to drain the holding tank and bleach it out. I did this a few years back and stopped using it. So today I got a brilliant idea, why not just put a half gallon jug of fresh water in the cupboard underneath the sink and run the hose into it? If the jug ever started to get gamey, I could simply rinse it out and refill it. I could easily use the pump handle to wash hands or clean up other messes. But, NOOOO! Now the rubber components dried up and shrank! Now it won�t pump! Now I need to refurbish the pump�s rubber components. Well, West Marine to the rescue, for only $31.99 plus tax and shipping I can get a rebuild kit. Of course I cannot just buy it at my local WM store. Has anybody ever reconditioned their old Whale Pump? Is it worth it? I could get another kind of pump, but it would not be so custom made ... It�s a pity I can�t just apply some kind of silicone or petroleum jelly to the rubber to revitalize it. That would be too easy.
5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
sethp001	Posted - 06/12/2020 : 19:01:53 The bleach shock treatments likely dried out the rubber components. Burnout competition competitors spray their tires with bleach to dry them out. I think that's why boat shoe soles dry out too, if you clean the deck with bleach in your boat shoes. Scott's bleach concentration isn't high enough to eat rubber. There's a bleach burnout video at this link: https://whichsailboat.com/2016/05/17/why-sperry-and-other-boat-shoe-soles-harden-dry-out-and-get-slick/
Voyager	Posted - 06/11/2020 : 16:30:06 Scott, The damage was done some time ago when the tank and the hoses all turned green after a season of use. I pulled out the tank and cleaned it up, then replaced all the clear rubber hoses. Left it dry over the winter, then did exactly what you did come the spring. By the end of the summer there was another explosion of algae. It could be the minerals and chemical composition of Bridgeport CT�s water supply. I notice a pink ring of algae if the water sits in the guest room toilet for a week or so. We have some mineral deposits and slightly acidic water. I know LI�s water is mainly from an acquifer so may be more alkaline than ours. Good catch on the Vaseline. I found that after treatment, it began pumping again, even though I have the replacement parts on order. I noticed a lot of oily goop in the water when I pumped it, so I cracked open the pump and wiped it out with a paper towel to get most of the grease out. Then I reassembled it and pumped fresh water with Dawn dishwashing detergent through the system. This may remove a great deal of petroleum grease. Quite a bit of soap suds and more gunk came out. Afterwards, the water ran much clearer. I�ll keep an eye on the performance, and if I find any black rubber particles, I�ll know what happened. I�ve got a silicone lubricating spray that I can run through the pump to keep it going. I�ll get some plumbers grease when I replace the interior parts.
islander	Posted - 06/11/2020 : 10:04:55 I don't understand why your tank water is going bad. I do the same by adding a cup of sweet smelling bleach at the beginning of the year and again if it needs a refill. My wife has the nose of a bloodhound so if it went sour she would know. My tank has an access port on the top that I leave open over the winter to air dry. Not sure if it was added by my PO or came standard. Maybe that has something to do with it not getting any musty smells. quote: I also greased it up with some Vaseline to smooth out and lubricate the surfaces. Not such a good idea. You do not want to use Vaseline on your rubber gaskets/O rings. The petroleum-based jelly eats away the rubber, causing the rubber to stretch, or tear sooner than normal. The preferred lube is a Teflon or Silicone base to keep the rubber soft and supple. Plumbers grease or Faucet grease. @4 bucks at HD.
Voyager	Posted - 06/11/2020 : 08:27:17 Yes Dave, The water tank battle was hopeless for me. I could have removed it and used the area as storage but for someday resale value I did not take it out. I did try using it for washing back in the day but the water quality always went bad quickly even with bleach. I currently use a 2 quart jug to wash in the head sink. It�s very clumsy, so why not just put it under the sink and use the pump? It should just work. The silicone spray is a good idea. I noticed quite a bit of calcium deposits inside the pump body. I removed it all with a damp rag. I also greased it up with some Vaseline to smooth out and lubricate the surfaces. Parts are ordered, coming in a few days
Stinkpotter	Posted - 06/11/2020 : 07:01:53 Maybe apply a little silicone grease as you do the rebuild, as a preventative? Do you put some bleach in your water tank? Mine stays fresh all year, although my sink smells a little like a swimming pool. I never drink from that supply. (BTW, a "holding tank" is a whole different animal at the other end of the "food chain." )

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.