When purchasing a wash down system for marine vessels, you have to consider several factors. They are power, water usage, lighting, and operational costs.
- The first factor is the power of the system, which has two parts. The first part determines how much energy the system will require for a start-up, while the other part calculates how much energy it draws during operation. This requires an understanding of how much horsepower is necessary to operate the pump motor at start-up (start-up horsepower) and at what load (running horsepower) the pump runs to maintain flow through your required nozzles throughout its cycle time.
- The next factor to be considered is water usage. The amount of freshwater available onboard impacts the type of system to choose from since higher volumes of freshwater demand more powerful pumps.
- This leads directly into lighting as it is a consideration for wash down systems. Lighting allows operators to see where they are going and what needs to be cleaned during a wash down process; therefore, one should consider adding additional lighting to ensure the operator can access all vessel areas.
- The last factor to consider when purchasing wash down systems for marine vessels is operational costs. When considering this, it means different things depending on whether your boat runs on diesel fuel or gasoline because of their different characteristics, which impact the brands of water pumps that can be used. Diesel engines require a water pump designed to meet exposure to a kerosene base fluid, which means it must have a ceramic shaft and double mechanical seals. It must also meet fire-resistant requirements as well as corrosion resistance. If you run your boat on gasoline, you will need a water pump with metal or carbon/ceramic shafts, and a single mechanical seal since there are no fire-resistant fluid standards as diesel fuel standards.
The power needed to start the pump, the amount of freshwater available on board, lighting options during wash down cycles, and operational costs associated with running the pump should be considered when purchasing a wash down system.
