500-gph-ac-circulation-pump-march-pumps

Our goal is to educate you about the purpose and function of many of the boat and marine parts required to keep your boat running smoothly. Whether you're a veteran seaman or a novice, one thing you all know is that a boat comes equipped with hundreds of moving parts.

No one person can know everything there is to know about the proper functioning of every boat part. That's why we've tapped the collective wisdom of our long-time technical experts to share their knowledge and expertise.

What You Need to Know About the 500 GPH Air Conditioning Circulation Pump

The 500 GPH circulating pump by March Pump is used almost exclusively for marine air conditioning. It pumps lake water through the condensing coil found on the air conditioning unit. The pump is also water-cooled. This means that some of the pumped water is actually circulated through the electric motor housing to cool it.

This is a Coast Guard approved pump and ignition protected for gasoline bilges. It’s a centrifugal pump and must be installed below the water line to work properly. The pump body needs to be flooded with water in order for it to create a pumping action. It doesn’t have that suction ability when it begins to turn; it has to be completely full of liquid prior to pumping.

Service parts for the pump are available including complete "Wet End" kits. This pump is used by a number of different air conditioner manufacturers such as Marine Air, Cruise Air (now Dometic) and Webasto and has a large presence in the marine market. It’s a well-made pump with a long life expectancy unless it's not drained in the winter where temperatures drop below freezing.

When people do drain the pump while winterizing, they can sometimes break the housing while trying to remove the hose connections but these are available as a service part.

The pump can fail if it runs dry for extended periods. The heat will build up in the pump, causing the plastic to melt. Because the motor is water-cooled, lack of water can also cause it to overheat and eventually fail.

Marine Parts Troubleshooters On Call

Once a boat part has failed, it's obviously too late to repair it. When possible we've provided tips on simple ways to maintain a part to cut your cash outlay. We know you'd rather be on the water having fun than on the dock calling your marine mechanic.

That said, if you need help troubleshooting a system failure, give our technical experts a call at 866-388-0390. They'd be happy to steer you in the right direction.