4.3 Connecting Seawater to Heat Exchanger

  1. Connect seawater from installer supplied pump to ¾ in. (19 mm) hose barb on heat exchanger. Use the same practices as typical below waterline seawater plumbing (See figure below).  Required flow rate is 4 GPM (16 LPM) minimum and 8 GPM (30.3 LPM) maximum.
  2. Connect seawater return to overboard hull fitting.  Use the same practices as typical below waterline seawater plumbing.
  3. In addition to initial operation at dock, new Seakeeper installations should be checked with a flow meter for minimum 4 GPM (16 LPM) flow while vessel is at speed and when backing down. If no other method of confirming flow is available, discharge line may be temporarily diverted to a bucket. Flow is calculated from time to fill a known volume.  A self-priming sea water pump (customer/installer supplied) may be required due to installation location to maintain water flow in all underway conditions where cavitation near the intake may occur and potentially cause an air-lock condition restricting seawater flow to the heat exchanger.
    1. To prevent cavitation / aeration of the seawater intake a forward-facing scoop should be utilized. In addition, the seawater intake should be located in a location that will not aerate during normal underway operation.
  4. Inspect raw water plumbing after sea trial for any signs of leakage.
  5. Heat exchanger contains removable endcaps to provide access for cleaning the tube bundle.
Typical Seakeeper 18 Seawater Plumbing
Figure 27Seakeeper 18 Seawater Connections

Seakeeper Optional DC Seawater Pump (P/N 30322)

  1. Seakeeper offers a self-priming DC Seawater pump as an optional addition, P/N 30322– DC Seawater Pump Assembly, shown in figure below.
  2. The Seakeeper Seawater Pump is a 24 VDC pump.
  3. The pump assembly is pre-wired for connection to Seakeeper 18 Seawater Pump Output Cable and includes a seawater strainer and various fittings. The pump specifications are as follows:

NOTE: Use only Jabsco-provided threaded fittings for DC Seawater Pump 30322.

Volts24 VDC
Rated Flow6 GPM (22.7LPM)
Overcurrent Protection Rating10 A
Ignition ProtectionISO 8846
DC Seawater Pump (P/N 30322)