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Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
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Author:  RD-Panama [ Wed Apr 20, 2016 8:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
The problem with keeping the V275 on a lift is that each time the boat is lifted out of the water the generator and the air conditioner both drain their raw water strainers and loose their prime. To prevent this you either have to close the seacock before you lift the boat out, or you have to open the strainer once you float the boat again. Neither of these is a particularly enjoyable task as the engine room hatch must be opened and you have to crawl around in the engine room to reach everything. Has anyone come up with an elegant solution to this annoyance?
Author:  deafwish [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 2:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
If it's a conventional water pump with impeller & cam, it should not lose it's prime as it's sealed.
Why is this an issue? This is no different to every trailer boat out there...
Author:  TFD2001 [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 6:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
Yea, I've only had to manually prime my boat once after it's been out of the water (generator or air). That's even after having the strainer opened up? Seems to me, like you have something else going on, or not sealed up like it should be?
Author:  TheDanceII [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 6:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
My last boat that I trailered required me to run the boat on plane for a minute or so to begin picking up water.
The forward movement would push the water up into the system enough to begin picking up water.
Was no big deal for me.

My suggestion, don't worry about closing or doing anything. Just run the boat. It may even be enough just idling forward in the marina area to start the flow.
Author:  RD-Panama [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 8:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
Maybe this is a good option?
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Author:  Surface Interval [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
Wouldn't be a bad idea if you plan to run the generator or A/C while under way.
Author:  alex8q4 [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 6:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
Lengthen your pick up line to add an s bend, similar to a P trap on a sink drain. This would prevent the entire line from draining. The other alternative is to install a foot valve / back flow preventer.
Author:  Lakebum [ Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
You can prime the ac by just placing a running water hose against the through hull fitting and let it run for about 30-45 sec. then turn on the ac and it should be spitting water again. might have to try it a few times, but it works every time we pull the boat out of the water.
Generator is a different story. Mine would always self prime.
good luck.
Author:  Flyer51 [ Fri Apr 22, 2016 5:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
My boat is on a lift all week. I found a really easy way to prime the AC if you can access the discharge easily. I simply turn the AC on and I have a cheepo plunger from the hardware store. The kind that has the wrinkled walls similar to your bellows. I push it against the boat and slide it across the discharge and pull creating a suction. The AC starts right up. You can buy a small one that takes up very little room and costs less than $3. I had a picture of it but can't find it now.

My generator has never needed primed that I can recall. Normally driving it on the way out is enough to keep the prime and of course we never use it in the slip.
Author:  Flyer51 [ Fri Apr 22, 2016 5:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
My boat is on a lift all week. I found a really easy way to prime the AC if you can access the discharge easily. I simply turn the AC on and I have a cheepo plunger from the hardware store. The kind that has the wrinkled walls similar to your bellows. I push it against the boat and slide it across the discharge and pull creating a suction. The AC starts right up. You can buy a small one that takes up very little room and costs less than $3. I had a picture of it but can't find it now.

My generator has never needed primed that I can recall. Normally driving it on the way out is enough to keep the prime and of course we never use it in the slip.
Author:  GI Auz [ Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
my generator always self-primes.
My A/C does 90% of the time.
Author:  RD-Panama [ Sun May 01, 2016 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I tried all of them except the plunger, which I also thought was a good idea but did not make it to the hardware store. Nothing worked, I could not get the pump to prime up again. My pump is labeled as a Dometic model 336185 which turns out to be manufactured by March Pumps and the March model number is LC-3CP-MD-115. I downloaded the March owners manual and installation manual and that is when I discovered the problem. My pump is mounted 12 inches above the raw water strainer. The installation manual is clear that this pump cannot self prime and the suction inlet must be flooded. How can Four Winns not know that? Please do me a favor and let me know if your pump is installed with a flooded inlet, or even better post a photo of your pump installation relative to the raw water strainer. Thanks, RD
Author:  Mrdino [ Fri Sep 02, 2016 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
RD-Panama wrote:
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I tried all of them except the plunger, which I also thought was a good idea but did not make it to the hardware store. Nothing worked, I could not get the pump to prime up again. My pump is labeled as a Dometic model 336185 which turns out to be manufactured by March Pumps and the March model number is LC-3CP-MD-115. I downloaded the March owners manual and installation manual and that is when I discovered the problem. My pump is mounted 12 inches above the raw water strainer. The installation manual is clear that this pump cannot self prime and the suction inlet must be flooded. How can Four Winns not know that? Please do me a favor and let me know if your pump is installed with a flooded inlet, or even better post a photo of your pump installation relative to the raw water strainer. Thanks, RD



Not sure if this is still an issue for you but I bought a mini plunger from amazon and it worked great. 3 pumps on the AC water out thru hull and the AC system fired right up spitting water. Got to love a $10 solution and minimal effort to solve a problem !!
Author:  Flyer51 [ Fri Sep 02, 2016 9:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Question for those that keep their Vista on a lift
Mrdino wrote:
Not sure if this is still an issue for you but I bought a mini plunger from amazon and it worked great. 3 pumps on the AC water out thru hull and the AC system fired right up spitting water. Got to love a $10 solution and minimal effort to solve a problem !!


I think these are less than $5 at Menard's and I use it every week on the AC. Really I only need it when we first get to the lake and I leave the boat on the "step" which means I lower the boat into the water but it is still supported by the lift. Once you go out and get under way the water forces itself into the both the AC and generator intakes. I've never had to prime my generator but then I only use it after I've been under way. This works great by the way. I compress it and slide it across the outlet and it's primed. Takes about 2 seconds.

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