Anyone ever run an electric circulating water pump?? Curious as I have closed cooling and need a circ. pump, but would like to free up a few hp from the drag on the belt system?
Just ordered a replacement Mercruiser circ. pump but for about $50 more I could get an electric pump.
Thanks, Chris

The elec pump will not free up any hp. The alternator will simply be working harder. With the inefficiency of converting mechanical energy to electrical energy then back to mechanical, you will probably wind up loosing hp.
If you are drag racing and only run the eng for short periods, you can run off the batt only and free up some hp.

Interesting... I didnt know there was additional drag on an alternator when it is charging the system even more!?

Don't sweat the thought. You won't feel the difference..ie: it won't move the Speedo any further.

Alternators may use just a few hp from drag and a few hp if charging a decent load......water pump (recirculating) under 10hp at high rpm.

Drag car fighting with rules and for every hp, different story. But still very small change.

Look up Alternator draw on the net, you'll find electrical loads vs hp used to make it.

I've dyno'd many different engines including one marine engine fully rigged with bravo raw water pump and water going thru complete exhaust. Result....again...don't sweat it.

My IMHO with what I've seen, Stay with reliability and ease of rigging, again, since hp difference is so minimal.

Thanks for the info.... main reason i was thinking about it was the small amt of hp AND the consistent flow not depending on RPM...
I already ordered a Merc Circ pump anyway... And after the shipping costs I dont think itd be worth shipping it back and lose shipping costs both ways

Just for arguments sake, whats everyone thoughts on the consistent flow subject?

also a drag car is only really creating engine heat for 6 to 15 seconds. rest of time at essentially idle where a small elec pump can cool it. we are at 1/2 throttle or more all the time. the only other engines with this kind of duty cycle are airplanes and big trucks. even your f350 towing your boat down the highway isn't running that hard...till you go up a hill.

Makes sense dereknkathy.... Wonder what the flow rate of a Merc Circ. pump is vs. the 35gpm Proform electric pump i was looking at.... Im sure at idle when the voltage drops, the pump doesnt flow that full 35gpm either

the faster your crank is turning, the more coolant flow your engine needs. the "the coolant is flowing thru motor too fast to absorb heat from the engine" theory is plain wrong.

Lol - Cant tell you how many times Ive heard that... never bought into it

Figured that same fast consistent flow from aelec pump at idle would be a good thing... but it has other drawbacks pointed out above

Other advantage, you can run the pump with engine off. Sometimes can be very helpful when you have a short rest between rounds and a smaller/lighterweight (coolant included) radiator.