Bilge pump question

[bottleinamessage]

I'm curious. When I bought my 1991 SO 42.1, I was surprised (stunned actually) to find that the bilge pump had no float switch! It obviously was that way from the factory. You manually had to turn the pump on/off from the electrical panel. What if you weren't aboard??? On top of that, the pump was isolated by the grid/stringer system. Let me explain. Water coming from the engine or the stern area of the boat could/would flow to the pump. Water coming from the bow/salon/galley etc. areas would have to go over the floorboards to reach the pump. Not that it would have made much difference as the pump wasn't strong enough to lift the water to the discharge point.

I replaced the factory pump with a 3700 GPH Rule pump w/float switch and added a duplicate pump and switch over the keel utilizing a second, independant discharge hose.

Are your boats (especially the older, like mine, models) confiqured the same??

[Idiens]

Your new configuration sounds much more suitable. Watch out for failing float switches though, anything that takes a wire under the bilge water level is suspect in my view.

[TrueBlue]

With that point of view Idiens, then we should suspect bilge pumps to fail also.

[Waymar83]

Bottle,

In my Attalia (1983) the bilge is quite shallow to begin with so probably not quite the same magnitude as the 42 but it does have the one pump (which frankly looks aftermarket). It is automatic but there is a switch on the main panel which overrides (i.e turns it on and can turn it off, no matter how much water in the bilge).

[bottleinamessage]

Waymar: The way yours is wired is the same way mine is now.

My bilge is pretty shallow as well, about 8" at the deepest part.

[SanderO]

Shiva did not come with an electric bilge pump, but there was never any water in the bilges. It has a manual one in the engine bilge. I've added a big Gusher manual and a small electric one which cycles on every few minutes automatically... no float switch again in the engine bilge. All the water in the bilge has been from fresh water incidents like hoses coming loose on the water heater.

I recently put a Y valve on the deck wash pump with a garden hose connector which can pump water from anywhere in the boat... yet another bilge pump.

When I need them.. they probably won't work.

jef
sv shiva

[Idiens]

Originally Posted by TrueBlue

With that point of view Idiens, then we should suspect bilge pumps to fail also.

If the bilge water is allowed to get as high as the wiring entry into the pump - yes. This is especially true if there is any oil in the bilge water, as the oil can soften the insulation with time and allow water ingress. I have had two pump switches fail in the last 12 months due to this cause and have converted to air-pressure switches to avoid the problem.

[PBzeer]

bottle - have you thought about putting in some weep holes through the stringers so the isolated areas drain to the bilge?

[blt2ski]

My 85 arcadia, has one bilge pump, manually operated too. A true manual bildge pump above the keel. I think this one is shot! The elec pump is in an area just behind the motor, but in front of the shaft thru hole fitting, to from what I can tell, be able to pump out the most logical place that water will enter the boat.

I just had to replace this pump due to some fun things, dont have time to say at this time, but figured out later that an auto switch. May do that in this area in future.
Marty