So last night our bilge pump started going on every thirty seconds. We looked and there was a continuous stream of salt water entering our bilge. We spent 3 hours ripping apart our boat and it mysteriously stopped.
This morning it started again, and we pulled apart the boat and this is what we found. The bilge pump goes to a 5' hose, then to a check valve, then to a loop well above water level, then back down below waterline to a non-closable through-hull. On the top of the loop there is a 1/4" hose that leads right back to our bilge, below waterline. The water is coming through the vent hose that leads back to our bilge.
I'm assuming that at some point there was a standard air vent on the top of the vented loop. Perhaps when the boat was heeling and the rail was in the water, the vent spurted water, so someone put a hose on it to drain it to the bilge. It looks like our check-valve needs replacing too. At this point, it looks like we're creating a siphon at random times as opposed to breaking it.
Based on what you've read here, what are your thoughts on the proper way to have the bilge line hooked up? We're still taking water in and need to replace it ASAP.
This morning it started again, and we pulled apart the boat and this is what we found. The bilge pump goes to a 5' hose, then to a check valve, then to a loop well above water level, then back down below waterline to a non-closable through-hull. On the top of the loop there is a 1/4" hose that leads right back to our bilge, below waterline. The water is coming through the vent hose that leads back to our bilge.
I'm assuming that at some point there was a standard air vent on the top of the vented loop. Perhaps when the boat was heeling and the rail was in the water, the vent spurted water, so someone put a hose on it to drain it to the bilge. It looks like our check-valve needs replacing too. At this point, it looks like we're creating a siphon at random times as opposed to breaking it.
Based on what you've read here, what are your thoughts on the proper way to have the bilge line hooked up? We're still taking water in and need to replace it ASAP.