24V shower sump: suggestions

MapisM

MapisM

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As per title, I need one of those small boxes with a pump inside.
Not going to use it for shower(s), so capacity is not an issue - rather the opposite, the smaller the better.
I'd rather fit something which doesn't need to be replaced every other month, though...

A bit of googling pointed me to some stuff branded by Rule, Whale, Attwood.
But I'm saying branded because all of them pretty much give the impression of stuff whose selling price is probably worth a dozen of the same things, if bought on Alibaba.... :ambivalence:

Any experiences/suggestions? TIA!
 
Thanks Porto.
Do you possibly remember what were the other unreliable thingies, just to steer clear of them in case I couldn't source the Attwood one, which seems more popular is US websites?
Coming to think of it, I even wonder how Amati found them, back in the days...! :)
 
MapisM said:
Thanks Porto.
Do you possibly remember what were the other unreliable thingies, just to steer clear of them in case I couldn't source the Attwood one, which seems more popular is US websites?
Coming to think of it, I even wonder how Amati found them, back in the days...! :)
Click to expand...
the fail item is mostly the float switch. It seems as though these have all become poor quality in recent years. It seems they are made in china for $1 and merely badged as Rule, Atwood etc. It might be driven by regulation on use of Hg, but I don't know. Anyway if you have one 10 yrs old it will last well, whereas if you have one 10 weeks old take care. I have changed most of my float switches for solid state and also fitted 2 wired in parallel in every sump location.
 
That's precisely my sensation either.
I had some floating switches on the previous boat which were still the factory installed ones, and working as they should after 20+ years.
The only one which I had to replace already failed twice in 4 or 5 years - can't remember exactly.
You are optimistic in envisaging that it has to see with the dangers of mercury... For some reason, I suspect that the PRC builder(s) just became sophisticated enough to make them last just as much as the duration of their warranty! :ambivalence:

Do you have a specific suggestion for the solid state ones you are using?
 
P, how about telling us what's that for?

I have a 16lt whale shower box with internal solidstate sensor thingy and a gulper 220 or something like that diaphragm pump OUTSIDE, not had a problem yet, and v.happy about it. Just once removed the lid and cleaned with a piece of paper the shoapy residue from the sensor (to be safe, it was working!)

bilge floating switches I have bought a few waterwitch (IIRC) solid state black boxes, 24V and they are fine.
one pump is a sahara with integrated floatswitch, still works 4yrs on.

cheers

V
 
Yup I am using waterwitches and so far so good.
Definitely do not use the whale solid state "Hall effect" switch. This is £50 of rubbish. Lasts 6 months. Makes PRC float switches look good. I have only one, and it got changed 4-5 times under wty until I fitted an alternative.
 
jfm said:
Yup I am using waterwitches and so far so good.
Definitely do not use the whale solid state "Hall effect" switch. This is £50 of rubbish. Lasts 6 months. Makes PRC float switches look good. I have only one, and it got changed 4-5 times under wty until I fitted an alternative.
Click to expand...

J why you call it hall effect?
it's IIRC similar to the waterwitch, in having 2 metal round thingies on the side of its body.
I'd expect hall effect to mean something else with magnetic fields and such. Am I missing something?

For the record (and touch wood) it still works and IIRC it's over 5yrs now.

cheers

V.
 
If size isn't an issue than how about a lorry windscreen washer pump, reasonable flow rate and at 24 volts you can fit a remote switch and relay for durability and cheap as chips.
 
fwiw,
one of my float switches, switches a (fairly heavy) bilge pump and is engaged every now and then,
that FS failed a few times
I've replaced it with a "high current" version, and hopefully that will last longer,
it that one fails again, I will install a relay.
the FS 'es for the alarm (not much curent ) hardly ever fail.


in my shower water tank, I have one of these:

mounted at the top, detecting when its full,
In combination with a Timer and a solonoid for witching the pump,
this FS is still the same since I purchased the boat in 2011
 
MapisM said:
Thanks Porto.
Do you possibly remember what were the other unreliable thingies, just to steer clear of them in case I couldn't source the Attwood one, which seems more popular is US websites?
Coming to think of it, I even wonder how Amati found them, back in the days...! :)
Click to expand...

J is right these days re China or what ever they all went through a sticky patch re build Q .
Sunny had Rule early noughties vintage .
Gov,s in the EU are getting twitchy over mercury disposal - environment issues so I wouldn’t be surprised if the old Vs have been entangled in that for CE mark .
If buying new then like everyone you takes your pick - go for common stocked so,s its a doodle changing out re screw / pipe fittings similiar positions etc like for like
 
vas said:
P, how about telling us what's that for?
Click to expand...
I feared this question, 'cause it would be just for the outlet of a water softener which I' m installing.
Letting it go straight to the bilge would be much easier, with zero practical problems, so in a sense I' m looking for a solution to a problem I don't have.
But in principle, I don't like the idea of having that section of the bilge always wet, hence never knowing for sure if it's just the "normal" outlet or anything else...
 
MapisM said:
I feared this question, 'cause it would be just for the outlet of a water softener which I' m installing.
Letting it go straight to the bilge would be much easier, with zero practical problems, so in a sense I' m looking for a solution to a problem I don't have.
But in principle, I don't like the idea of having that section of the bilge always wet, hence never knowing for sure if it's just the "normal" outlet or anything else...
Click to expand...

Aaaaahhh.

Three words......

"First",
"World" &
"Problem"!
 
MapisM said:
I feared this question, 'cause it would be just for the outlet of a water softener which I' m installing.
Letting it go straight to the bilge would be much easier, with zero practical problems, so in a sense I' m looking for a solution to a problem I don't have.
But in principle, I don't like the idea of having that section of the bilge always wet, hence never knowing for sure if it's just the "normal" outlet or anything else...
Click to expand...

not familiar with how these things work, how much water is it dumping and how often?
Wouldn't it be easier to have an above waterline outlet and just let it do it's thing? or is the softener below waterline and releases the waste without any pressure?

I'd probably relocate the softener thing tbh than introducing yet another thing that will fail.

V.
 
vas said:
not familiar with how these things work, how much water is it dumping and how often?
Click to expand...
TBH I don't know V, the thing is completely new to me.
But according to its instructions, the outlet is supposed to be oriented downward, so I suppose there isn't a pump inside it capable of making any pressure.
Ref. location, I'm afraid it is indeed pretty low.
Actually, this ain't an installation requirement, but the place I found for it is perfect in several other ways, so I'd rather not change it… :)
 
vas said:
J why you call it hall effect?
it's IIRC similar to the waterwitch, in having 2 metal round thingies on the side of its body.
I'd expect hall effect to mean something else with magnetic fields and such. Am I missing something?

For the record (and touch wood) it still works and IIRC it's over 5yrs now.

cheers

V.
Click to expand...
I may be wrong with "Hall effect". This is the switch I'm saying do not buy. The many I have had all died open circuit at <1 year. https://www.whalepumps.com/marine/s...t-accessories-spares/180.68_v8_0616_sr_db.pdf
 
hm,

I should be keeping all my fingers crossed then J.!
I've got a 24V 30sec delay on the grey water tank for 4-5yrs with no probs...

cheers

V.
 
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