Auto bilge pump

[pyrojames]

Sadly in my experience ALL float switches seem to unreliable to a greater or lesser degree. Worst culprit by far has been the WHALE solid-state switch which failed miserably last year and resulted in considerable internal water damage to the yacht when I was unable to check it for several months. (the encapsulation potting of the switch had failed around the edges).

From my experience the solid state units work for about a month and then are totally useless. Never plan to by one ever again!

 

[prv]

From my experience the solid state units work for about a month and then are totally useless. Never plan to by one ever again!

I had the one that Salty John used to sell, in Kindred Spirit's bilge. That was a traditional narrow well about four feet deep (the switch was just dropped in on the end of its cable, no way of reaching down there to secure anything) and always with a certain amount of water swilling around from the packing gland. The switch worked fine for at least the three years we had the boat; I'd buy another except that John doesn't sell them any more (small American manufacturer reluctant to ship overseas apparently).

Pete

 

[BrianH]

From my experience the solid state units work for about a month and then are totally useless. Never plan to by one ever again!

I've had a Johnson Ultima installed for 8 years now, it has always worked perfectly. Prior to that, all the mechanical float switches - and I tried a few - were always problematical and rarely worked for long.

When I lay up I do not leave the pump enabled, preferring to have no electrical components live. I do close all outlets, except, of course, the cockpit drains but my boat is moored stern-to a fixed pier with bow lines to two substantial posts - if flooded she would be unlikely to sink but be suspended by the four mooring lines. Equally unlikely to reach that point as marineros patrol every hour, even at night, adjusting lines and checking for just that possibility.

 

[ghostlymoron]

After further research, a drop appears to be 0.05ml so not so much cause for concern.

1 ml is a very big drip!

The trouble is, this time of year it doesn't take too many ml to make the air in your boat 100% humidity, then it's a short road to condensation and MAB syndrome.
But with good ventilation it probably evaporates before even reaching the bilge?

The worst thing to truly sort out seems to be rain running down the inside of keel stepped masts.
I sealed mine at the bottom and drained the water out every week or two, rather than have it running into the bilge.
There must be a better answer to this?

 

[fisherman]

One problem with a bilge switch, if it runs the pump there is a large current through it, exasperating any damp or integral faults. It seems a little smug when I have a (reed) switch that did twenty years since I had the boat and some time before that, but that's mostly because it only runs the alarm. So I would reiterate my solution, having a low current switch in the bilge (with the neg running through it) and a relay to the pump, or a mechanical system, ie float, riser, switch at the top to run a pump. One chap just tacked a tube to a bulkhead, had a stiff wire running up and down in it, lump of cork at the bottom, switch at the top.
A careless fisherman left some loose wires in the bilge, 12v floating round for some time, and lost the heads off the copper rivets, don't know if that was the cause, might have been lack of anodes also, knowing him.

 

[Minchsailor]

When I was looking for a new boat a couple of years ago I was surprised of the number that I looked at (ashore) with the bilges half full of water. These were not 'project' boats, but in the price range £55-80K. I walked away from them.

 

[chrishelen]

I installed an auto switch in my boat for the passenger code,and the surveyor insisted I put a sign next to it which says 'do not leave in auto mode' rather defeats the object I would have thought.