LittleSister
Well-Known Member
. . . to the point where it doesn't even do the job it's intended for.
Auto bilge pumps. Are they all crap nowadays
- Thread starter steveeasy
- Start date
. . . to the point where it doesn't even do the job it's intended for.
nibj
New Member
Maybe get a boat monitoring setup. I have one that signals via the marina WiFi. It transmits battery voltage and bilge pump usage amongst other things to the cloud. I can view graphs of usage at any time and I get an email if the bilge pump runs more than some user set number of times per day, The one I have is quite basic (by FloatHub) but works well.
Zing
Well-Known Member
Bilge pumps and their switches are universally awful as you suggest. I think someone who makes a never-fail product will clean the market out completely.
Tamar
Well-Known Member
I think it's to do with not pumping dirty bilge water in the sea.
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northwind
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately not a great business model, create reliable product and demand will decrease and then you go bust. Far better to have one that fails and needs replacing..
TSB240
Well-Known Member
My recent experience of a boat full of tonnes of salt water would suggest in an emergency the most reliable pump and effective built in water movers are the manual whale pumps.
They operate very well as they induce a good flow and a slight syphon effect and don't have pump protection filters.
The standard bilge pump and shower pumps operated for a very short time before their output was minimised by the blocking of the inline filters with floating debris and muddy silt contents from the sea bed.
If you want to shift large volumes of incoming water a salvage pump is essential unless you can bung the hole quickly. I did consider removing the engine cooling intake pipe and using engine as pump. It would have been impractical so fitting a tee and valve might be a good idea for an added alternative pump source providing engine power might outlast battery depletion in an offshore emergency.
The biggest problem with salvage pumps is priming.
Maintaining a good flow to it is essential as flow from limber holes is less than its ability to suck resulting in repriming etc.
Finally when you do get to a point where bilge pumps have stopped you will still find lots of places where water is stranded.
I have spent two days with a pela extractor removing over 150 litres of water from such cavities.
A clean bilge with no debris will help save your boat. Floating bedding will kill even a salvage pump.
They operate very well as they induce a good flow and a slight syphon effect and don't have pump protection filters.
The standard bilge pump and shower pumps operated for a very short time before their output was minimised by the blocking of the inline filters with floating debris and muddy silt contents from the sea bed.
If you want to shift large volumes of incoming water a salvage pump is essential unless you can bung the hole quickly. I did consider removing the engine cooling intake pipe and using engine as pump. It would have been impractical so fitting a tee and valve might be a good idea for an added alternative pump source providing engine power might outlast battery depletion in an offshore emergency.
The biggest problem with salvage pumps is priming.
Maintaining a good flow to it is essential as flow from limber holes is less than its ability to suck resulting in repriming etc.
Finally when you do get to a point where bilge pumps have stopped you will still find lots of places where water is stranded.
I have spent two days with a pela extractor removing over 150 litres of water from such cavities.
A clean bilge with no debris will help save your boat. Floating bedding will kill even a salvage pump.
Zing
Well-Known Member
Oh dear, and remind me which British Leyland division did you worked for before you lost your job?
sailoppopotamus
Well-Known Member
I've considered doing this but the flow rate doesn't warrant the complexity. My Yanmar 2GM20F will pump 12 litres/minute at cruising RPM. Perhaps it's a viable strategy for motorboats, or bigger sailboats, but in my case it just doesn't seem like it would make any sort of difference in an emergency.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
The age old Light Bulb myth !!
There's an old story that Phillips developed the never fail light bulb - then locked it away to prevent others gaining tech of it. BS story of course ... but still makes a good 'un when at a party.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Your toilet bowl is actually a very good pump .... with a bung and pipe rammed into the bottom ....
It's said that a panicking person with bucket can move water faster than a bilge pump !!
andsarkit
Well-Known Member
Has anyone tried a washing machine pressure switch for a bilge pump switch? Some years ago someone repackaged them and sold them in chandleries for bilge pumps. They seem to work quite reliably on washing machines and have the advantage that there is no contact with the dirty bilge water. I salvaged one from my last defunct washing machine and was going to give it a try.
DownWest
Well-Known Member
Driftin from duff electric pumps..
On a 'trawler' yacht from Hong Kong, both engines had whale belt driven clutched pumps. Incredibal amount of water shifted and at quite high pressure. 'Someone' left the Y valve in the wrong position and it extruded out the brass hose connection from the valve body, not to mention an awfull lot of water hosing about the engine room.
On a 'trawler' yacht from Hong Kong, both engines had whale belt driven clutched pumps. Incredibal amount of water shifted and at quite high pressure. 'Someone' left the Y valve in the wrong position and it extruded out the brass hose connection from the valve body, not to mention an awfull lot of water hosing about the engine room.
DownWest
Well-Known Member
That occured to me too, as they measure quite small differences in level. But, would they start pumping at the set level, then stop at a slightly lower one? Might need a delay system built in. Possible more reliable, as they last for years with daily use, and, in my experience, rarely the item that lets the machine down.Has anyone tried a washing machine pressure switch for a bilge pump switch? Some years ago someone repackaged them and sold them in chandleries for bilge pumps. They seem to work quite reliably on washing machines and have the advantage that there is no contact with the dirty bilge water. I salvaged one from my last defunct washing machine and was going to give it a try.
geem
Well-Known Member
Not if its 7 steps up in to the cockpit. Then you need to haul the bucket over the coming, then climb back down the 7 steps and start again. I suspect I Henderson mk5 can move more and save you the climb and risk of falling when slightly stressed
Plum
Well-Known Member
Yes. I've used an identical one to your picture to make a water level sensor and it has worked reliably for 7 years. Mine just triggers an alarm and red light but add a relay to switch a pump. Mine is mounted 600mm above the bilge so it never gets wet and is connected to a length of 13mm bore garden hose that goes down to the lowest place. It switches on when the water is 100mm deep which works well for me as a safety alarm. I expect the trigger level can be changed using those adjusting screws.Has anyone tried a washing machine pressure switch for a bilge pump switch? Some years ago someone repackaged them and sold them in chandleries for bilge pumps. They seem to work quite reliably on washing machines and have the advantage that there is no contact with the dirty bilge water. I salvaged one from my last defunct washing machine and was going to give it a try.
www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Refueler
Well-Known Member
Not if its 7 steps up in to the cockpit. Then you need to haul the bucket over the coming, then climb back down the 7 steps and start again. I suspect I Henderson mk5 can move more and save you the climb and risk of falling when slightly stressed
Its a SAYING .... not a statement ...