Automatic bilge pump advice please

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Mike k

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in 10 years I have used the auto bilge pump once to clear a build up of drips from gland packing( now resolved) . Its a Johnson heavy duty 1600 with a separate water sensing mechanism mounted alongside it. At that time ( 4 years ago) it worked fine both auto and manual . Not really thought about it for years but a few weeks ago I tested the manual switch and it lit up, bit no pump action. I then decided to test the auto function by flooding the bilge and again the auto light lit up at the switch but again no pump motor action. The sensor must be working for the light to come on at the switch and am guessing the fuse is ok. The problem is, it is well down under the engine and cant even touch it by hand. Any suggestions as to the cause of the problem? Wondering whether to get a new one and drop it down with some form of adhesive putty to fix it to the bilge floor( GRP) as its impossible to use screws because of the depth. If I went for a new one is it feasible to stick it down?
 
If it's only been used once in 10 years it's probably seized through inaction, or maybe a lead has corroded through. Can you not haul it out with the hose for inspection or is it fixed down under the engine?
 
I have a not dissimilar problem, except that in my case the fuse blows.
The hose is obviously a large diameter and has become hard over the years so hauling it up by the pipe won't work as the pipe won't bend!
I've decided that the only way to pull it up is to cut the pipe at a convenient point, then try to haul it up by the pipe, hoping that the pump isn't attached too firmly to the hull!
If it won't shift, the only answer that I can see is to lower in a new pump by a new hose tail to another point in the bilge. As for fixing it in place I am stumped, all I can think of is to mount it on a lead plate before lowering it.
 
You don't have to have a pump mounted at a low point. There are plenty of pumps available that can be mounted above the bilge level and a loose inlet pipe with a heavy bronze strum box mounted on the end is simply lowered into the bilge. Obviously the float switch has to be down there but if that is working fine then problem solved. This is the arrangement I have in my boat because the bilge in the keel is too narrow to mount a high capacity pump, and I would prefer my electric pump to be above the splash zone and easier to maintain.
 
Part of my monthly checks are operate the bilge pump by the float, checking float works, lights and alarms come on and the pump sounds like it is running.
I only run for a second as I like to keep the bilges dry.
Nice to know it works and helps seizing due to lack of use
 
salar said:
You don't have to have a pump mounted at a low point. There are plenty of pumps available that can be mounted above the bilge level and a loose inlet pipe with a heavy bronze strum box mounted on the end is simply lowered into the bilge. Obviously the float switch has to be down there but if that is working fine then problem solved. This is the arrangement I have in my boat because the bilge in the keel is too narrow to mount a high capacity pump, and I would prefer my electric pump to be above the splash zone and easier to maintain.
Click to expand...
Good point, it's another option to consider. (y)
 
Cleaned the bilge bottom thoroughly finally using cellulose thinners.
Mounted my new bilge pump on a thin wooden block with S/S screws .
Applied a liberal amount of CT1 to bottom of wood block and stuck it to bilge base.
Its still there .
The previous pump, one of those automatic low profile types made by a very reputable company , worked manually but would not pump automatically .
Only found out when cleaning the bilges and flooded them to confirm auto pumping was working.
As pump worked manually assumed it was working automatically.
On inspection the pump body had melted. and become deformed presumably disabling the float switch.
Have now one of the more conventional auto pumps.
 
oldgit said:
Cleaned the bilge bottom thoroughly finally using cellulose thinners.
Mounted my new bilge pump on a thin wooden block with S/S screws .
Applied a liberal amount of CT1 to bottom of wood block and stuck it to bilge base.
Its still there .
The previous pump, one of those automatic low profile types made by a very reputable company , worked manually but would not pump automatically .
Only found out when cleaning the bilges and flooded them to confirm auto pumping was working.
As pump worked manually assumed it was working automatically.
On inspection the pump body had melted. and become deformed presumably disabling the float switch.
Have now one of the more conventional auto pumps.
Click to expand...
Don’t do auto pump. Very difficult to test without filling up the bilge
 
thanks for replies some really interesting stuff. Salar could you name a few of those pumps you referenced.My problem with the float that works is I cant get at it to transfer the wirng.Maybe there is a float that can be lowered too?
 
oldgit said:
Cleaned the bilge bottom thoroughly finally using cellulose thinners.
Mounted my new bilge pump on a thin wooden block with S/S screws .
Applied a liberal amount of CT1 to bottom of wood block and stuck it to bilge base.
Its still there .
The previous pump, one of those automatic low profile types made by a very reputable company , worked manually but would not pump automatically .
Only found out when cleaning the bilges and flooded them to confirm auto pumping was working.
As pump worked manually assumed it was working automatically.
On inspection the pump body had melted. and become deformed presumably disabling the float switch.
Have now one of the more conventional auto pumps.
Click to expand...
can you just use CTI direct to base of housing without the need for wood?
 
Rocksteadee said:
Don’t do auto pump. Very difficult to test without filling up the bilge
Click to expand...

?????

Turn pump upside down ... tested. Or just use the little knob on the end of pump that pivots the actual float to test.

I have cheap Seaflo pumps with integral float switch / filters base mounts. One is in my main boats bilge, with Auto - Off - ON switch from domestic battery ... and other is my mobo with a solar panel / 7A/hr SLA to power it.

Mounting of these can be easily done by silicon / Sikaflex smeared on bottom of filter base ... put in place ... pump / switch combo then clips into the filter base.
 
You could consider moving the auto bilge pump away from the engine.
It's not good to pump out oily water and can result in a large fine.
Also the pump becomes just another thing that makes cleaning under the engine difficult.

Our bilge pump is held down with a couple of machine screws screwed through a sheet of grp (circuit board scrap!) then epoxied to the inside of the hull with the screws sticking up. Wingnuts hold the pump down.
 
Refueler said:
Turn pump upside down ... tested. Or just use the little knob on the end of pump that pivots the actual float to test.
Click to expand...

Pumps are often not easily accessible or require unclipping from base and loosening pipe to turn to test. If there is a twist or lift to test knob, brilliant. However not all have this test facility.
If the float breaks on an auto pump, £100+ to replace but seperate float £15 (I have this at the moment, pump still works run from a stand-alone float.
I can see the the merit in a combined auto as less fixings, less wiring. Especially in a hard to reach area.
Horses for courses
 
Mike k said:
Maybe there is a float that can be lowered too?
Click to expand...

Have a look at the Whale Bilge IC system - a Gulper pump connected to a strum box with a sensor which triggers the pump. It's all solid-state, no floats to jam. You could lower the strum box into the bilge and fit the pump in a more accessible place. It's very clever stuff; I have a similar Whale system on my shower tray and it works flawlessly.

Whale Marine - Products
 
I went away from electrics in the bilge and replaced all my bilge and shower pump switches with one of these

1592069675961.jpeg

Or you could use a washing machine water level switch.
 
Rocksteadee said:
Pumps are often not easily accessible or require unclipping from base and loosening pipe to turn to test. If there is a twist or lift to test knob, brilliant. However not all have this test facility.
If the float breaks on an auto pump, £100+ to replace but seperate float £15 (I have this at the moment, pump still works run from a stand-alone float.
I can see the the merit in a combined auto as less fixings, less wiring. Especially in a hard to reach area.
Horses for courses
Click to expand...

£100+ to replace ????? a bilge pump ????? What is it gold plated ?

My auto pumps are complete .... £19 with free delivery .... AND fitted with knob to flip the float to test

12V 1100GPH Automatic Submersible Bilge Pump Fully Auto Float Switch Internal | eBay

s-l200.jpg


Of course you will probably snear at it because its chinese ... but having had a Brand name same design and a chinese one as above frozen one winter ... it ruins them !! I broke them open to see if I could fix ... they were IDENTICAL ... but the chinese one was less than half the price.
 
When a friend started buying computers from china h asked "what name is and the computer" He was asked "what name do you want on the computer"
 
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