bilge pump panel

[SAWDOC]

I intend fitting an electric bilge pump. I see plenty switch panels for sale comprising of a 3 way switch and a fuse all reasonably priced. I thought that it might be useful to have a switch panel with some means of indicating if the bilge pump had run in the last week or so since your last trip to the boat, perhaps a light that might come on or an hours run counter. Is this requirement sensible or OTT?

Thanks

 

[Martin_J]

If you want to spend £79, Celectron make a unit that will monitor up to 8 bilge pumps and record the number of times each has been activated.

I guess if you always have a dry bilge then you would notice immediately if water has come in and do something about it. Telltale signs being that the bilge pump would never remove it all....

I spent an extra £80 on a bigger pump instead - in the view that with a large number of 1.5" through hull fittings, I'd rather have a pump that was big enough to 'need' a 1.5" outlet hose! (Most pumps only had 1 1/8" outlet hoses).

 

[SAWDOC]

There is probably an argument for installing both a smaller capacity low level pump and a large capacity pump located at a higher level to deal with a major inflow.

 

[Martin_J]

That is also what I have but you'd not asked about that

I installed what I call a sacrificial, whale 500 supersub at the low level with a couple of Johnson 4000L pumps at a slightly higher level..

Note - the bigger the pump, the bigger the cables required!

 

[RobinBirch]

The Celectron bilge monitor is a neat bit of kit and a DIY fit. Cheaper on Ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BilgeWatc...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item2a1dea4702

 

[rogerthebodger]

Make yourself a panels like this

 

[prv]

I thought that it might be useful to have a switch panel with some means of indicating if the bilge pump had run in the last week or so since your last trip to the boat, perhaps a light that might come on or an hours run counter. Is this requirement sensible or OTT?

Certainly it's not completely off the wall. I thought much the same when I made my new panel; a 12v hour-counter wired up with the float switch. Then I scaled that back to just a pre-wired socket (using a 3.5mm headphone jack) which I'd plug a portable counter into if I thought there was a problem. Then I realised that in that case I might as well just croc-clip it to the relevant connections and no need for a pre-prepared socket.

I'd suggest it only really makes sense if your boat routinely leaks a little, and you want to detect if it's started leaking a lot. Otherwise, since no bilge pump will render the bilge completely dry, you'll be able to see if water's been getting in to a normally dry boat.

Pete

 

[SAWDOC]

Thanks for the useful comments. The 12 V hour counter seems to be an inexpensive alternative to the bilge monitor so I'm inclined to try that.