Bilge Pump Swiches - reliability

I recall using a pressure switch from a washing machine, it was a project while doing marine engineering
found it worked well once the correct re pipe size / surface area to actuate the switch was attained

cheers
mick
 
Tried Jabsco tilt switch, not good.

Tried waterwitch, 1st one did not work after about three month, replacement was ok but was not happy with it as sometime did not trigger pump..

Fitted a Whale Supersub Smart 650 Auto Bilge Pump. no problems, very reliable.
 
We have a Whale super sub 650......it was the only thing we wanted to keep when we sold our last boat it is that good. Can't praise them highly enough!
No moving switch parts, works if mucky with oil and bilge **** and a slim design to fit out of the way....
 
I've had 2 of those field effect switches, that exact model, on two different new boats. Both failed within a year.

Mind you, the bog standard Rule/Whale float switches are also pretty unreliable.

I've yet to find a really reliable switch, and therefore I always use two wired in parallel
 
jfm said:
I've had 2 of those field effect switches, that exact model, on two different new boats. Both failed within a year.

Mind you, the bog standard Rule/Whale float switches are also pretty unreliable.

I've yet to find a really reliable switch, and therefore I always use two wired in parallel
Click to expand...

Hadnt thought of two in parallel!! Always changing my shower outlet pump float switch!! will do that next time!
 
Any switch that puts wires under water is asking for failure. The air pressure switches keep the electrics clear. In any case, having two switches increases reliability. You do that after you find a lot of water in your boat and the float switch has failed to initiate the pump. (I know from bitter experience).
 
RAI said:
Any switch that puts wires under water is asking for failure. The air pressure switches keep the electrics clear. In any case, having two switches increases reliability. You do that after you find a lot of water in your boat and the float switch has failed to initiate the pump. (I know from bitter experience).
Click to expand...
People around here race leaky wooden dayboats, and have RIBs etc that fill with rain.
I think I have seen every type of bilge switch fail one way or another. Including air switches.
Having two switches increases the chance of the pump failing 'on' and either burning out through running dry or flattening the batteries.
If you have a boat where you expect the bilge to gain water, there is no substitute for human checking.
Auto switches are great and save a lot of effort in open boats, wooden boats etc, but I would never trust one absolutely as the only thing preventing the loss of the boat, or serious damage to engines etc.
We used to joke about leaving a mobile phone on top the cockpit sole and phoning it every few hours. When it doesn't answer, you need to go pump your boat!
These days there are GSM alarms that can phone you when a switch contact is made.
 
We used to hate some of the float switches which had very short wires, always giving trouble at the connectors. I've had the tube and pressure switch type, it was very good. I know someone who has a simple 4ft wire rod with a float on the bottom and a switch at the top, which also gives you a visual clue to water level. Another had the switch rigged to a rotating yellow beacon up the mast to alert harbour staff when not aboard.
 
Bilge pump switches are in my experience always unreliable: am on my third (3 different types) on a nine year old boat, that virtually never has the bilge pump run, as it doesn't leak significantly. Usually the pump is only run if I take out the log impeller or deliberately wash out the bilges with fresh water.

At least they are better than lifebuoy lights, which are not just plain unreliable but reliably extremely unreliable.
 
jwilson said:
Bilge pump switches are in my experience always unreliable: am on my third (3 different types) on a nine year old boat, that virtually never has the bilge pump run, as it doesn't leak significantly. Usually the pump is only run if I take out the log impeller or deliberately wash out the bilges with fresh water.

At least they are better than lifebuoy lights, which are not just plain unreliable but reliably extremely unreliable.
Click to expand...

Some lifebuoy lights seem to be just short of 'actually broken', others seem keen to work when not needed.

I have some professional experience of solid state seawater activated switches, we had more grief stopping then coming on due to damp and dirt than making them work when wanted.

I still think that for a modern yacht, if it takes more than 20 seconds with a j cloth to dry the bilge in normal use, you need to fix the leaks instead of mucking about with the pumps.

I do know people who have nearly got into severe trouble due to auto bilge pumps pumping oily water into the harbour. A lot of places are rightly quite fierce about this now.
 
After having the DOA one replaced the second managed 8 months. It now turns on but will not turn off.

Anybody come across this problem with the I've tried cleaning it.
 
I can see the benefit of an automatic pump for an open boat, but for a modern decked yacht, no.
If I really need to pump the bilges, I just switch the pump on. Quite simple, really.
 
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