Bilge Pump Switch Water Witch 257 or Rule 40A float?

[Yellow Ballad]

I've just had delivered a Rule 3700 pump (go big or go home) but I need a switch, obviously I need one that will cope with the size of pump. Has anyone got any experience of either of the above? I like the thought of the solidstate Water Witch but they're not so easy to come buy over here, but are the float switches really as bad as made out? Are the larger Rule jobbies any better?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Spuddy]

Coincidentally a chum was just telling me of plan to switch to a float switch. When the current solid state one gets algae etc around it it assumes it's wet and keeps pumping; easy to install but needs the gunge wiping off from time to time

 

[Martin_J]

I had similar questions when adding a Johnson 4000 pump that needed a 20A max supply.

I installed a Johnson Ultima bilge pump switch. Rated up to 20A.

In the past five years I don't recall it ever switching on unnecessarily and I it seems to pass testing with fingers across the switch face.

I use the Rule 3 way switch (also 20A) on the switch panel to switch it to Auto or manually test it..

https://www.force4.co.uk/rule-3-way-lit-rocker-switch-12v.html

 

[Martin_J]

Just re-read the thread title.. Mentions the Rule 40A switch..

It switches a maximum current 20 Amps..

Could be rather confusing..

 

[Martin_J]

Wow..

I just read an old similar thread where I responded about the Ultima switch.

It was in 2011 when I said I'd installed it two years earlier...

Looks like it's been powered up for the past nine years

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?239276-Johnson-Ultima-auto-bilge-pump-switch-failure-(again)

 

[Yellow Ballad]

Hi Martin, thanks for that I'll have a look at the Ultima switch, looks like It'll be about half the price of the water witch.

Sorry yes the 40a is the part number, max current 20 amps, as for switches I'm all sorted on that front.