Bilge pump wire splice ?

[Boo2]

Hi,

I was looking at bilge pumps in the chandlers this afternoon and the length of wire plumbed in isn't going to be enough to allow me to put the splice above the likely level of the bilge water. Is there a prefered way of splicing cable so the splices can withstand salt water immersion for protracted periods ? Or is it imperative I find a different wire route from the currently existing one ?

Thanks,

Boo2

 

[sailorman]

Hi,

I was looking at blige pumps in the chandlers this afternoon and the length of wire plumbed in isn't going to be enough to allow me to put the splice above the likely level of the bilge water. Is there a prefered way of splicing cable so the splices can withstand salt water immersion for protracted periods ? Or is it imperative I find a different wire route from the currently existing one ?

Thanks,

Boo2

i have a diaphram pump in the lazerette & have one of Salty Johns solid state sensors in the bilge that in turn is controlled by a manual / auto position switch.
the pump is now 14 yrs old

 

[Tranona]

Spade connectors and heat shrink does the job, but more sophistcated in line connectors available from specialists such as Furneaux Riddell

 

[Barry Jones]

If required, you can usually buy a bilge pump with 6ft cable moulded to it, which should get you above the water level.

The join should be immersion-proof if you have to connect two cables.

Solid state switches are better than float switches in my opinion - choice of a few on Ebay.

 

[prv]

You can get connectors which consist of a heatshrink tube lined with glue at each end and a ring of solder in the middle. You put the wires in, then hit it with a hot-air gun (or a blowtorch if you don't have power, but it's very easy to overdo it that way, so make sure you have plenty of spares). The solder joins the wires, the heatshrink holds it all together and the glue seals it. I'd expect such joints to be pretty much impermeable although I don't have any that are routinely immersed. You could add an outer sleeve of glue-lined heatshrink for belt and braces if you wanted. Non-glue-lined sleeving adds mechanical protection and drip-resistance, but isn't waterproof in any meaningful sense.

Pete

 

[mitiempo]

A good crimp properly done with butt connectors and heatshrink added should be waterproof. When adding heatshrink to connectors in bilge areas I make sure the heatshrink extends farther each side of the connector than I would behind an electrical panel - maybe 1" each way. They stay dry in wells a hundred feet underwater.

The wires that are attached to a bilge pump should be long enough to keep the connections dry at least when you are not heeled over if led to the underside of the cabin sole.

 

[ccscott49]

I use purpose made crimp butt joints, with heatshrink around them and glue inside, no worries. Available on E bay in their thousands.

 

[Barry Jones]

With respect to the other posters, the glue filled crimps are fine and probably the best method if you have to join a cable under the anticipated bilge level, but it is not 100% guaranteed. A lot depends on how well it is crimped and the heat applied etc - its not always successful and its hard to test once done.

As we know, water is very pervasive and salt very corrosive.

The only sure-fire method is not to join it at all until you are out of the water margin.

 

[ccscott49]

With respect to the other posters, the glue filled crimps are fine and probably the best method if you have to join a cable under the anticipated bilge level, but it is not 100% guaranteed. A lot depends on how well it is crimped and the heat applied etc - its not always successful and its hard to test once done.

As we know, water is very pervasive and salt very corrosive.

The only sure-fire method is not to join it at all until you are out of the water margin.

Quite agree about no joins underwater. The crimps I have, when you heat them, they go clear and you can see the seal on the wire, never let me down..............yet!