Broken bilge pump.

[jamie N]

'Rule 1100GPH' bilge pump, powered through a remote float switch. The item failed mechanically through a sheared shaft at the attachment point between the motor and the impeller. The motor was unaffected. This on a wooden Folkboat that was/is still 'taking up', so does require bilge pumps, which is the reason why I fitted a separate automatic bilge pump, run from a separate battery in order to provide redundancy. On the 2nd pump, which had an internal float, and is a 3 wire system, the pump was never activated by virtue of the fact that it's slightly higher in the bilge, but was tested by switching its manual operation switch, and hearing the response. Pretty secure so far, but for the bit where the power wire for the automatic side of this pump had been dislodged from its connector, rendering the auto bilge pump function U/S.
The boat was very nearly sunk by this, with the water level being up around the bunks when I arrived in the morning. I activated the manual side of the 2nd pump, and switched on a 3rd pump to recover the situation.
The batteries and the engine weren't compromised by a margin of a couple of cms, above which are both oil dipstick holes, and the starter motor, which was electrically disconnected from the batteries remained dry, indeed the only capital damage was buying a replacement pump and some tools such as a DVM and cordless screwdriver.

 

[Daydream believer]

So what is your point? That pump looks as if it was well past its sell by date & it seems ( well you have not mentioned one) that you do not have a hand operated bilge pump, which one might suggest any sensible set up would include. Careless, but you have been lucky.
Is that what you are telling us?

 

[jamie N]

Who said that I don't have a hand operated bilge pump, which I certainly do have, however I took care to have 3 electrically operated ones also, to provide back-up and redundancy for a 60 year old wooden boat.
The post was written to inform and indicate that a level of precautions taken to avoid a problem, which seem to be adequate can fail, when a piece of kit fails, and another is compromised.
I've never heard of a bilge pump failing, that's not what they've a reputation of doing, and do you believe that they've a stated operational life?
Please justify where I've been careless, but I do agree that there was good luck involved in having gone to the boat that day, which I hadn't been planning to do.

 

[penberth3]

.......it seems ( well you have not mentioned one) that you do not have a hand operated bilge pump, which one might suggest any sensible set up would include. Careless, but you have been lucky......
Is that what you are telling us?

How does that help if the boat is unattended?

 

[Daydream believer]

How does that help if the boat is unattended?

Not at all but the impression the post gave was that the OP had to use a third electric pump to empty the bilge. Just seemed odd. One would have pumped it out quickly with a hand pump. Wires to the pumps are pretty secure, so how it got disloged is a mystery. But looking at the condition of the first pump, then if the second was similar then that might explain it.
But the problem has been sorted so all is good

 

[penberth3]

Not at all but the impression the post gave was that the OP had to use a third electric pump to empty the bilge. Just seemed odd. One would have pumped it out quickly with a hand pump. Wires to the pumps are pretty secure, so how it got disloged is a mystery. But looking at the condition of the first pump, then if the second was similar then that might explain it.
But the problem has been sorted so all is good

Ah, I see what you mean! If the electric pumps were beating it I think I'd save myself the effort of hand pumping.

 

[Refueler]

I have a similar auto bilge pump - Seaflo 1100GPH - and it has been replaced on average each 3rd season. Failures have been - electric motor burnt out, impellor shaft corroded and broken, impellor shaft seized ......
But strange that the same pump sitting in rear engine bay of the Soviet MoBo - its 5years already and still working OK.

The mention of a manual hand pump .... I have two decent size whale pumps and I can say in all honesty - the rate of output is significantly less than one of the electrics.

There is one 'pump' that can be used and is actually very effective for 'salvage' pumping : Toilet.

A pipe with a rubber bung pressed into the bowl and then use the pump out function.

 

[Daydream believer]

There is one 'pump' that can be used and is actually very effective for 'salvage' pumping : Toilet.
A pipe with a rubber bung pressed into the bowl and then use the pump out function.

I have a hoselock connector in the shower pump hose line. I can disconect the waste & connect a wandering hose about 10 ft long & hoover up any odd puddles under the engine or cabine sole etc. the shower pump failed ages ago so I have a whale gulper & it has excellent suction for that purpose.