Extra water-pump in engine bay on Cranchi Zaffiro 34 (Whats it for?)

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Hi guys,
In a Cranchi Zaffiro 34 here and i'm at a bit of a head scratcher.

On the bulkhead/firewall of the engine bay, forward of the starboard engine, next to the immersion, there is another fresh water pump, with a power switch above it.

The input of this is just a couple of feet of hose (meaning you could stick it various places)
The output goes behind the bulkhead and I cannot trace it.

Does anyone have any idea what this may be for? Note that it's not the domestic water pump as this is under the midships cabin bed.

My theories at first:
A bilge pump that you can suck out every drop of the engine bay, but this doesn't make too much sense as there's an in-line filter on the input

A pump for sucking in fresh water (if on a lake) into the domestic tank


Any ideas?

 

[Chris_d]

Deck wash or transom shower?

 

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Deck wash or transom shower?

Not a transom shower (there's one of these fitted and runs off the domestic pump)

Don't see how it could be a deck wash as the INPUT leads to nowhere (hence you could source the water from wherever you want). It's where the OUTPUT is that i'm trying to determine, my reasoning is that if I can find the output it may make sense as to what it's for

 

[coliholic]

I'd guess at bilge pump especilly if there's a filter in the input pipe - don't want the pump getting blocked with rubbish do you?

How about getting a bucket of clean fresh water, put the inlet hose on it, turn the pump on and see what happens? If water comes gushing over the side from a skin fitting, you know it's a bilge pump, if it goes anywhere else you can then work out the purpose.

Can't think anyone would expect to pump fesh lake water into a drinking water tank on board but it could be to pump sea/lake water into a holding tank for flushing? Dunno, but try the bucket trick first and see if that sheds any light on it. Let us know eh?

 

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Thanks for the tips.

I did try the bucket trick and filled about 5/6 litres - I couldn't hear anything trickling out the side, and there are no other under-water seacocks (apart from toilet)

The boat isin't fitted with a holding tank as far as I know, if it's there it's not used.


Keep suggestions coming I've a feeling I will do as you say though and do the bucket trick again and see what happens... sure what's the worst that can happen?!

 

[MapisM]

A bilge pump that you can suck out every drop of the engine bay

Yup, that's what it is.
You bought the boat used, didn't you?
As I recall, that was an option on the Z34, so I suppose you would have known if you specified it when buying her.
I can't remember where the output goes though. Somewhere on stbd side, I'd guess, surely not under the waterline anyway.
The bucket trick should reveal that, but you might another couple of eyes to help looking overboard, because with the pump running I don't think you'll hear the water trickling out.

 

[DPH]

Sounds like the micro bilge extraction. As you say used to suck up any small bits of water left in the bilge. I have one on mine, as you say, there is an inline filter.

 

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Thanks a lot for the info folks. I will get the bucket out later on with the help of some people and see if they can find where the water exits the boat

 

[BGW]

Thanks a lot for the info folks. I will get the bucket out later on with the help of some people and see if they can find where the water exits the boat

Put some food dye in the bucket - If the water goes out through an underwater seacock or into the fresh water tank it won't do any harm and will be easily visible.