Float switch or not.

[CFG98]

Only rainwater gets into my boat. Only need a small bilge pump. What is best? A float switch or a water witch type of electronic switch or an auto pump?

 

[V1701]

How you use your boat will inform your decision, e.g. if left for long periods on a swinging mooring some form of auto pump would be desirable. A lot of boats have a manual and an electric in case one fails or there's no power for the electric one and stating the obvious try if you can to find where the water is getting in and stop it from doing so. If there's one bilge area I'd probably go for a combined unit with an internal float switch...

 

[CFG98]

How you use your boat will inform your decision, e.g. if left for long periods on a swinging mooring some form of auto pump would be desirable. A lot of boats have a manual and an electric in case one fails or there's no power for the electric one and stating the obvious try if you can to find where the water is getting in and stop it from doing so. If there's one bilge area I'd probably go for a combined unit with an internal float switch...

Thanks. Is a float switch better than an electronic switch? I have read of debris messing with float switches or I thought I had. Will get a couple of different manual pumps too. Wooden boat so debris is often prevalent. Perhaps a strum box over the lot?

 

[Trident]

Float switches can get stuck by dirt and debris and electronic switches often just fail (I've replaced countless of both on many boats or mine and for others over the years ) so really take your choice and take your chance. For my own boat I use the Whale Supersub Smart which has a built in field sensor. Others have told me these too fail quite often but I've not had that happen in 6 or 7 years so far with half a dozen units

 

[BobnLesley]

Float switches tended to jamb/wedge in our deep but narrow (at the bottom) bilge so we moved - temporarily - to the Waterwitch, but after three failed in two years, the last one causing us some galvanic corrosion problems before we spotted that it was 'live' at the earth (though still working?) we reverted to a mercury float switch; I might be tempted to try electronic again in the future, but not a Waterwitch.

 

[peteK]

I would fix the rainwater leaks first priority.

 

[CFG98]

Thanks, will mull over options.

 

[pvb]

Thanks. Is a float switch better than an electronic switch? I have read of debris messing with float switches or I thought I had. Will get a couple of different manual pumps too. Wooden boat so debris is often prevalent. Perhaps a strum box over the lot?

Modern electronic sensors work very well. If the amount of water isn't excessive, I'd suggest a Whale Supersub Smart automatic pump. If there's a lot of water, a Whale Bilge IC system would work well.

Whale Marine - Products

Whale Marine - Products

 

[pandos]

I have one with a built in sensor in a deep bilge. I fixed it to a metal leg, which is the length of the depth of the bilge, it is secured at floor level, so I can easily lift the pump out to check and clean.

I also have a large capacity pump in the same bilge, fitted in the same way, this year I will fit a float switch on top of it so that only if the small pump is overwhelmed will the large pump operate, this will also trigger an alarm.

 

[LadyInBed]

What type of boat?
Someone here may well be able to point you to some of the more devious sources of leaks on that type of boat.

 

[Akestor]

I just discovered my float switch died! They need to be checked occasionally...