Issues finding the right bilge pump?

DangerousPirate

DangerousPirate

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I need to install an automatic bilge pump in my boat but my bilges are quite shallow. The automatic ones, with built in float switch, won't fit properly, so I just want to fit a pump in the engine room with a hose into the bilge and an external float switch. Pretty straight forward, but I have no luck finding the right pump! Either they don'thave an intake hose, or they're not labelled "bilge" pump (which I assume needs to be a heavy duty pump that can deal with oily, dirty water, if needed).

Only finding these type of bilge pumps in various prices, anyone got a model/type with an intake hose?

s-l1600 (4).jpg
 
Its not uncommon for the shallow bilge situation.

There are various ways to fix this ... often meaning a separate auto switch with separate pump.

Most switches are based on a reed activated by a floating arm with magnet. They are available in shallow and deep versions .... just don't google for marine / yacht ... keep it open .... there are many out there that are actually better than the usual oversized marine versions. But take care to make sure the switch can take the amps for the pump. There are electrical contact as well as mechanical float switches.
You can even adapt a Bath level alarm to activate a relay to run a pump. The only factor then is whether the item can withstand salt water corrosion. If the bilges stay relatively clean - then electrical contact can be good. But if any risk of oil / crap - then the float version wins.

As to pump ? Siting away from the bilge would be great - but then it needs to be a positive action pump - that is self priming - but then a lot of claims of pumps being self priming at xx metres are rubbish - often as soon as you get any reasonable height - the performance is dismal.

I successfully used a 12v fish tank pump with a bath alarm ...... just replaced the mains adaptor for the pump and the battery in the alarm with power from the on board batterys. It lasted a couple years before corrosion caused its demise. But I mention to show that there so many ways to solve this.
This is Practical Boat Owner !

In fact I carry a small Fish Tank pump as a means to drain out hard to reach spaces that condensation and odd collects ... far easier than scraping knuckles trying to bale ...
 
Stemar said:
Jazzcat had a couple of similar pumps, but the cost of refurbishing them was a good bit more than the Seaflow above, which is what I eventually installed. I can live with a couple of centimetres of water in the bilges.
Click to expand...

May I be bold and think I may have helped there ???

I had Rule ... and other 'reccd' brands for years ... then moving to Latvia - availability was then seriously reduced. I was unwilling to pay ridiculous price to the limited chandlers here ... so eBay or online was only route - Seaflow provided excellent pumps and I basically use no other now.
 
lektran said:
What about a whale gulper pump?
Click to expand...

Hm, sound good. It has an intake valve and I am sure, I can wire a separate float switch, shouldn't be an issue. Only a little annoyed by the price, it's 100+ quid. Hm.


Refueler said:
Its not uncommon for the shallow bilge situation.

There are various ways to fix this ... often meaning a separate auto switch with separate pump.

Most switches are based on a reed activated by a floating arm with magnet. They are available in shallow and deep versions .... just don't google for marine / yacht ... keep it open .... there are many out there that are actually better than the usual oversized marine versions. But take care to make sure the switch can take the amps for the pump. There are electrical contact as well as mechanical float switches.
You can even adapt a Bath level alarm to activate a relay to run a pump. The only factor then is whether the item can withstand salt water corrosion. If the bilges stay relatively clean - then electrical contact can be good. But if any risk of oil / crap - then the float version wins.

As to pump ? Siting away from the bilge would be great - but then it needs to be a positive action pump - that is self priming - but then a lot of claims of pumps being self priming at xx metres are rubbish - often as soon as you get any reasonable height - the performance is dismal.

I successfully used a 12v fish tank pump with a bath alarm ...... just replaced the mains adaptor for the pump and the battery in the alarm with power from the on board batterys. It lasted a couple years before corrosion caused its demise. But I mention to show that there so many ways to solve this.
This is Practical Boat Owner !

In fact I carry a small Fish Tank pump as a means to drain out hard to reach spaces that condensation and odd collects ... far easier than scraping knuckles trying to bale ...
Click to expand...


Well, the pump would only be mere centimeters above the bilge level, where I plan to put it. My bilges can get quite nasty, because they are connected to the motor bilge (which, under circumstances, can drip oil or diesel (not always but under circumstances)) so I rather have a good pump that can handle it.

The plan was to get any sort of pump with an intake hose that can take that, and just wire a mechanical float switch to it to activate it automatically. In fact, I already have a mechanical float switch, thinking I could connect it to the normal bilge pump, that I bought. But that doesn't seem to work.
And then I'd just put a hose to the deepest spot in the bilge. The pump would be 1-2m away from there though. Issue?

The pump would be in the engine bay, as soon as the float switch floats, it would activate and then the pump would start to work, suck the water 2 meters away and maybe 10-20 cm up and out.
 
Goldie said:
Not the intake hose type that you’re looking for, but would the Whale Supersub fit? Outlet can be moved to suit the installation. Either the non-auto or automatic versions.

Whale Supersub 12V 500GPH Electric Bilge Pump - SS5012 - Fox's Chandlery

or

Whale Supersub 12V Automatic Bilge Pump - SS5212 - Default Title - Fox's Chandlery
Click to expand...
Hmmm not sure about the first one, second one is a maybe. But would be better if I could just put a hose in. The bilge is roughly 10cm deep (at the deepest)
 
DangerousPirate said:
Hmmm not sure about the first one, second one is a maybe. But would be better if I could just put a hose in. The bilge is roughly 10cm deep (at the deepest)
Click to expand...

That's about same as mine ... and I have a Seaflow pump with auto float switch .... same as you showed at start .... In fact mine is held in place by the cabin floor .... then pumps out via Y at the sink outlet. I just looped the hose up the side of the side so it didn't have sink drain to bilge.
 
Refueler said:
That's about same as mine ... and I have a Seaflow pump with auto float switch .... same as you showed at start .... In fact mine is held in place by the cabin floor .... then pumps out via Y at the sink outlet. I just looped the hose up the side of the side so it didn't have sink drain to bilge.
Click to expand...
One way valve should fix that

But yeah. Hm. Mine doesn't fit, because it's only 10cm at the deepest spot, but otherwise is really shallow. If Iput the bilge pump in, the floorboards don't fit on top of it.
 
I have a non-return valve bought for this job ... but 3 yrs later, still not got round to fitting it.

Its cold out there - but I have to go down garden to the boat today .... check she's not filled with water after the snow melted ... I've been travelling a lot last two weeks ..... will measure my bilge / pump setup.
 
You could of course use a separate float switch ... with one of those inline pumps ... designed for galley sink supply - but I used one for years as a wash down pump that I used to throw over side with trailing leads etc.
Simple scoop on the input to let it pick up as much water as poss ?
 
OK ... as per OP - I have shallow bilge ... and the Seaflow Auto at 750GPH just sits snug under the boards ....

Here it is lifted for winter just in case my heater fails and water freezes ...

wR0VObal.jpg


Here it is in place.

Wz3Wpm8l.jpg


It has about 5mm spare above it once board in place.

I have a 3 way toggle switch .... Manual ON - OFF - Auto ON

Yes I know there's stagnant water there .... will be removing that later .... then giving bilge another coat of white emulsion ...
 
Refueler said:
OK ... as per OP - I have shallow bilge ... and the Seaflow Auto at 750GPH just sits snug under the boards ....

Here it is lifted for winter just in case my heater fails and water freezes ...

wR0VObal.jpg


Here it is in place.

Wz3Wpm8l.jpg


It has about 5mm spare above it once board in place.

I have a 3 way toggle switch .... Manual ON - OFF - Auto ON

Yes I know there's stagnant water there .... will be removing that later .... then giving bilge another coat of white emulsion ...
Click to expand...
Very lucky. Mine doesn't fit :S


Maybe I have to try with those galley pump types.. I just don't really like the idea, because Ithink it will seize up. Those pumps are meant for clean freshwater.
 
DangerousPirate said:
Very lucky. Mine doesn't fit :S


Maybe I have to try with those galley pump types.. I just don't really like the idea, because Ithink it will seize up. Those pumps are meant for clean freshwater.
Click to expand...

As I say ... the inline pump I used lasted a few years of salt water use ..... would have lasted longer if I had flushed it with fresh ...

In a blige ? Surely that is going to be usually fresh water with any oil / diesel that seeps in ? That shouldn't be problem for it ... ??
 
Refueler said:
As I say ... the inline pump I used lasted a few years of salt water use ..... would have lasted longer if I had flushed it with fresh ...

In a blige ? Surely that is going to be usually fresh water with any oil / diesel that seeps in ? That shouldn't be problem for it ... ??
Click to expand...
Well, it's usually not saltwater, you're right. I just ordered one of these and will test if they work.

s-l500 (16).jpg
 
This is my set-up for a bilge with a keel so narrow thing would fit. A Whale Gulper 220 mounted on a bulkhead, driven by a remote float switch (and manual switch), sucking up via a strum box in the bilge. I'm not too bothered about water running back down the pipe because I can never fully dry the bilge with the main pump anyway so I remove the last of the water with a sponge and bucket. I think there is a non-return valve in there somewhere but it doesn't work very well.

Whale Pump.jpg
 
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