Newbie Question Merry Fisher 585 - Electric Bilge pump

[shrkey]

First apologies for joining the forum and then immediately posting a question - I've been lurking and reading a lot of information on here for the past 6 months so thought this is probably the place to go...

I bought a 2007 Merry Fisher 585 in early April after reading lots of information / reviews / opinions / etc and am very happy so far. I've spent the past month getting it prepared to launch later this month (engine service, new equipment, software upgrades, etc)

I'm currently in the process of checking the electrics and despite hunting I can't seem to find the electric bilge pump - the manual mentions one and I have a "bilge" switch on the boat dashboard but I can't find it in any of the compartments I managed to get a torch into - can anyone give me a clue as to the supposed location and I can dig deeper to find it or the place it use to be (if it's been removed).

Please forgive the newbie question

 

[Whippersnapper]

Turn on th house batteries and turn the bilge pump switch from auto to on and you should hear it if it exists. Thst will help you find it.

 

[guyd]

It should switch on regardless of battery switch position. It should be in the bottom, at the lowest point. Probably just aft of your cabin area

 

[Nigelpickin]

Welcome and congratulations
585 manual here, not sure if it’s got the information you require but knowing the brand, you’ll have to have the 12v system on for the pump to work....
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1020781/Jeanneau-Merry-Fisher-585.html#manual
As said, try running it and see where the noise is coming from.
Good luck

 

[simonfraser]

It should switch on regardless of battery switch position. It should be in the bottom, at the lowest point. Probably just aft of your cabin area

+1
might be broken, in which case you wont hear it.
could poor some fresh water into the bilge and it should switch on. if it does your dash switch is broken.
recon it should have an alarm on so you can hear it if it switches on whilst you have the engine on.

 

[shrkey]

Thanks - I haven't heard anything so far, but then I didn't think of being quiet and listening for it to be honest - I'll have a proper dig into some holes and listen this weekend.

The manual is very useful for some things, but seems to just mention an electric bilge pump in passing.

Any recommendations of replacements in case it's no longer working / has gone missing?

 

[MachineHead]

In the splash well, just in front of the engine, there should be a round plastic hatch cover which you rotate to remove. On my 585 - similar vintage - the bilge pump is down here and off to one side, near the manual pump. Look for ribbed hoses leading up to the outlet and down to the pump. As far as I know mine is stock, and has no 'automatic' or alarm facility, which is certainly food for thought ...

 

[Jim@sea]

I would fit another one which you can get at to clean if it gets blocked up.

 

[shrkey]

Thanks everyone - managed to track it down by following Machinehead's advice. Flicking the switch on and off didn't seem to do anything so added some water in case some sort of float switch had been added - nothing. Pulled it out and replaced it with a new one - nothing. At this point I was dreading having to trace the wires and look for a break, but decided to pull the connections off the switch and join them manually first - worked straight away.

So, the switch was broken! On the plus side, I now have a spare bilge pump.... New switch is on the way.

 

[simonfraser]

fit an alarm on it now you know where it is.

 

[Jaybeekay2017]

In the splash well, just in front of the engine, there should be a round plastic hatch cover which you rotate to remove. On my 585 - similar vintage - the bilge pump is down here and off to one side, near the manual pump. ...

Hi, having just bought a 2006 merry fisher 585 please can you confirm how you get the pump in and out for checking/servicing? Does it all have to happen, through the round hatch cover, or would removing the manual pump give better access??