Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

dauntlessman

dauntlessman

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A week or so ago I started a thread regarding bilge pumps/water and got some excellent response - thank you for that.

Anyway I fitted my Rule bilge pump with float switch this weekend and all seems to be ok apart from one thing.

I dried out the bilges completely before fitting the pump and once I had put it all together, filled the bilges with sea water to make sure it was working ok. I was a bit alarmed at how much water I had to put in before the float switch turned the system on (probably about three inches).

On the instruction they reckon the float switch should be mounted slightly higher than the pump but this just made the problem worse. So I have lowered it to the lowest point and it sits next to the pump.

The float switch works on angles so it doesn’t make any odds if I tilt the mounting plate (if you see what I mean). The only thing I can think of is trying to some how mount the pump under the planking level (not sure how I am going to do that).

What do you think or is it reasonable for this amount of water to be in the boat before the switch comes on? Other than this, it works fine and if I pull the float switch up manually, it sucks the bilges completely dry (as I thought it should do anyway).

Your thoughts would again be much appreciated...
 
If anyone has a solution to pumping out the last couple of "cupfulls" of water I would also be interested.

Spent alot of time installing what sounds like the same pump and switch. Its a powerful little pump, but what I need (for reasons that are too long and dull to explain) is something that works like an automatic sponge... A miniature pump almost which takes that last few milimeters away.

Any responses would be appreciated.

John
 
Same problem in my bilge. I have about 1" left with pump and switch at same level.

If you have the lever style switch - you can angle it so that the lever doesn't have to rise so high.

But I accepted the SQ - as basically it was to stop boat from being flooded again. An inch or so in bottom is better than the 2 foot I had a couple of years ago. This last drop is easily got rid of by either having an over-ride switch to power pump or as in mine - the manual takes it out. Let's be honest - when pump stops - unless you have a very good non-return valve - you get run-back anyway.
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

The problem usually is that the water in the discharge pipe runs back into the bilge as soon as the pump stops. A large capacity pump might have a 1", or larger, discharge hose and this holds a lot of water. You can fit a non-return valve at the outlet of the pump so that this residual water sits in the pipe and doesn't run back into the bilge. A better system is to mount your large pump a couple of inches above the bilge and mount a small pump below it. This small pump, the smallest you can buy, will have, perhaps, 1/2" smooth wall tube and thus will have very little residual water running back when the pump stops. The big pump and its switch will be sitting in the dry ready for emergency operation and the small pump will handle the normal small quantities of water from packing gland and general spillage. I've had this system on my last two boats and it worked well. A friend has a further refinement: He has a hand pump made from the squeezy bulb you see on outboard motor fuel tanks and he uses this to suck out the tiny residue. Mind you, he always was a fussy [--word removed--]!
 
I deal with Bilge pumps a lot, day to day, and the issue of residual water often comes up. Many of the manufacturers say 1-way valves are not great with Rule-type impeller pumps, as they may cause restriction of the outlet. These impeller pumps use centrifugal force to "sling" water out of the outlet, and they need all the help they can get ;-) but they can move a pile of water PDQ- faster than say a diaphragm-pump. Diaphragm pumps don't even see 1-way valves, and there are some biggish ones available from most of the manufacturers. (Whale do some, and Jabsco have recently released some beauties!) Float switches are also a bit of a hassle, but they're great as long as they still float- I've seen some floats fill with water, though. But the best gadget yet is an solid-state electronic bilge-switch from Quick which uses a self-ranging circuit and two contacts to sense water. Basically it's a block of metal and plastic with a lead and two little silver contacts. When the contact get wet, 20" later the pump turns on, and 20" after the contacts dry out, the pump switches off. I LIKE IT A LOT! And if the gizmo gets gunked up with oil or diesel, you just wipe the smirtch off the contacts with a rag/finger for normal service to be restored!
 
Another thing to do is to fit a delay off timer in the switch pump electrical lead so that the pump continues to run for a short time after the switch has reached its off position.

You will still have some water left based on what is in the pipe as said above but also the height of the slots in the base of the pump to keep the much out of the pump
 
It might be an idea to fit a delay switch but I can't get the pump to come on in the first place (unless the boat is full of water).

I would have thought that the pump/float switch should keep the bilges permanently dry (to a certain extend), rather than let inches of water build up which would probably take a week or so...
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

I'm suprised you don't have an off-on-auto switch. This allows you to run the pump without manually fooling the float switch, allows you to run the pump whan the float switch has crapped out or switch the pump off when the float switch has jammed on.
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

[ QUOTE ]
I'm suprised you don't have an off-on-auto switch. This allows you to run the pump without manually fooling the float switch, allows you to run the pump whan the float switch has crapped out or switch the pump off when the float switch has jammed on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes that is definitely a good idea but doesn't sort my original problem of the float switch taking gallons of water to kick in. I bought this so that I didn't have to visit the boat twice a week just to pump the bilges - mind you I do enjoy visiting her, if anything just to get me out of the house...
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

bilge pump should be sited in a well so that all the water in the bilge accumulates in a small circular well, and thus activates the pump well before the water spreads over the rest of the bilge. If you dont have a well, then you have a problem.

My little Johnson duo bilge pump starts when there is less than 1" and switches off when there is less then 1/2"
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

Yep, I thought that was going to be the case. My boat doesn't really have a well as such and the water settles over a fairly wide area.

Did have a bit of an idea though, might sound a bit mad, let me know what you think:

How about attaching a small piece of polystyrene or other highly buoyant material to the under side of the float switch?

Perhaps (in theory anyway) that would raise the switch a little sooner. Obviously might need to play around with how much to use but I guess it good work. Seems a bit of a bodge job though...
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

personally would not be happy with a bodged float. Have you considered fitting such a small bilge pump , which will ork adquately in the shallow water, but then having the other as well should the small one not be able to cope!
 
Float Switch

The design of these means that a significant amount must come in to get it to lift enough for the switch to activate.
If its the mercury or ball type - then it has to be above horizontal to work - no change to angle etc. possible. But if its the contact type - then tilting the lever downward so that as it raises with water it contacts at a lower point - if you see what I mean - will cut in earlier and cut off later.

You could of course DIY a low voltage pair of probes into bilge connected to suitable relay to switch pump on / off ... you then decide height of contact.
 
Dont worry about it, it's only a couple of inches. I think its probably better to have a reasonable amount of water before the pump comes on, you never know, maybe running nearly dry may wear it out early or burn it out and then it wont do the job it was intended for, keeping her afloat.

I do agree it's annoying though /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
The problem I had on my last boat was that the float switch needed about 3" water under it before it rose high enough to activate. I overcame the problem by epoxying a wine cork which was halved vertically to provide a flat surface fr the glue. This meant that the switch was 50% of the way to the trigger point at all times. Worked beautifully and still does as far as I know.
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

[ QUOTE ]
... I bought this so that I didn't have to visit the boat twice a week just to pump the bilges - mind you I do enjoy visiting her, if anything just to get me out of the house...

[/ QUOTE ] How much water does your boat take on while she's left unattended?

Tony S
 
The problem is few modern boats have a bilge sump any more, into which the bulk of any bilge water would drain, thereby making it easy to pump out and stopping any water from whizzing up behind the seats/lockers when heavily heeled. Make sure your pump & switch are mounted in the deepest part of the bilge. If your boat has no bilge, then install two pumps/switches - one each side - so that they will pump out when heeled. Keep a manual one on the centre line for when you are upright.

Just a thought while we're on the subject of automatic bilge pumps. I have always fitted an alarm to mine to warn me when it is working. The reason being that it could be pumping away merrily every 2 mins and me not know about the problem. Better to hear it going off so you can investigate whether the water is normal/residual or coming in from a broken hose or similar!
D
 
[ QUOTE ]
I deal with Bilge pumps a lot....for normal service to be restored!

[/ QUOTE ]Interesting response. By 20", do you mean 'inches' or is that a measure of time?? Do you have a ref to the Quick device?
 
Re: Rule Electric Bilge Pump & Float Switch

My Rule pumps both have pressure-driven switches; each can be overridden manually. Down to half-an-inch of crud, no probs - half-inch deep by several feet long! That's when the manual comes into its own - on Holy Days and Royal Visits only tho'.
 
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