Whale Supersub smart 650 sub bilge pump with auto

[Refueler]

I mounted a Seaflow standard auto bilge pump to replace the faulty one in my Conq 38 keel space. The output was horizontal creating a poor line out for the outflow pipe. The float as well still leaves an amount of water ..

I looked for an auto pump that output could be vertical so the pipe had a better orientation. The Whale Sureflow looks just the job.

Not concerned about its pump - but I have had bad luck with 'sensed' water detection - the Water Witch in particular and the sensor on the previous pump in this boat ...

Anyone use these Sureflows ??

 

[fredrussell]

I’ve got one. The switch works fine on mine but it’s only two years old. HOWEVER, after a year of doing very little the pump motor would spin away happily when triggered but pump no water. Impeller not gripping shaft was my guess. It was replaced under warranty. In all honesty, these pumps do not have a stellar reputation (on this forum at least) but it was one of the few that would fit in the position I required.

 

[Refueler]

What drew me to get one - was the slim design and the vertical output.

If only complaint is impellor to shaft - that's easily sorted ...

But must admit that price is not exactly attractive if reputation is not so great ! I can buy 3 Seaflows for that price.

 

[fredrussell]

Indeed. I’m pretty sure Seaflow do a copy, or at least a very similar design.

 

[Refueler]

Indeed. I’m pretty sure Seaflow do a copy, or at least a very similar design.

I cannot find a copy of this whale in Seaflow ... only Rule copies ...

 

[dgadee]

Mine came apart and rusted after less than one season.

 

[fredrussell]

I cannot find a copy of this whale in Seaflow ... only Rule copies ...

Any good? :

SEAFLO Low Profile Bilge Pump 800GPH Automatic Auto Timer Sensing 14b

 

[Refueler]

Any good? :

SEAFLO Low Profile Bilge Pump 800GPH Automatic Auto Timer Sensing 14b

Interesting ..... good find ! Now to search via EU shop !!

 

[Refueler]

Interesting ..... good find ! Now to search via EU shop !!

UK prices generally higher + I pay import ...

But good - will be searching out.

 

[Refueler]

OK - Whale installed in keel space and working .... pipe is a bit stiff son needed a bit of persuasion to sit good.

 

[oldgit]

Have had both, the genuine thing and knock off, both failed within a season or two.

 

[Refueler]

I hope that is not what happens here ! At 70 quid a throw ... I expect a reasonable life !

 

[cwstard]

Not impressed by mine, the motor starts up on auto - sometimes it pumps water but more often it doesn't - can't work out why. The suction head keeps falling off too. Expected better from Whale. Shame because shapewise, it's the perfect fit for the spot that sometimes fills up with rain water in my cockpit locker.

 

[fredrussell]

Not impressed by mine, the motor starts up on auto - sometimes it pumps water but more often it doesn't - can't work out why.

That’s exactly what my first one did. Exactly. I never found out why as it was under warranty so I didn’t want to pull it apart, but my hunch was the impeller was not gripping the motor shaft properly so motor spun but impeller didn’t.

 

[Refueler]

Just come from boat ...

Arrived to hear that familiar HUMMMM ... lifted sole board ... pump was trying to empty last few mm's but not shutting off ...

I know it has a long delay before cut-off - but this was silly. I lifted the pump and it ran for a good minute or so before it finally decided to stop.

So far - not impressed.

There were two reasons to go for this pump ... 1. it has non return valve included ... 2. the vertical output ....

#1 was a priority as I looked at where overboard was - into sink piping ... which looked like bilge pipe was below waterline without any inverted U ...
#2 because the keel space is very narrow and horizontal outlet from pump caused it to sit awkward.

Today I checked again and now see that bilge pipe does have inverted U - it was hidden behind the panel ... so its good with or without NR. .. of course better with to avoid sink contents !!

Looks like the Seaflo may be going back in there ...

 

[cwstard]

That’s exactly what my first one did. Exactly. I never found out why as it was under warranty so I didn’t want to pull it apart, but my hunch was the impeller was not gripping the motor shaft properly so motor spun but impeller didn’t.

Thanks for mentioning warranty - I'd forgotten that - mine's less than 12months old so I'll see if I can send it back.

 

[Refueler]

Today - I lost faith completely in the pump and removed it ... put the cheap Chinese copy of a Rule back in ... Seaflo 1100gph ..

The Whale Smart pump turns out to be pretty dumb !

The pump failed to start when water level brought up ... so I lifted pump out to see what was problem .. THEN it started ... after the 15secs or whatever - it stopped.
I put it back down and after a few secs - think it has a 5sec delay ? ... the motor span up but no water pumped ... I can hear the water 'gurgle' when it flows. Now was silence apart from the motor.
Lifted the pump up out of water .. removed strainer ... impellor was spinning ... put strainer back on - put back down - NOW it started to pump water - but I could pee faster !

That was it .. enough is enough.

I think the problem comes from the orientation of the impellor. The usual Rule type pump has the impellor shaft vertical .. so the complete rotation of the vanes are IN water .. but the Supersub has the shaft horizontal, meaning that in low water level - much of the vanes are actually in air - relying on the vanes carrying water up similar to a water wheel.... then having to push that water up the outlet. My thoughts are then that pump may be ok in deep water where vanes are fully covered - but its useless in shallow water. The Rule type will win in this situation.

I will relegate this pump to a lesser job ...

 

[fredrussell]

Indeed. Not Whale’s finest moment.

 

[Refueler]

One thing I have noticed with the Seaflo's I have now - which was not with ones I had before ....

When running - they 'squirt' water out of the impellor case ... I put it down to the pump having to pump the water against a head to the overboard ....

It seems to come from the locking tab slot of the impellor cover.

They pump well ... no complaint there ... but its just that a small part of the water is squirted back into the pump area.