Bilge Pupm Issue?

[179]

Heading out to the Block this morning I noticed my bilge pump light on, I stopped the boat and checked the bilge and there was about a 1/4" of standing water, as is the norm. I tried turning the pump off by the dashboard switch and had no luck. I finally pulled the fuse and headed back in. Got back to the slip and pulled the boat out to take a closer look. When I re-checked it at the house the pump was operating normal. Do these pumps ever get stuck on, should I replace the pump just in case?

[capesams]

could have a short in the wireing somewhere,,,never hurts to have a new one, u never know when you'll need that pump.

[Jon G]

179 I've got a Rule 750 auto pump that I put in the boat this winter and had to replace already it was stuck on even when I pulled the float out of it put a new pump in and now the rocker switch crapped out(also new) it works in the auto position but not manually. pumps and switches need ad eye on them constanty.This is why I also have two Rule 2000's under the deck too, the auto is a warning pump it pumps in to my plashwell so its easy to see and hear, I hope I never need any of them but replace the works if you do so they are up to par.

[Mr. Sandman]

The float sticks from time to time on these things. Just lift it up and down a couple times and it will fix itslelf. You might want to take it our and clean it as well... I replace mine every year and they still stick sometimes. I put a new one in april and it stuck last week for the first time this season. I worry it will stick on, pump the bildge dry and a) kill the battery and b) burn out the pump.
These floats are constantly wet and it is just a matter of time before some slime or growth gets in there and screws something up. A decent float is about 25 bucks.

[JohnR]

What everyone else is saying....

Clean your float switch out and add a second pump if you only have one. Mount the second one (with at least as good of a capacity as the first) a little higher than the first. If the second one lights up you have a failure in the first pump and more water than you would like but it is your backup - full capacity - pump...

Tie it into your other battery too (you have 2 batts, right?)

[179]

Well I rechecked the pump again last night and it seems fine now, the float must have been sticking.

John,
Yeah 2-batteries. I'll talk to Scott today about rigging the second pump. I'll probably replace the 1st also just in case. You never know when you will need that pump (pumps).

Thanks for the info....

[Mr. Sandman]

That second pump on an independant switch and battery is a good thought. I need to do that myself.

179... when you post I find myseld staring at your avatar

[Van]

Anyone have experience with the all-in-one unit.
I hear they are pretty good, and there is no float switch to worry about. It has a sensor built into the pump.

Any info/experience on these??

[MakoMike]

Van,
years ago I had an all in one Lovett that worked well. It was a big pump, much bigger then the three I have now, but that was on a different boat.

[Van]

Mako.

You have 3 pumps installed on your boat now?

[MakoMike]

Van,
Yep, one under the cabin floor, one just aft of the bulkhead and one at the transom. That's the way it came from the factory.

[Van]

This thread must have jinked me, cause I was out yesterday and found the pump was dead. I pulled it out to find the whole thing was seized. It is an original equipment (mayfair marine) and I cannot find that brand. So now i have to install a new bracket and pump.
Problem is my arms are only so long and I can't reach the bottom of the bildge where the bracket is located. I gonna keep looking for a pump that will go on the existing bracket.

Can't go back out till its working properly.

[fishsmith]

Van, a temporary solution might be to jury rig a bilge pump by weighting it and dropping it in the bilge.

Here's a link I had I saved off on bilges if you need it.

http://www.diynet.com/DIY/article/0,2058,10442,00.html

Good luck!!

[179]

Van,
Sorry I jinxed you buddy

[Van]

HOLY CRAP you wont believe it.

Is it possible for 3 things to go wrong at the same time ???? YES..

First off....Getting to the pump location requires dislocating my arm at the elbow and shoulder, and leaning over the motor well at such an angle and force that I split my stomach in half.

The old pump was definately seized.

SO....Thinking that everything worked fine up to this point this year...it should be a quick pump replacement. Cut a couple of wires, splice and seal the news one and good to go.....BUT NO...

1) Got a new pump, check it on the work bench at home all is good. Go to the boat for a 1-2 hour replacement. Replace the pump (pulling every muscle in my back). Try it with the dash switch, WILL NOT WORK. Check voltage- none at pump.

2)Get into the dash panel and find power is at the breaker, but not getting to the switch. (Bad Breaker) So I switched it with another in the dash that does'nt do anything. OK got it working now.
Put everything together, pour water in the bildge--works good. Figure I should fill it deeper to make the auto kicks on. It don't come on. pull out all the wires and harness I just neatly wrapped and zip tied in to get to the float swtich. Check out the switch and it checks OK...

3)Checking voltages at the harness, there is no power coming to the 2nd power lead (the one off the battery directly to the float switch). Try to follow that back to find where is loses connection -NO WAY- The hell with it I just cut it off and cap it. Then gotta go get some wire and run a new lead from the battery to the wire feeding the float switch. Electrically all is good finally 4-5 hours later. But the holes in the fiber holding down the float switch are opened up too large now and the screws wont hold it down tight.(I'll fix that later). Guess I'll just move the float a 1/4" and screw it down.

So

1) Siezed Pump
2) Failed Breaker
3) Bad feed wire

I could not believe all the crap went wrong at the same time.
Maybe one thing affected another and caused more damage, I dunno, but I do know working on boats is a pain, and you need two elbows per arm (or a third arm coming straight off your chest to work on em')

[MakoMike]

Van,
Welcome to the club I was in Montauk last weekend, woke up on Sat. morning to hear the aft bilge pump running. Investigate to find a little water in the bilgs and the hose from the pump to the thru hull broken. O.K. I'll replace the hose. Get the hose and the find that the hose clamp on the thru hull is frozen. Try to pry it off and the thru hull breaks! Back to the marina store. They don't have the right size thru hull. Call cab and go to another marina that has the right sized thru hull, but replacing the thru hull is a two man job. Call son, who's out on the beach, wait two hours and he comes back and we put everything back together. Total time spent on project about 6 hours! And they call boating fun?

[macojoe]

pump?? what is that?? I am so sick of pumps!! They are all over priced peaces of SH$$. I had the all in one lovitt before $130 because I was sick of the $50 ones!! Buy better and have less problems right?? NOT!!!
Now I have a son and a bike pump type of pump!! and when my son gets tired we sink.

[Van]

I hear ya, if I could have found the one I wanted, i would have bought the West marine model for under 20 bucks.
Then i don't feel so bad when it craps out.

Paid over 40 for a rule, We will see how long it lasts.

I think I should also carry a manual for emergencies. But if its bad enough to need that its time to call seatow, salvage or beach it.

[MakoMike]

Van,
A hand pump can be a very good idea, especially if you venture far from shore, where beaching isn't an option. A lot can happen between the time you call seatow and the time they get there.

[Van]

Agreed.

Cheap Insurance..

[Mr. Sandman]

Van,

It might be easier just to buy a new boat...you know the way they package these things these days....