one more bilge pump question

[bones774]

I have a double battery system with a perko switch, should the bilge pump be connected directly to battery or can I have it connected ti pos "1" for e.g. on the battery switch? Thanks

 

[nrf414]

Re: one more bilge pump question

I'm not sure about a dual battery setup, but I would not reccomend having anything directly connected to either the battery or a battery switch. My bilge pump is connected to a fused block underneath the helm. This is what I would reccomend, and I beleive that is how all the wiring diagrams route the accessories.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: one more bilge pump question

Not true! An AUTOMATIC bilge pump must be connected to one of the batteries in a dual battery setup. With the switch set to OFF the pump could not run if it were connected to the fuse panel or the COM terminal on the switch since all power is disconnected from everything in the boat in the OFF position (provided of course the switch is wired correctly). If the pump is NOT an automatic type, then it doesn't matter since you would have to be on the boat to operate it.

 

[bones774]

Re: one more bilge pump question

Thank you, I picked up the boat end of last season and I think the owner has it hooked up to the battery switch and that did not make sense to me in case of bilge emergency.
Practically speaking though i don't think it helps either way, if my boat starts taking on water and bilge turns on automatically, it's just a matter of hours or maybe a day or two before battery is run down and I and lotsa of other people may not see their boats for a week or two at a time, by then it would be too late. Any way to over come that?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: one more bilge pump question

But then if they did notice you just saved a boat. Any way to overcome a run down battery due to the bilge pump running????? Larger battery, motor batteries, or an on-board charger connected to shore power.

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: one more bilge pump question

Thank you, I picked up the boat end of last season and I think the owner has it hooked up to the battery switch and that did not make sense to me in case of bilge emergency.
Practically speaking though i don't think it helps either way, if my boat starts taking on water and bilge turns on automatically, it's just a matter of hours or maybe a day or two before battery is run down and I and lotsa of other people may not see their boats for a week or two at a time, by then it would be too late. Any way to over come that?

The bilge pump is not there to save the boat from a large water leak for weeks on end. It is there to stop the boat from sinking from rain, wake and minor leaks.

A decent deep cycle battery can run a small bilge pump off and on for days (not continuously).

 

[turbinedoctor]

Re: one more bilge pump question

But then if they did notice you just saved a boat. Any way to overcome a run down battery due to the bilge pump running????? Larger battery, motor batteries, or an on-board charger connected to shore power.

Solar panel charger perhaps?

Durwood