Bilge Pump Not Working

[JimKW]

My boat does not seem to take on water and I get very litle out of it when I take the plug out after a day of boating. But yesterday we just beat a pretty bad storm and it absolutely poured on the way home and I didn't have the cover on and I didn't take the plug out. My driveway have a very good slope to it so I parked on the slope with the stern down and took the plug out. A lot of water came out.

I turned the bilge pump on, and I could hear a humming sound, but I guess it's not pumping. Should I just buy a new one or is there a possibility of seeing something wroing with the one I got and fixing it? I have not looked at it at all yet. Probably won't have a chance to look at it tonight either.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Was the water level above your pump intake when you turned it on?
it could be as simple as a clogged impellar/screen. You need to pop the pump off the mounting bracket and check for cloggs first.
Denny

 

[45Auto]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

If you didn't turn the bilge pump on till after you took the plug out then there was probably no water at the bilge pump.

If you didn't turn the bilge pump on till the boat was on the slope of your driveway, then the water was probably at the very back of your boat, away from the bilge pump.

You should easily be able to see your bilge pump right under the motor. Pop it off the bottom flange so you can see the impellor and turn it on. See if the impellor spins.

It would be a good idea to have an automatic switch on your bilge pump. My auto switch saved my 225 LPX once when the shift bellows came loose on the way to a friends house. It was tied to his dock when the bilge pump came on. I wouldn't have known it was leaking without the auto switch on the pump. The next weekend I put a second auto pump in wired to my second battery just in case. If the original one had not worked the boat would have sunk.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Also check to make sure the discharge tube is connected and in good condition (no holes, etc.).

 

[JimKW]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

It has an auto switch. I can remember it pumping once when I kept it in the backyard last year and didn't have the plug out. I will check it out before going out next time. The fact that I know it worked last year and I hear it humming leads me to believe it either needs replaced or maybe it's as simple as it being clogged up. I guess it's not a very good idea to just assume it works like I was doing until yesterday.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

I had the shaft break on one; it was humming but not pumping. Check your auto switch while your working on it.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

It's just humming. I can't feel anything moving or turning. Can not see where it just pops out either. The float switch does work, but it just hums when I move it up too. Probably need a new pump.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Check the following:

Make sure the bilge is clean of leaves, debris, ice/sandwich bags, rags, etc.

Put the transom plug in. Add a liberal amount of water while the switch is in auto. It should come on.

Next, add some water to the bilge through the discharge port. If water sprays back out, the discharge line is clogged (stupid bugs). This can also clear the float switch screen of debris.

Check the water in the bilge with the pump running and the hose turned off. Is the water swirling? Discharge hose may have come off or is leaking excessively.

If no water comes out yet, remove the discharge hose from the pump to see if the pump is actually moving water. May have a stripped impeller (very common. Lightweight plastic).

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

It's just humming. I can't feel anything moving or turning. Can not see where it just pops out either. The float switch does work, but it just hums when I move it up too. Probably need a new pump.

you should be able to pull the pump out of the bracket and turn it upside down to expose the impellar.. If it dont pop out of a bracket you gotta remove the whole thing and play with it on deck....turn it on and see if it is turning.....if its humming something is turning you just gotta make sure the impellar is....if it is not turning and it is not clogged a new pump or rebuild kit is in order...It should only take you 10 min to figure it out. Pumps are pretty much streight foreward....they work or they dont..
Denny

 

[Doernuth]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Does your boat have only one bilge pump? It is always a good idea to have more than one in a boat. One in the engine compartment and one farther forward.

This is especially important in boats over 18 feet. If yours is working after checking as indicated above. Add one forward in the bilge. If not replace and add one forward. Bilge pumps are not that expensive and can be extremely important. Dont skimp on something that important.

 

[JimKW]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

I figured out how to remove the cartridge. There is a lever you turn to unlock it and then it twists just a little to get it out. When I had it out and turned it on the impellar was turning so the pump was working.

I poured 4 gallons of water into the bilge and it still didn't come on. I reached down and messed with the float switch and it came on. Then it just stayed on humming, but didn't pump out any water. Got out of the boat and went over to where the water should have been come out. Put me ear up next to it and could hear the pump working. I was getting ready to take the hose off, but figured what the heck so I put mouth around the opening on the boat and blew into it. Pulled my mouth away and the water started coming out.

Pumped out very little before shutting off. Turned the pump on with the dash switch and pumped out between two and three gallons, all over the garage floor. There was still about two gallons in the boat that I got out by pulling the plug out.

So I know the pump is good. Was going to take the hose off and clean it, but the wife came out and ticked me off so I went to a local establishment and drank a couple beers instead.

 

[marktwainsonic]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Was going to take the hose off and clean it, but the wife came out and ticked me off so I went to a local establishment and drank a couple beers instead.

Ha ha. Great!

I had a similar experience (not with the wife). Pump hummed but didn't move water. I messed around with it for a long time with no success. Turned it off and back on and it shot water out like a new one. I think if you don't run them for awhile they get dried out and it takes some fiddling to get everything back into working order.

 

[smokintoad]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

... I was getting ready to take the hose off, but figured what the heck so I put mouth around the opening on the boat and blew into it. Pulled my mouth away and the water started coming out.


Priceless.



I am not laughing at you, I would probably do the same thing the only difference is the wife would catch me in the act. She would probably say: I knew one day it would come to this or I?m sorry do you two need some ?alone time??

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Replace it, in my opinion. It's a simple piece of mind to know it's working right.

I replaced both of mine, although they appeared to be working fine.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Next, add some water to the bilge through the discharge port. If water sprays back out, the discharge line is clogged (stupid bugs). This can also clear the float switch screen of debris.

That is why I said to do that. Good grief...you must be one of my kids!!

You also might be able to adjust the float. Look to see if there are small screws or pins on it to adjust when the float comes on or how far down it will go before shutting off.

Or, don't do that either...I don't care anymore...

 

[JimKW]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

That is why I said to do that. Good grief...you must be one of my kids!!

You also might be able to adjust the float. Look to see if there are small screws or pins on it to adjust when the float comes on or how far down it will go before shutting off.

Or, don't do that either...I don't care anymore...

Hey Man, I was going to do that next, but I figured I would just try to blow into it first and see if that cleared it and it worked. Had it not been for your post I would have been working totally from the inside. I didn't get water in my mouth or anything. I heard it coming, backed off and out it came.

 

[KermieB]

Re: Bilge Pump Not Working

Replace it, in my opinion. It's a simple piece of mind to know it's working right.

I replaced both of mine, although they appeared to be working fine.

Why would you replace two bilge pumps when they appear to be working fine?

Piece of mind, or peace of mind... what else do you replace even though it works fine...?