Bilge pump help!

[BonairII]

Re: Bilge pump help!

What size boat do you have?

If your screen name is accurate.....and you can't swim....I'd suggest getting the largest bilge pumps you can afford.

I use a 500gph auto...and an 1100 gph manual in my 16' boat. And I would guess that I'm still a bit on the low side of what is recommended for my boat.

 

[Dawg'sLife93]

Re: Bilge pump help!

She is a 22'3" cuddy cruiser with a big block.

I'm about to go out and put the plug in, fill it with water and see what happens, I need to scrub the bilge anyway. It be nasty in there.



The sceen name was a joke, I can swim very well. LOL

 

[BRICH1260]

Re: Bilge pump help!

From the looks of the pictures, you probably just have some debris blocking the impeller. I`d clean the bilge and pull the pumps for inspection an dcleaning. Replace if questionable.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Bilge pump help!

Sometime you can back flush it by putting water in the outlet to knock it loose.

 

[Dawg'sLife93]

Re: Bilge pump help!

Sometime you can back flush it by putting water in the outlet to knock it loose.

I will try that right now.


I know my float switch isn't working! I with just order a few new pumps. I'll still try getting this one working.

 

[Dawg'sLife93]

Re: Bilge pump help!

Sometime you can back flush it by putting water in the outlet to knock it loose.

It's trying to pump a little after back flush. I'll just get me new pumps.


I did confirm that I am getting full power at the pump, so thats not a worry anymore.


Thanks everyone for your input and advice.

 

[Dawg'sLife93]

Re: Bilge pump help!

I have great respect for the Marine Mechanics on here! I bet you had to take 6 mths of gymnastics or contortion training to reach half the crap on on these boats. LOL


I have 1100 GHP pump on my boat now, so I think 1100 with an 1100 kicker would be good.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Bilge pump help!

I see that your bilge pump is underneath the engine and near the transom. It is a great place to pump water from, but a lousy location for serviceability.

Wait until you drop some tools down in the bilge . . . I had some tools captive in the bilge of my boat for several years. I finally got them out when I pulled the engine for some major work.

i dropped a box wrench into a cavern up under the helm . . . Still have not found that one.

 

[Dawg'sLife93]

Re: Bilge pump help!

I see that your bilge pump is underneath the engine and near the transom. It is a great place to pump water from, but a lousy location for serviceability.

Wait until you drop some tools down in the bilge . . . I had some tools captive in the bilge of my boat for several years. I finally got them out when I pulled the engine for some major work.

i dropped a box wrench into a cavern up under the helm . . . Still have not found that one.

I bought a inspection snake camera, I have an extendable magnet electrical taped on the end of it. It's great for getting dropped wrenches in dark places. LOL


One of these.
http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-inspection-camera-67979.html

I work on alot of sports cars, it comes in real handy. LOL

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Bilge pump help!

What size pumps do you think I should install? 1100 gph main and 800 gph kicker or 2- 2500 main and 800-1100 kicker?...

All of these pumps are intended to remove "Incidental Water". Splash, Drips, Spray.
Do not assume that they are doing to do the job in a hole in the hull, "Damage Control" situation.

An 1100ghp will be luck to actually remove 500 gallons in an hour when attached to the discharge hose and pumping Up hill to the Thru-Hull Fitting. That is 500 GPH , not 500 Gallons per MINUTE!

The purpose of two pumps is so that at least one will be working if the other one fails.
Both may come on if you occasionally Stuff the Bow into a wave and take on 50 gallons all at once.
You should recover as long as you don't do that more than once!

The Smallest pumps tend to be able to remove more water because the intakes set closer to the hull.

A combination of a very small pump that comes on first and shuts off last, will result in a dryer boat when paired with a much larger pump that only comes on if the smaller pump can not keep up with the water.
Pairing an audible alarm with the larger pump will let you know something is amiss.

 

[Dawg'sLife93]

Re: Bilge pump help!

All of these pumps are intended to remove "Incidental Water". Splash, Drips, Spray.
Do not assume that they are doing to do the job in a hole in the hull, "Damage Control" situation.

An 1100ghp will be luck to actually remove 500 gallons in an hour when attached to the discharge hose and pumping Up hill to the Thru-Hull Fitting. That is 500 GPH , not 500 Gallons per MINUTE!

The purpose of two pumps is so that at least one will be working if the other one fails.
Both may come on if you occasionally Stuff the Bow into a wave and take on 50 gallons all at once.
You should recover as long as you don't do that more than once!

The Smallest pumps tend to be able to remove more water because the intakes set closer to the hull.

A combination of a very small pump that comes on first and shuts off last, will result in a dryer boat when paired with a much larger pump that only comes on if the smaller pump can not keep up with the water.
Pairing an audible alarm with the larger pump will let you know something is amiss.

Ok, so a 500 gph main and a 1100 gph kicker? Is that what you're saying?

The only way this boat will get close to salt water and waves, is if the ocean floods N.GA/ W.NC. The biggest thing I've seen on the water around here is a Sundancer 340, besides house boats.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Bilge pump help!

Ok, so a 500 gph main and a 1100 gph kicker? Is that what you're saying?

Yes! a 500 or smaller and an 1100 or bigger will play well together.
The two together might even come close to fending off the sinking the day you forget to put the plug in.
They will buy you some time, but I wouldn't bet that they will prevent the inevitable.