Bilge pumps and blowers?

[charrington]

Hi all!
I am helping my dad restore a 1977 bertram sport fisherman and I am needing some assistants. My dad is totally technology impaired, (for the most part, I finally have him texting a little,) so I'm searching the internet for some info.
Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for bilge pumps and blowers. We have a 28 foot boat, with an 11 foot beam. The bilge pumps do not work . The last owner ran a charter business with the boat, and had his oil pan's modified. He had holes drilled in to the bottoms of his oil pans, (we're running dule 351 ford clevelands,) so he could drain his oil rather than pump it. After the owner had passed away, they continued using this boat for charters on lake eerie. Some one didn't tighten the plug on the hose going out of his oil pans, and they always wondered why it used so much oil, when all of that oil, was going in to the bilge. We've cleaned that mess up thankfully, but the pumps are toast, or wired wrong...
I don't know if they have/had float switches on them or not. (I hope they do, but if not, does anyone have any suggestions on what types to use? Same thing with the blower. It is not working either. Any good makes/models?
Also, is their any way I can get an electronic copy to the owners manual for this boat? We have the original hard copy, however, I can't see to read it, so I'm trying to avoid scanning the entire thing... If it comes to it I'll do it, but I haven't been able to find anything electronic yet and hope to find some one who has...
Thanks so much for all of the help!!!!!
Chris Harrington

 

[wire2]

Re: Bilge pumps and blowers?

Before you replace the pumps and blower, check for voltage at the leads to those devices. It's unlikely that all of them burned out at the same time. I suspect you have a wiring problem or fuse/cb blown.
I believe the bilge leads are black and brown, blower is black and orange, blacks being ground (negative)

 

[charrington]

Re: Bilge pumps and blowers?

Thanks!
I found out that they have the blower working yesterday, so that's one less thing. Come to find out, none of the bilge pumps were even hooked up... (illegal,... especially if your using that boat as a charter boat!) I was verry surprised. so, we're just getting some weird electrical kinks worked out now...

 

[ChampionShip]

Re: Bilge pumps and blowers?

If it were me I'd want 3 bilge pumps on a boat like that. One about 500gph with a float switch for when it's sitting at the dock, two around 750-1000gph for emergencies. I am surprised that your boat didn't have them working, like you said, being a charter. One other thing- add a washdown pump, it makes a gigantic difference having your own source of pressurized water for rinsing down the deck.

 

[fish_on_the_deck]

Re: Bilge pumps and blowers?

If it were me I'd want 3 bilge pumps on a boat like that. One about 500gph with a float switch for when it's sitting at the dock, two around 750-1000gph for emergencies.

I agree with three... even higher capacities if you want. I dont have a preference between any commercially avialble bilge pumps or switches... just make sure you mount the switches at the right level so they not only turn on in time, but turn off before it's corrosponding pump gets above water level.

recomend at least one pump be operatable from the helm. Indicator lights for the other one/two would be cool if you want to get fancy... I love spending other people's time and money...

might try bertram28.com for electronic manuals.