float switch didn't work

[Ron Everson]

Went to Lake Powell (Halls Crossing) over the 4th. 1st night camping on the shore, woke up in the morning with about an inch or so of water on the cabin floor. Water leaked in from somewhere during the night and the float switch for the mid cabin bilge pump didn't work. Reached into the bilge, popped the cover off the switch, the float came up and both pumps (mid and engine) kicked in. Took them a while to empty both bilges. Checked all thru-hull fittings and they were all above water - the head supply on the bottom wasn't leaking either. Never could find an obvious leak. We figured that since the bow was beached and the out drive was down in the sand to stabilize the boat, the transom seal on the King Cobra outdrive must have had enough torque on it to make it leak. As the wave actiion picked up with the wake boarders and water skiiers, we turned the boat to face into the waves, set 3 point anchors and raised the outdrive. Vary warily checked the bilges for the rest of the day and the next night, but no more water came in. The float switch continued to work, but we had to pull it way up in order for it to trip. Looks like it was original equipment - kinda crappy. Enjoyed the rest of the weekend with a stinky, wet carpet. Back home, I found that there were several loose connections in the engine bilge pump wiring and the float switch for the engine bilge pump was disconnected. Am now cleaning up the wiring to the bilge pumps and installing new float switches. A lesson well learned - make sure that your float switches work!

Ron

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: float switch didn't work

Good advise Ron, that is nasty to have the wet carpet but it could have been much worse if not discovered when it was. A couple of times a year when my boat is on the trailer I jack the bow way up and then run the hose in the bilge just to make sure that my switch is working. I have had them stick like yours before. :'(

 

[RPJS]

Re: float switch didn't work

It's never a bad idea to wire up a manual bypass switch. The day may come when you need to use it.

 

[Capt Joe]

Re: float switch didn't work

Senior CPO: Have you checked just how much that bilge pump works??

Put a 2 gallon bucket under the outlet & time how long it takes to fill it.

I bet it doesn't come anywhere near the supposed capacity.

Also, if you didn't install the pump & outlet yourself check the hose fitting at the outlet. I found the installer had left the 1/2 inch fitting inside the hose, instead of cutting it off to use the full 1 inch outlet.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: float switch didn't work

some of the newer automatic bilge pumps have a 3 wire system. ground, automatic, and a switch leg. i use the swithced leg with my second manually switched pump, for emergencies, and was down.