whats going on here? Bilge?

[dkorzun21]

My bilge pump seems to not be working right. I had water in my ski locker turned on the pump and nothing. I know there was water in there but maybe it wasnt high enough to pump it out or the hose thats in the water moved and isnt in the water. Pulled the cover off the engine hit the switch and it make a sound for about 15 secounds then nothing. put the hose under the water and nothing. Whats going on here? can it be a short fuse , clogged bilge, Just had it replaced 3 months ago. I know there a wire that floats in the water next to it but really not sure what it does but maybe it got loses. Weird if the bottom of the bildge only has a about a half in of water under it, it should still suck up the water from the hose right?

 

[QC]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

I am not clear what hose you are talking about . . . Almost all bilge pumps suck in from their base, not an inlet hose, they will not pump unless the base is submerged. They usually only have an outlet hose . . . Are you sure the hose you are referring to is connected to your bilge pump? Does your pump have a float switch? Depending on wiring the float switch could be turning it off. Does your boat have breakers? Fuse? All of this needs to be right for the pump to a) turn on, and b) pump . . .

There is a sticky or FAQ around here for bilge pump wiring I think

 

[Silvertip]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Are you also certain that the pump you are talking about is actually a bilge pump and not a live well pump? You may have either or both.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Also if there's water in the ski locker and not in the bilge, your locker drain is clogged with mung.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

I am not clear what hose you are talking about . . . Almost all bilge pumps suck in from their base, not an inlet hose, they will not pump unless the base is submerged. They usually only have an outlet hose . . . Are you sure the hose you are referring to is connected to your bilge pump? Does your pump have a float switch? Depending on wiring the float switch could be turning it off. Does your boat have breakers? Fuse? All of this needs to be right for the pump to a) turn on, and b) pump . . .

There is a sticky or FAQ around here for bilge pump wiring I think

Im really not sure im a first time boat owner. I know I dont have a floating switch. It looks like thow could be wrong that there are 2 tubes that come off the bilge one to the outside of the bout and one that sits in that crease lower then the bildge. Thought it sucked up water because I hear it making a sucking noise before. But I will take pictures tonight to show you what im talking about.

Where can I find the fuse box on my boat?

 

[QC]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Sounds like possibly a live well pump as Silvertip noted as opposed to a true bilge pump. That's why there is the second hose. That can work, but may be why you are getting variable results. Proper bilge pumps are cheap. Check out prices here on iboats.

Fuses are probably not in a "box" as in your car. Look behind the helm and gauges. Or there may be a breaker panel somewhere. Trace the wire from the switch. Your pump may not even have an in-line fuse as it seems that it has been replaced and somewhat jury rigged . . . Good luck!

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

I also wanted to add something to this too, if the hose you are talking about is not completely submerged under water the pump will not prime either, if your hose is sucking any kind of air it won't pump. My bilge pump doesn't get out ALL of the water completely. Just to the bottem of the base like QC said. If you look right hear on Iboats, bilge pumps are a pretty cheap fix, and you really should get an actual bilge pump that will pump out the water fairly quickly.

 

[Solittle]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Another thing to check is the output to hull fitting and the hoses. If the pump is workng O.K. but you have a blockage somewhere ther is no place for the water to go.

 

[bowman316]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

i need about 2 inches of water for my bilget to kick on. It will pump all the water out, but if it starts with an inch of water, it will not kick on.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

I really feel you have a livewell pump and that it is NOT serving as a bilge pump. If the boat is in the water, the through-hull fitting would be below the water line which makes it an intake. It then forces water out the tube inside the boat that is not connected but is supposed to feed the livewell. Now then, if you have not put this boat in the water yet, please don't until you plug the line as your boat will sink. Water will simply run through the pump and out the hose into the bilge. This will make you wonder where in hell your bilge pump is!

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

maybe for the price of a tank of gas u should drop by a marina and have a mechanic go over the boat with you , show you these things and how to start, and the running of your boat. sell you some misc safety items and get you off to the rigth start.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Still waiting on the pics will have soon tho. I looked on my recpt from the shop and it clearly says on there new bildge pump so Im really not sure what it is, It makes a sound for about 10 secounds and then turns off somthimes will pump water out. Not sure if maybe I just havent noticed how much water it needed in there to pump out. But it really does look like a hose comming from it but not positive. Almost looks like that plastic stuff that goes around wires cuz i think it split at the top in the middle maybe it fell somewhere off the enigne. Also I have been on my boat almost 20 times this season, just dont know how this thing work. Im going to also make sure its not clogged as well with somthing (any idea how i can check this) maybe should just put some water in there and see if it works. My fear is somtimes its working and somtimes its not. ill let you guys know. And yes it has pumped water out before many times so that hose isnt kicking the water back in.

 

[QC]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Almost looks like that plastic stuff that goes around wires cuz i think it split at the top in the middle

That's probably exactly what it is . . . It's called split loom and it may be covering the wires that go to the Bilge pump, the other hose is the outlet.

It makes a sound for about 10 secounds and then turns off somthimes will pump water out.

"It makes a sound" and "then turns off"? Or, I turn it on, and then it stops pumping sometimes? Big difference

 

[109jb]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

Could it be a bilge pump with an internal float switch?? If so, and the basket is clogged, the bilge will run just long enough to pump out the basket and then shut off.

 

[dkorzun21]

Re: whats going on here? Bilge?

That's probably exactly what it is . . . It's called split loom and it may be covering the wires that go to the Bilge pump, the other hose is the outlet.


"It makes a sound" and "then turns off"? Or, I turn it on, and then it stops pumping sometimes? Big difference

yeah i think your right because there is another wire that just sits in the water red and black i think.

Sometimes I turn it on and nothing comes out but dont think the water is to the bildge i was just looking at the hose put it under the water and turned it on and nothing. Somtimes i turn it on and it pumps out but not sure where the water leave is at. So do i have a bilge pump you think.

Also Im pretty sure I dont have a float switch or any thing like that because it does have a small leak shift bellow fixed today and went to camp and had to pump it ever 6 hours but worked everything maybe not that much water is getting in know because i would run it with the lower unit all the way down and when I do that the hole is closed up.