Bilge Pump

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:18 am Post subject: bilge pump again

I have one Rule 1100 automatic bilge pump in my bilge. I am thinking that 2 would be better and supply redundancy.

Is it feasible to wire two pumps to one power feed and then to "Y" the discharges to the one already installed outlet hose.
I want 2 pumps in case one fails and not to double the output.

If only one pump came on would it just pump the discharge back through the inop pump making a big water "circle jerk" in my bilge.?? That would solve nothing. Maybe a check valve?? This is getting complicated.

One 1100 gph pump seems kind of whimpy in a 26' boat. I had two 2000 gph pumps on one float switch in my 22' CD and it worked fine but with individual outlets.

Ideas please. Confused

toyman · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:42 am Post subject:

Yep, 2 flapper type check valves would be needed. How are you planning on the wiring - run them both at the same time, or one auto and one in manual ? If you plan on running them both at the same time need to check wire size and maybe increase to size of the discharge after the 'Y'. JMOO.

http://tinyurl.com/lgj32l

rogerbum · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 8:55 am Post subject: Re: bilge pump again

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject:

It is apparent to me that the old mind (mine)does not make good sense late at night.............
You are all correct in your replies.
A 2nd pump (maybe larger), separate wiring, switch and outlet is the way to go.
I was trying to eliminate running another outlet hose as I am running out of space to run another hose from the bilge to the side of the hull. Maybe greasing it up and jamming it up through the passageway is the answer.
Thanks for lining me out. No compromise in safety.

Aurelia · Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:25 am Post subject: wet core...

I was checking floats on my bilge pumps today and the good news is they both work. The bad news is the basket on the cockpit bilge felt loose and a light tug pulled out all four unsealed screws holding it down to the floor. I poked around with a sharp screwdriver and could push through the circular depression area that the bilge rests in. This boat has lived under cover and not had much use but there is water in that little pot some of the time and it seems to have found its way through the hasty factory install. I seems like others have found this mounting failure and just overdrilled the holes and epoxy fill/drill mounted the pump back in place. I will plan to just glue the basket down when I put it back in place. How should I approach fixing this area that is not very accessable? I am thinking whole saw and filler material but how thick is the hull in that little depressed area for the bilge pump? Do you think I have bigger issues that would require much more extensive repair? I am open to suggetions from those more experience. I really thought this was one place the factory must seal the mounting holes and actually put off checking because I thought it was built better than this.

See pic of area and holes in my album:

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Aurelia&id=Picture_007&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

jacuthbert · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:52 am Post subject: bilge pump standing water

I have just been reading about the bilge pump issues on the CD25.
I often have water in that little depression where the bilge pump is located. I use my wet-dry vac to suck it out and then I check it every couple of days. I am very concerned about the source of this water. Can anyone account for the source?
I will now check to make sure the screw holes in the bilge depression are actually sealed and that no holes are empty. I guess I'll check the pump under the cabin step too.

Can anyone tell me where that open hole (about 2 inches in diameter) that is located just behind the cockpit bilge pump goes? What is that for?

Aurelia · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:05 am Post subject:

Any water splashed into the cockpit from waves or from rainfall will likely end up in that spot. The floor hatches on the 25s leak badly so if you get water in the cockpit and think it all made it out the scuppers in the corners, think again. Even with a full camperback, the way most are designed, you can still get some rain trickling into the cockpit and down to that bilge depression. Also check that your hull drain plug is not leaking and also that your freshwater tank back there is not leaking. A bright light on the fittings and some reaching around might tell you enough.

The screws for my pump were directly screwed into balsa core and that material was so soft that I easily pulled the basket off the floor of the bilge with some light pressure. It was very loose feeling so check yours for looseness and that may be a sign of the same situation.

Here is the tread about my experience:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?p=172827&sid=26ce9cba69f6f5418b52f79965061a21

Not sure about the two inch whole rearward of your pump. Is it in a fiberglass bulkhead? Is on the bow side or sternside of the pump? There are often holes in bulkheads to allow water to pass from the other side to the bilge pump location.

jacuthbert · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:45 am Post subject: bilge pump standing water

The 2 inch+- hole is in the fiberglass and it is on the bow side of the bilge pump that sits in that depression in the cockpit. Water comes out of it and fills that depression. I would like to know where that hole(tunnel, channel?) begins.
Amanda

Aurelia · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:05 am Post subject:

That hole is between the fuel tank and bilge area and the water sloshing back and forth is just coming from the area under the fuel tank up to the cabin bulkhead below the door. Depending on how the boat sits on the trailer or in the water, you may be letting it pool up under the tank a bit. In the water, it should freely drain toward the bilge pump if you have some weight in the stern. With twin 90s and usually more than half a tank of fuel, the water is always running rearward from below the fuel tank on our boat. If you stick you head down one of the larger floor hatches in the cockpit with a bright light, you may be able to look toward the bow and see the fuel tank hiding in there. Our fiberglass bulkhead with the hole in it does not go all the way up to the top so we can see over it, under the floor of the cockpit.

Peter_BDA · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:21 pm Post subject:

My simple rule of thumb is that if there is a hole I'm not using, I shoot some 4200 or 5200 in it. In the cabin or on deck. If I am fastening something to something outside the cabin and I've drilled a hole, it gets a squirt of either of the above.

Reference sticking the bilg pump in place with 4200/5200-I have had good success with that! Doing it again this weekend when I swap out a Rule 1100.

jacuthbert · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:04 pm Post subject: hole

I have a hatch in the middle of the cockpit floor that opens to the gas tank. The hole I am concerned about must connect to the area underneath the gas tank. Thank you very much for clearing this up. Probably water gets in that middle of the cockpit floor hatch when it rains, and then it drains into the bilge pump depression. This is all good. It makes sense and I will continue to make sure that bilge depression is nice and dry.
Thanks all, I feel much better (and dryer)...
Amanda

Captains Cat · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:05 pm Post subject:

Amanda, a bilge is a place to collect water, it isn't a place that is expected to be dry!! Laughing

Charlie

jacuthbert · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:56 am Post subject: bilge pump standing water

Charlie
Thank you for the info on what a bilge is for...when I am on the lake I expect a bit of water in the bilge, or after it rains...the problem comes when things are closed up and there is water in there...mold and algae start covering everything. I only noticed this problem last year when my originally clean and pristine bilge area, with its batteries, water tank, bilge pump and electric lines and hoses all over the place began to turn dark and slimy. I cleaned it out as best I could and I have been on a tear ever since to keep it as dry as possible.
Amanda

rogerbum · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 10:05 am Post subject:

Amanda,
That area will almost always collect a little water and as a result, you will get a little algae. It cleans out easily with a tiny bit of bleach. Just remember that every minute you spend worrying about the boat being 100% clean is a minute that you could have spent enjoying a boat that is 99% clean! Laughing

jacuthbert · Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:17 am Post subject: bilge pump standing water

99%....I think my whole boat is more like 75%...but I get your point...
Amanda