Bildge pump sizes

[Jrtm]

Im putting in 3 new buldge pumps well say 3 its 2 if my other is good enough.

 

Im planning on putting 2 in the back and 1 in the front all on indervidual switches and float switches.

 

This way i can manually turn them on as well as them working without assistance.

 

The reason for this is if the boat takes on water while IM not there i know it will pump out without any assistance. (As my fam may use the boat i dont want them to have to worry about it) but i also want it to be able to manually pump if say a float switch fails or im doing something.

 

My plan is to have one at the very back under the prop shaft near the sturn i plan to have another but bigger in the back cabin put as close to the engine room as pos. I then plan to have another in the hold at the back near the stank.

 

I have 2 both work ok but 1 i think is a bit iffy but i think its the switch rather than the pump but if im going to the effort of re plumbing it and wiring i might as well replace it and keep it as a spare or a mobile pump.

 

Anyways my questions

 

Is it worth getting pumps with built in floats or remote floats i prefer the latter as i can put it at any hight or place but are built in ones better?

 

Also what sizes?

 

The idea of 2 in the back is that the smaller one only works but should i sprink a leak it may by me a few mins to do something about it or if the small one fails it gives me a backup in the most important part of the boat. + a smaller one keeps less water in the boat as they can work in shallower water.

 

Anyways any ideas?

Forgot to add i have a 1.2amp solar so if i can would like to keep the smaller amps down

[springy]

<snip>

Is it worth getting pumps with built in floats or remote floats i prefer the latter as i can put it at any hight or place but are built in ones better?

<snip>

 

Personally I don't like all-in-one units - they are easier to fit but if either part fails you have to replace the lot and, as you

say, with individual items you can put the float switch where it best suits your needs - possibly particularly relevant to your

planned second pump in the cabin area - for this one you may want to set the float level higher, so that under normal

circumstances it is not called upon.

 

springy

[Jrtm]

Yes thats a good plan i could put the float ontop of the kelson and the other a few feet along the bottom from the back so it would have to be level with the bottom of the engine before the big one kicked in this way finger xed keeping water out the engine. And would be plenty of water to drink only think i didnt know was if it would kick off too early i.e not remove enough water????

[springy]

Fair point - unless you can find a float switch with a "tall" range the secondary pump will only pump down

to kelson level, however if we assumed the switch had say a 2" range then 2" of water above kelson level

is probably the same volume as 3" or even 4" below kelson level (depending on how much extra framing

there is associated with engine bearers etc.

 

On the other hand if it stops a problem becoming a serious problem ...

 

 

springy

[FadeToScarlet]

Spey has counters fitted to the pumps, so they can tell how many times they have run, whilst the boat is unattended, and whether that number is increasing. A good idea, I thought,

[Jrtm]

Thats a good idea haddent thought of that. Its a good way of checking for problems we dont leave her very long but its still a good idea. Ill look into that.

 

So any idea on sizes?

Fair point - unless you can find a float switch with a "tall" range the secondary pump will only pump down

to kelson level, however if we assumed the switch had say a 2" range then 2" of water above kelson level

is probably the same volume as 3" or even 4" below kelson level (depending on how much extra framing

there is associated with engine bearers etc.

 

On the other hand if it stops a problem becoming a serious problem ...

 

 

springy

I have no idea on the frame work quite alot due to 3 engines in her life. And verious new sections of prop shafts the latest stuff fitted seams to be from a tractor or lorry so im guessing this was what was fitted when the ford tractor lump was fitted after the bolly.

 

I know in the engine room there is quite a bit of frame work due to spreading the engines weight as much as pos

[Jrtm]

Going for 4 bildge pumps as the back cabin except at the very back due to the engine bearers setup which run from front of engine room right to the back where the swim planks curve in so water dosnt really get chance to flow from one side to the other or right to the back due to the way its been done (i have no issues that the engine isnt suported)

I currently have a 500gph in the back remote one and a fixed one in the hold im planning to put in 2  1500 ish pumps (1 each side of the kelson and run off float switch) that can out let threw 1 pipe with one way valves in the pipe so they cant just pump from 1 side to the other and put my other 500gph in the hold and do the same. Ill then buy a remote 3000gph pump for emergencys to aid if needed

[Jrtm]

Can anyone tell me if seaflo pumps with built in switch can be turned on remotely as well as auto? Im trying to cut down on wires a bit as 3 bildge pumps and switches takes alot of extra wiring compared to built in switches

[frygood]

Hi I'm new to boating.On the subject of bilge pumps.Is there any maintenance that needs to be done to these?If so what and how?

Thanks Carl

[Robbo]

2 hours ago, frygood said:

Hi I'm new to boating.On the subject of bilge pumps.Is there any maintenance that needs to be done to these?If so what and how?

Thanks Carl

Grease and other rubbish isn't nice for the pump / float so it's wise to test to see if the float switch works and it actually pumps.   Easiest way to do this is too dump in a bucket of water.    

Edited March 16, 2017 by Robbo

[mross]

Yes, test it once a month and make sure it's not covered in any crap that would reduce its pumping rate.  Can you lift it up and check that it cuts in when you lower it into some water?  Lifting the float is not a good check as it is possible that the float has filled with water and is no longer buoyant.  I have experience of floats that sink.

[Iain_S]

4 hours ago, billybobbooth said:

Can anyone tell me if seaflo pumps with built in switch can be turned on remotely as well as auto? Im trying to cut down on wires a bit as 3 bildge pumps and switches takes alot of extra wiring compared to built in switches

Looks like "Yes".

According to the installation instructions, they have two power supply cables (plus the negative return), one providing auto function, and one providing a manual function, bypassing the internal float switch. 

 

[Iain_S]

3 hours ago, frygood said:

Hi I'm new to boating.On the subject of bilge pumps.Is there any maintenance that needs to be done to these?If so what and how?

Thanks Carl

Not a lot possible, apart from cleaning the impeller and the base occasionally! 

[Jrtm]

I though that but then somehow got confused. Dosnt take much at the mo.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I think it's a good idea to put the pump under the stern tube in a plastic tray/container of some sort, so that any drips are caught, and then put the pump in the same tray. I hope I won't regret saying this, but I've never felt the need for an auto pump as water never accumulates while the boat is out of use.

[WotEver]

41 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I think it's a good idea to put the pump under the stern tube in a plastic tray/container of some sort, so that any drips are caught, and then put the pump in the same tray. I hope I won't regret saying this, but I've never felt the need for an auto pump as water never accumulates while the boat is out of use.

But Billy has a wooden boat. 

[billh]

2 hours ago, WotEver said:

But Billy has a wooden boat. 

Then you need a 4inch Sykes Univac  with a float switch to start the Lister diesel on automatic. Self primes, 15,000 gph . only kidding, wooden boats owner here as well.

Seriously- the float switches can get stuck with bits of wood, stern tube grease and worse than those, snails. For regular use, get the smallest pump you think you need- flat batteries caused by big amps pumps sticking on can result in sinking( don't ask how i know this). A small pump draws about 2 amps  and your batteries will supply that for a long time. If there is more leakage than the small pump can cope with , you have a big problem that needs urgent attention with the caulking iron.

You have a National with a bilge pump yes?  Try this: An electric pump on the end of the Nashs suction pipe- acts as a filter for the engine pump and discharges through the same outlet when the float switch activates (engine not running). In winter, to protect from frost, take the valves out of the engine pump (also the valves out of the cooling pump) . The electric pump can lift the valves  or just through pump if you've taken them out, saves another hole in the hull.

Bill

[smileypete]

On 16/03/2017 at 12:10, billybobbooth said:

Can anyone tell me if seaflo pumps with built in switch can be turned on remotely as well as auto? Im trying to cut down on wires a bit as 3 bildge pumps and switches takes alot of extra wiring compared to built in switches

Don't think I'd use a cheapo pump as the primary pump, maybe as a cheap additional  backup.

After some experience I've had decent results with Johnson cartridge pumps and the Rule wedge shaped float switch, the switch needs a basket of mouse mesh over it though. After many years of use, the switch once or twice got stuck in the 'up' position, maybe a light smear of silicone grease on the pivot would help there.

I think the Rule switch I have is one of the early mercury ones not the later ones (ball and microswitch?) which could be less reliable. The mercury ones are off the market unless you can DIY one somehow.

For a leaky wooden bote I'd have a smallish but reliable pump and switch for everyday bilge grot, then a high capacity pump on separate switch and ideally separate power source, possibly even alarm too if neighbours are around and happy to help.

The high capacity pump could be mounted a little higher up from the usual grot level and would deal with unexpected levels of water ingress or failure of the former pump.

There endeth the sermon, also try the lumpy water forums like 'cruiser forums' and 'woodenboat forum' for advice.