Rule LP900 Bilge pump issue

[Steve Drew]

I recently installed a Rule LP900 manual bilge pump with a float switch, and all ran well, other than I noticed some fine jets of water escaping around the seal where the pump locks into the pump body. I wasn't too concerned, but more recently it was operating and I saw water burst through the top of the intake nozzle. Now, some water entering the intake escapes through the holes in the top back into the bilge. I cannot find any product information relating to this. Has anyone encountered this before?

[blackrose]

Sorry I've no idea, but perhaps Rule bilge pumps aren't as reliable as some on here would have us believe. 

[Steve Drew]

Not sure but I did buy on their reputation I must admit. There are two recessed holes in the top where the plastic is thinner and I wondered if it is to relieve over pressure and protect the pump? I shall have to remove it for a closer look. Real problem is finding any product information..

[jonathanA]

On 29 September 2017 at 22:52, Steve Drew said:

I recently installed a Rule LP900 manual bilge pump with a float switch, and all ran well, other than I noticed some fine jets of water escaping around the seal where the pump locks into the pump body. I wasn't too concerned, but more recently it was operating and I saw water burst through the top of the intake nozzle. Now, some water entering the intake escapes through the holes in the top back into the bilge. I cannot find any product information relating to this. Has anyone encountered this before?

Sorry that doesn't quite make sense on a pump how is water bursting out of the INTAKE ? As usual a picture might help 

 

[Tony Brooks]

5 hours ago, jonathanA said:

Sorry that doesn't quite make sense on a pump how is water bursting out of the INTAKE ? As usual a picture might help 

 

I think the OP must mean the outlet because the Rule and other bilge pumps I have seen use slots in the base as an inlet.

They are centrifugal pumps so pressurise the outside and top of the pumping chamber. This means any cracks of holes will leak and spray. I think a photo here plus carefull inspection may help. On the present information I suspect mechanical damage, possible when fitting.

[Steve Drew]

Thanks for the comments. In this library picture you can clearly see the holes in the small square section on the top of the intake. This is where the water is coming out...

 

I'm starting to think that this is normal and maybe to relieve excess pressure and that there is possibly an airlock in the system. I just can't find any reference to it in the manual or any other source. The white band around the red part of the body is where the pump locks into the body on a bayonet type fitting and I get very fine jets here, although it feels fully locked. The body is undamaged.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Steve Drew
clarification

[Tony Brooks]

If those holes were not there the impeller chamber would trap air like a diving bell so the pump would never prime. Its a centrifugal pump that needs water around its impeller before it can pump. They are air bleed holes. As you say normal.

As far as any leaking around the blue to red part is concerned I don't think it will significantly reduce the capacity but it seems as if there may be an O ring missing but remember I have not see any diagrams etc. If there is not seal at that joint and the leaking worries you I would take it apart and smear some silicon sealer around the joint before reassembling it - small tubes of Fernox sealer from plumbers merchants and DIY stores. However remember you may the have problems getting it apart for cleaning.

[Steve Drew]

Thanks again..stop press. Tonight curiosity got the better of me and I removed the bilge filter/seperator. It was absolutely thick with oil and ponged a bit too so I think it may have been that way for a while. I got the boat in July this year and have done @24hrs cruising. I shall replace the cartridge asap but need to identify it as there are no markings. It looks to me like a Wavestream system 1 unless anyone knows different?

[Tony Brooks]

If its the pleated silver thing it looks like a washable element to me but I doubt its a filter.

I suspect its supposed to be an oil separator so it would be oily if oil was in the bilge (which it should not be) and the separator was working. Inland BSS compliant boats do not usually use an oil separator, they just discharge the bilge water overboard.

Of much more interest to me is the turbocharger.

[Steve Drew]

The pleated silver thing on the far right is a K&N air filter. The separator is the tall cannister on the left. I'm wondering if there has been an oil spill previously and the cartridge wasn't changed.

is the turbocharger interesting as a potential source of trouble, or you're just into turbochargers?

[Tony Brooks]

33 minutes ago, Steve Drew said:

The pleated silver thing on the far right is a K&N air filter. The separator is the tall cannister on the left. I'm wondering if there has been an oil spill previously and the cartridge wasn't changed.

is the turbocharger interesting as a potential source of trouble, or you're just into turbochargers?

No, Just wondered why an owner of a turbocharged boat would  be on an inland forum rather than one where such things are far more common.

If no information is given about the boat and equipment I suspect most of us will assume its a narrowboat/fat boat or small cruiser and answer accordingly. That can lead down dead ends.

Does your boat have a BSS compliant engine drip tray? If not then the boat should not have a BSS certificate so should not be on the vast majority of inland waters. If it does have a drip tray then the bilge pump shoudl be outside it and in that case as long as the bilge is oil free I would just take the cartridge out of the separator while you source a new one. However I am not convinced its not a domestic water filter that  a previous owner fitted for some reason. Microbes do build up on such things and do feel oily and smell.

It looks like a GRP boat to me and the bilge you can see does not seem to have been flooded with old oil but the engine foot.mount looks oily.

Any resistance on the bilge pump outlet run is likely to make the pump leak as described.

It looks like an outdrive equipped cruiser to me that would normally have a cockpit hood/roof that would keep rain out so now I am wondering why it needs a bilge pump that is required to pump the amount of water your question implies. Where is the water coming from?

Edited October 2, 2017 by Tony Brooks

[Tony Brooks]

Further thoughts.

I assume the bilge pump outlet pipe is the small reinforced yellow/brownish pipe running alongside the engine bed. If so then the pump is probably in front of the engine drip tray. If not it may be in the drip tray and that would explain the oil.

On that type of boat the drip tray is usually formed by the transom, the engine beds and then an upstand between the engine beds just in front of the engine.

Its hard to tell from the images but I feel the hose is rather small for the bilge pump so it will produce greater pressure in the pump causing it to leak as  described, even without the separator.