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What's the best Bilge pump for a narrowboat

Dr Bob

By Dr Bob
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Dr Bob Veteran II

Dr Bob

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I've done a search on Bilge pumps but cant see any comparisons of good and bad.

The bilge pump in our engine bay looks pretty grotty and is wired wrong ie the earth to the hull (as picked up on the survey when we bought her). I will do the rewire soon but was thinking of getting a spare and then swap them round. Reading the internet it seems like different boats have different requirements. For example our lumpy water ocean racer had a number of skin fittings below water level so you really needed bilge pumps that could handle a 2" fitting breaking and a lot of water entering. Also the height the water had to be pumped out affect the pump rate. We therefore had an electric auto bilge pump but also 2 manual ones, one mounted on the stern and one 'portable'.

For a narrow boat we have no skin fittings under water level so the only leaks are likely to be small ones. We have a big manual pump but I guess we need an auto electric one for the engine bilge with the main use to protect the boat while we are away and a small leak appearing.

What sort of pumping capacity is therefore recommended? 500GPH, 1000GPH or larger? I assume it is ok to get one with a float switch built in but I have also seen some with 'electronic' sensing. Any makes better than others but I am seeing Rule, Jabsco and Seaflo as ones available.

How are they wired up? I must be thick as I cant work it out. There will be a +ve and -ve from the pump direct to the domestic battery (via fuse) and it will switch on when the pump senses the water level is too high (ie via a float) but how then can you switch it on manually via the control panel by the throttle? What am I missing?

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cereal tiller Veteran

cereal tillerDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

I've done a search on Bilge pumps but cant see any comparisons of good and bad.

The bilge pump in our engine bay looks pretty grotty and is wired wrong ie the earth to the hull (as picked up on the survey when we bought her). I will do the rewire soon but was thinking of getting a spare and then swap them round. Reading the internet it seems like different boats have different requirements. For example our lumpy water ocean racer had a number of skin fittings below water level so you really needed bilge pumps that could handle a 2" fitting breaking and a lot of water entering. Also the height the water had to be pumped out affect the pump rate. We therefore had an electric auto bilge pump but also 2 manual ones, one mounted on the stern and one 'portable'.

For a narrow boat we have no skin fittings under water level so the only leaks are likely to be small ones. We have a big manual pump but I guess we need an auto electric one for the engine bilge with the main use to protect the boat while we are away and a small leak appearing.

What sort of pumping capacity is therefore recommended? 500GPH, 1000GPH or larger? I assume it is ok to get one with a float switch built in but I have also seen some with 'electronic' sensing. Any makes better than others but I am seeing Rule, Jabsco and Seaflo as ones available.

How are they wired up? I must be thick as I cant work it out. There will be a +ve and -ve from the pump direct to the domestic battery (via fuse) and it will switch on when the pump senses the water level is too high (ie via a float) but how then can you switch it on manually via the control panel by the throttle? What am I missing?

 

Just now, cereal tiller said:

 

3 Wires one switched live direct to Pump one permanent live to Float Switch ,other side of Float Switch to Pump ,permanent Negative.

Both Positives Fused

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Dr Bob Veteran II

Dr Bob

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8 minutes ago, cereal tiller said:

 

3 Wires one switched live direct to Pump one permanent live to Float Switch ,other side of Float Switch to Pump ,permanent Negative.

Both Positives Fused

Ah, 3 wires. That explains it. I hadnt looked at our current one close enough. Thanks. Problem 2 solved.

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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Posted

Can't be much help Dr Bob. Until this year we didn't have a bilge pump. I have since fitted a seaflo auto cheapy that empties through a skin fitting, and also a Whale Gulper shower pump. 

The best bilge pump, as you know is a scared man with a bucket. 

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Dr Bob Veteran II

Dr Bob

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3 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

 

The best bilge pump, as you know is a scared man with a bucket. 

Quite right, you can shift quite a few gallons per minute with a bucket - so really this is about when we are not looking at the bilge - or off the boat, so maybe the cheap end will work. We have a 'manual pump out kit' for our holding tank which doubles up in an emergency to pump lots of water. GRP hulls are always more prone to water ingress especially with big keels.

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Sea Dog Veteran II

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Posted
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1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

So far we have got a Whale and a bucket. Nearly time for bed. Guess when I get back in the morning, we will be on to Cats and cassette bogs!

Nah - what you need us the new 'Ecopump', which uses the heat from your stove....

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cereal tiller Veteran

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14 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Calling anyone sensible out there......calling anyone sensible out there.....

I was hoping to go and buy a spare bilge pump tomorrow. At this rate it will be next summer 'till I know what to get..........

Rule 500 or similar ,I use an Electronic Float Switch @ 40 Squids.Sleep well Doc Barb.

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frahkn Experienced

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Posted
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41 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Calling anyone sensible out there......calling anyone sensible out there.....

I was hoping to go and buy a spare bilge pump tomorrow. At this rate it will be next summer 'till I know what to get..........

My bilge is in two parts;  a  a foot or so below the prop shaft entry which is completely separate from the rest (and very difficult to access from above) and

                                   b  the other 69 feet which are inaccessible apart from at the very back.

I have two Rule bilge pumps, one dealing with each area. The rear one is entirely manual (2 wires) but the forward (by about 2 feet) one has 3 wires and a float switch. The theory is that if the tiny rear bilge fills, water will pass back past the drive shaft and activate the "forward" float switch.

The engine is 12 feet forward of all this and can be ignored for this discussion.

 

 

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springy Proficient

springy

Posted
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I would also go for something like a rule 500 but also consider the area you're covering - the float switch will probably need a couple of inches to operate - if this is an area of two or three square feet (typical area under the stern gland) then the pump will probably only run for 30 secs to clear down to the "off" position, if however the float controlled area is large then a small pump may take an excessive time to cycle and a larger pump may be better.

springy   

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Jess-- Rising Star

Jess--

Posted
Posted (edited)

some of the bilge pumps with inbuilt float switches (like is fitted in my boat) also have a timer that keeps the pump running for a few seconds after the float switch would turn it off, in my case it seems to be set for about 10 seconds, 5 seconds of which it's still pumping water that is below the float switches level and the remaining 5 seconds it's pulling air.

can't help with a make as it's unmarked (it's blue and white and about 6 inches tall by 3 inches square if that helps)

edit :
I've had a look through ebay bilge pumps and can't find anything that even looks like my pump... sorry

Edited by Jess--
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MtB Veteran II

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1 hour ago, Robbo said:

I like these pumps ...  https://www.asap-supplies.com/pumps/bilge-pumps/submersible-bilge-pumps/rule-lopro-lp900s-submersible-bilge-pump

It’s low profile and has a number of different automatic modes.

 

I like them too. I have one identical but yellow and branded “whale”.  It has some sort of electronic water level detection and switching rather than a mechanical float switch which always has scope to jam or seize. 

The four screw holes in the foot always amuse me though :) 

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Just now, system 4-50 said:

I wouldn't have one with any sort of float switch without also having some sort of battery cutout protection system. I've seen a number of float switch failures giving totally flat batteries.

Its a sort of gotcha isn’t it. Better a flat battery than a sunk boat. On the other hand, everyone ignores automatic bilge pumps running periodically on empty moored boats, just like car alarms so the boat will sink anyway once the batts go flat. 

Not much point in an automatic bilge pump really is there, when you think properly about it! 

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