Bilge pump

O

OUTRIGGER

New member
Bilge pump running down batteries. When I bought my 22 I saw a wire coming off the battery with the fuse pulled. The seller said that was for the auto bilge pump (Rule 1100) but it ran down the battery. I could not comprehend that the factory would put in something that ran the battery down, but he was right. I have the boat in the water so sort of want a bilge pump that does it's job. I ran the motor a week ago but now it does not have enough juice to start.
The manual says the pump comes on for about 2 seconds every 2 minutes. This means it comes on over 5,000 times a week, seems overkill when there is no water.
Have any of you changed out your bilge pump to a float pump or what would you recommend doing.
Thanks!
 
Wow - you definitely need to get rid of that autocycling bilge pump and replace it with a pump and float switch. You only want that baby coming on if water gets in.

The replacement will be simple though - snip snip - connect - heat shrink, etc.

Good luck.
 
I'm not a fan of those cycling pumps either. Perhaps I don't understand why they were designed to function that way, but I much prefer a pump that is only actuated when water is present. I'm more a fan of the solid state switches for this purpose than float switches since there are no moving parts that can get jammed.
 
Agree, change out the pump to a solid state or float type of trigger device.
Running the engine often will not charge up a low battery. To get peak output you have to run the engine at higher RPM--and some outboards have low output, such as the older 90 Hondas which only have 16 amps output. At that rate. with any electronics running, it would take as much as 10 hours to charge up your battery. You should have two batteries--one for the engien start and one for the "house"--that way you have a spare battery if for some reason the battery is badly discharged. Deep discharge is not good for a battery, and each time it shortens the life of the battery.
 
Also, if you're moored in the water, I would strongly suggest that you install a shore power/battery charging system and leave the boat plugged in. In the rare event that there is a need for the bilge pump to pump water, you want it to have a reliable source of power.
 
Time to bring this thread alive again. I did replace the old bilge pump in my newly purchased used C-22 Cruiser. It's still a rule 1100, but with the solid state auto switch as opposed to the run every once in a while to see if there is a load of water.... What I'd like to know, is what about the cabin? Do others install a bilge pump in the cabin or is it necessary? And how many put a second pump in the aft cockpit bilge sump area? I'm ok just leaving whats there, as the boat will only be in the water when we are using it. And I do check the bilge pump frequently to make sure it's working.

Along this same thought of removing water where it doesn't belong, what about the anchor locker? I have a anchor windless, and the line/chain opening is the standard size, while the drain hole is pretty small. What have others done to insure the anchor locker drains properly? Colby
 
We all replaced that pump...or pulled the fuze.. my boat had a dead battery when I towed it home from the dealer...caused by that autocycle.

I also added a second pump..the boat really does need two pumps.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
Joel, where did you add the second pump? 1100 GPH seems like a lot of water if the pump is working properly. (And I'm wondering where all the water is coming in, if not from rain or a very rough day on the lake.) (Unless you are talking of adding a pump in the cabin).
 
We're about to put our boat in a marina next week, and I'm probably going to put in a second pump as well. Basically, if the bilge pump burns out and the water gets higher, the second pump will take over. I already have a spare in a box (that I had thought was burnt out), and I will set it up in the same location (between the gas tanks), but a little higher than the first one.
 
Colby, Regarding your question about the anchor locker. Last year, after finding my anchor locker leaking into the area under the vee berth, I removed my ground tackle, cleaned the locker, egg shaped the drain hole to get the bottom of the hole level with the floor of the locker, sealed everything and painted the locker before replacing the gear. Topside, my wife made a sunbrella cover (had some spare from our camper top) for the windlass. The cover is over the anchor line hole and does a pretty good job at keeping rain out. Other than that I check the drain hole periodically and clean any accumulated crud out if needed.
Rich
 
I just replace both of my bilge pumps. The one under the door died due to not being cleaned out often enough, I think. Lesson learned -- $5.oo Turkey baster from WalMart to empty and dry the bilge divots after each trip.

The replacement under the door is a 1100GPH Rule. The 500, 750 and 1100 Rule pumps were redesigned to an electronic switch, and some of them have trouble shutting off when the water is gone, nor will it turn on IF there is oil or gas in the present fluid. So for the aft pump, (Un deer the splash well), I opted to go for the next one up, with a real float switch, which is a 1500. It is physically larger, takes a 1.5" discharge hose, and will pump out any fluid. Rule said that the "run on" problem was not significant, but I did not want to take the chance, of either it running on, or not pumping if there was anything mixed with the water on board.

Both are wired through the switch to be auto on if the switch is set that way.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Rich, thanks. When you eggshaped the hole, did you seal around the inside of the hole at all? Or is there anything there that needs to be sealed? (I've been reading all this information about core rot, etc.) I like the idea of a cover, and will look into doing something like that...however, what about if you are in heavy seas (altho hopefully I won't be in any, but if I were, I have to imagine a lot of water could come in thru that rode hole.)
 
Harvey,
What's the pump under the door? The only bilge pump that came with mine is back in the stern bilge area. And I just replaced it with that electronic one, thinking it would work well....sounds like the old simple pump and float switch are still the simplest and safest. I was thinking of adding a second pump there just as a back up, but as a back up, I'd probably want to run it on a separate circuit and oppositte battery from the other one.
 
Some of the C-Dorys have a second pump, forward in the cockpit, just inside the door in a small extension to the cockpit, going forward under the door. It is about 6 inches forward, and just below the level of the bottom of the door. It is where the water collects if you are sleeping in the V - birth over night and it rains. (Found that out by forgetting to turn on the pump to auto overnight and stepping into about 4" of rain water getting out in the morning. Makes for wet feet, but learned my lesson there.)

Some of the earlier models, (mine does not have a flat floor cockpit) had a pump forward in the cockpit, to the side of the door. I believe this was an owner modification. Sorry, I do not know if the new boats have a forward pump or not. If they don't, it should be a manufacture option. The water will collect forward if you have one or two people in the cabin or birth.

There is a door on the top of the extension, for access to the "bilge". Always gets a smile when the inspectors wants to see into my "bilge". Sorry I do not have any pictures of that. (Used to be kind of ugly in there. Learned that lesson too, now gets thoroughly cleaned, emptied with the turkey baster, and then sponged out to dry every time the boat comes out of the water.)

Sorry about the run on. :roll:

Hope that helps.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

Friends_Cal_09_10_Oct.thumb.jpg
 
I just realized that the newer C-dory's have some changes from the older ones. Just to get on the same page, mine is a 2007. I believe it has the factory raised floor, with 25 gallon fuel tanks in the aft on each side. The bilge pump is in a sump well between the two fuel tanks. There is no other bilge pump on the boat. The floor in the cabin is lowest along the keel, but unless I fabricate something at the door bulkhead, there would be no where to install a cabin bilge pump. Most my use of the boat will be on the Great Lakes, inland lakes and the Mississippi. It'll trailer it, so it will only be on the water when we are using it. Hope this gives those with suggestions a better background of my boat and how I plan to use it. Currently, I just have the one brand new Rule 1100 with the electronic auto switch (and manual switched also) located in the aft sump area between the fuel tanks. Mostly interested in how other owners (with 2007 and newer) have their bilge pumps set up, and if they have had any problems wtih water. Thanks. Colby (P.s. I'll try to upload some pictures later.)
 
My boat (2008) came from the factory with a single Rule 1100 between the fuel tanks. I added another 1100gph bilge pump in the same place. No problem with water in the cabin, even when water occasionally pools along the cabin bulkhead rather that running aft to the bilge.
 
colbysmith":1wphdlmc said:
How did you wire that additional one?
Click to expand...

I didn't personally install the second bilge pump, but rather had it installed by the dealer when we bought the boat. As far as I know it is wired directly to the battery with just a float switch and fuse. I don't have a way to manually activate it like I do with the factory installed pump.
 
The other installation issue with a second pump is where to route the output. I've read here that it's not a good idea to tee both pumps into the same output hose, and it's also bad to use check valves. I think some people have put an extra hole in the side of the boat for a secondary pump. One option I was considering that might be less intimidating is to drill a hole near the top of the motor well slope and pump out through that so it drains out the motor well drain. Maybe some sort of clamshell or 90 degree outlet would minimize splash / rain water going back down the tube.
 
After reading and hearing from a few others, I confirmed my decision to just add a second pump for back up or redundancy. Sounds like the main 1100 GPH pump should be more than adequate to remove any water from the cockpit. (Any more than that, and I've probably got bigger problems to worry about...) I decided to purchase a backup pump, an 850 GPH basic bilge pump, and a separate float switch. I'll install a seperate discharge line and thruhull fitting for this second bilge pump. And wire it throught it's own switch circuit (as opposed to the same circuit as the main pump.) Since I have two batteries, I'll wire this pump to a different battery than the main pump is on. I still don't have anything in the cabin, but doesn't sound like I need a pump in there, at least on the newer C-Dorys. Colby
 
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