Bilge Pump Filter, Yes or No?

[deblen]

Some things I've learned from comm. fishing boats:

This type of "strainer/strum box" works well & is available at many marine stores. It is intended for 'whale gusher" large diaphragm hand or trash pumps.Navy Pump Strainers On Buck Algonquin

I am reluctant to re-paint my bilge as the old paint by PO flaked off & really clogs a Rule type pump.

Mount Rule type pumps a bit above the bottom of bilge on a plate,etc,so that you can pull the whole assy,including auto swx out by pulling on hose for quick cleaning.

Install a manual "whale gusher" type pump to suck out the last drops & for real emergencies.Or mount an engine driven trash pump on larger vessels.

If your boat gets knocked down or lays over excessively you will get crap in bilge IMHO.

Regularly add your favourite "bilge cleaner" to bilge along with some water & let it slosh around for a few hrs while sailing.

Cheers/Len

[leftbrainstuff]

Orange oil and hot water works well for regular cleans. If you have any significant buildup you'll need a mechanical clean. Pressure was, scrub or similar. Flush it many times and eliminate any source leakage tobavoid the buildup again.

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[a64pilot]

Probably better things to use, but I've found Pine-Sol works pretty good, and as a kid I guess I grew up with it and associate that smell with clean.
I just got through changing my pumps and switches, my pumps are mounted on an aluminum bar that is screwed to a bulkhead, and I mount the switches to the pump body, so I can pull them as a unit. But my bilge is probably four feet deep too.


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[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by deblen

. . .
If your boat gets knocked down or lays over excessively you will get crap in bilge IMHO. . .

Indeed. "My bilge is too clean for my bilge pump to ever get clogged" -- famous last words!! There is no such thing!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

. . .
I just got through changing my pumps and switches, my pumps are mounted on an aluminum bar that is screwed to a bulkhead, and I mount the switches to the pump body, so I can pull them as a unit. But my bilge is probably four feet deep too.. . .

Excellent arrangement and a great idea! Another winter project for me.

[Old Swampy]

If someone else missed it, I want to differentiate three common types of bilge pumps: centrifugal, diaphragm, and piston. Both the diaphragm (the Jabsco 36600 is a diaphragm pump) and piston pumps rely on valves, and may cease to function, if the valves are blocked by a small twig, a nail, a clump of hair, a leaf, etc. A centrifugal pump can handle some of the junk in the bilge, up to a point. It, too needs a screen. Most of the centrifugal pumps nowadays come with appropriate screens. It's the diaphragm and piston pumps that usually have separate intake screens. Two levels of screening (coarse then fine) are better than one. Larger screens are better than small. There is a lot of frustration in trying to pump a bilge in a hurry with a clogged pump!

[boden36]

It is likely that your bilge pump will clog when everything else is going pear shaped.
Very important to have some manual pumps with proper filter screens.
Locate the screened ends of the intake pipes on lengths of metallic strap which terminate near the sole, so you can pull up on the strap and lift the screened end of the pipe for unclogging.

Regards,
Richard

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by boden36

It is likely that your bilge pump will clog when everything else is going pear shaped.
Very important to have some manual pumps with proper filter screens.
Locate the screened ends of the intake pipes on lengths of metallic strap which terminate near the sole, so you can pull up on the strap and lift the screened end of the pipe for unclogging.

Regards,
Richard

We have a manual bilge pump with the proper screen, BUT after our experience this past week, there's no way pumping by hand is going to keep up with a serious leak... Like in our case where one of the exhaust hoses came loose, or a failed 1 3/4 inch through hull failure.

We're installing one of the commercial macerating pumps as soon as possible. Unclogging screens is like putting a small bandaid on a gaping wound. It's not going to do much, if anything in a serious situation.

[zeehag]

kenomac--i got tired of cleaning my bilge pump of cat hair constantly so i modified a colander, plastic, small, found everywhere in cheapstores so the hose would go thru a hole i cut for it, and pump sits in the c0lander just perfect.
and cat hair is no longer an issue for bilge pump n cleaning.
as for cleaning the bilge-- bilge soap always worked well, with a scrub brush. here i cannot find it so i use a liquid soap with obnoxious flower smell, popular in mexico, and no problem.
except there were a few oysters growing in the bilge ... got them also...
and i clean my bilges every six months.