Rule Bilge Pump Float Switch Problems

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, George.

[Coppelia]

Hello. What a load of rubbish the new Rule switches are. I have had 2 now fail within 3 months. This is dangerous as a float switch is relied upon to stop the bilge flooding. I will now be looking for an alternative.
The ones which failed are used in the bath pump out so are used 2 or 3 times a week.
Do you know where I can return it from Europe.

Tony

[Coppelia]

PS
I opened the switch up and the contacts are burned out. It only drives the small Rule pump.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Tony.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Coppelia

PS
I opened the switch up and the contacts are burned out. It only drives the small Rule pump.

Welcome aboard Coppelia.
There are so many threads here lamenting the poor performance of these Rule switches, that I am surprised that a survey of the installation specs has not been set up.

[JRO]

Originally Posted by HopCar

If the switch is less than a couple of years old, just take it back where you bought it and ask for a new one. Rule has a very liberal return policy. If it's more than a couple of years old just buy a new one. All float switches and electronic pump controls will fail eventually. Float switches are cheap enough that there is no reason to worry about a bad one or try to fix it. Twenty years ago we used to get a lot of returns on Rule float switches but since the change to mercury free switches we've only gotten very few returns. I think they are very reliable.
Rule-A-Matic Float Switch

Well thanks... I'll stay away from your store. These switches are garbage and for you to say what you did is terrible. You must not own a boat... But you make a few bucks every time some sucker needs to replace another switch.

[HopCar]

JRO, That's pretty harsh.

I do own several boats. I've owned boats since I was 12 years old. I've sold Rule products for more than forty years. All of my bilge pumps are equiped with Rule Float Switches.

I don't make money when I replace a bad switch for free. I lose the cost of the freight to get it too me, I lose the cost of shipping it back to Rule, I have to pay the clerk to handle the transaction and I have to pay my shipping clerk to box it up.

If I was getting a lot back, I wouldn't carry it. If a Rule float switch is failing every couple of months there is a problem somewhere else.

That said I think the Rule is a good value for the money but there are better switches out there. I usually recommend the Ultra Pumpswitch Jr.
Ultra Pumpswitch JR

A lot of people don't want to spend that kind of money and the Rule switch is a good value.

[geoffh]

Thanks for this thread, I'm just about to replace my auto bilge pump, battery and solar. So it looks like I'd better put a bit more research into this project !

[Lepke]

I have 5 WT compartments and I have Rule all-in-one pumps in 2 of them. Both failed to shut off within 1 year. I installed a separate float switch on each. I won't buy another similar Rule pump.
If Rule has a good return policy, so what. When in home port I am 50 miles from a specialized marine store. Mail/shipping is 15 miles plus the time to remove and reinstall the replacement. And I may have to do that again in another year. Marine equipment needs to be reliable.

[avazquez]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I have 5 WT compartments and I have Rule all-in-one pumps in 2 of them. Both failed to shut off within 1 year. I installed a separate float switch on each. I won't buy another similar Rule pump.
If Rule has a good return policy, so what. When in home port I am 50 miles from a specialized marine store. Mail/shipping is 15 miles plus the time to remove and reinstall the replacement. And I may have to do that again in another year. Marine equipment needs to be reliable.

They are garbage! I now use Johnson. And so far so good!

[Seighlor]

Have had similar problems with the Rule switches not shutting off.. and not because they have been full of gunk.

A few years ago I purchased one of the Ultra Senior switches from West Marine for my higher-elevation Johnson backup pump. Bilge water almost never rose to that elevation so, until this weekend, did not realize the switch was not working. It works on manual; not on auto.

I returned the pump to West Marine, looking for a replacement under the Lifetime Warranty. Turns out, West Marine no longer carries the Ultra switch.

Which brings me to this site in search of a better float switch answer.

[HopCar]

Try this one: Ultra Pump Switch JR.

[Seighlor]

Is it your thought that the "Junior" is better than the "Senior" that failed?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by avazquez

They are garbage! I now use Johnson. And so far so good!

My experiences with Rule products (over many years) has also been poor. After having several relatively new ones fail last season, I swore I would never buy another Rule product again.

Have removed all Rule pumps and replaced with Johnson. Hopefully my experiences will be better with Johnson.

I cruise in remote locations...I need products that are reliable...not that need to be returned to a shop 1,500 miles away from me for an equally lame replacement.

[Twisticles]

How do the Ultra switches compare with electronic switches like the Water Witch? Certainly a lot cheaper, but is it a case of "you get what you pay for"?