Cheap/basic redundant bilge pump setup

[UNCIVILIZED]

Look @ Whale Gusher, manual pumps. Especially if you can find one used. As I've found several of the yellow, aluminum bodied ones for like $50. FYI, they also come in plastic.
They'll likely need new coatings, if aluminum. But tend to work fairly well, & have decent flow rates. That, & you can get ones which you can setup so that you can pump them via a handle in the floor or wall of the cockpit.
Or, mount them on a piece of plywood, so that you can operate them either from the cockpit, or belowdecks... a handy trait.

As to electric pumps, Rule's aren't bad. And bigger is better. But Quality Installation is KEY. Meaning, use oversized, tinned wire. Solder (as well as twist together) & fully waterproof ALL of your connections.

Also, it makes the pump work a bit more, but if the discharge is in the cockpit, then you know both; when it's on, & that it's working. It's an option anyway. And it may shorten how much hose volume there is to backflush into your bilge when the pump stops.

[Colin A]

We have been using these Mallory buzzer units lately at work. Seem to work well so far. Mallory-Sonalert
I believe you can order them thru digikey or newark.

[jwcolby54]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have two bilge pumps, twin rule 1,500's. One switch is mounted higher than the other so the second pump only comes on if the first pump is inop or the leak worse than one pump can handle, I have a radio shack buzzer inline with the power wire of the second pump so if it turns on, it will alert me to the the water level in my bilge being higher than it should be.
I guess now that Radio shack is no more you need to find another buzzer, even an automobile seatbelt buzzer will work well though, or if your really want to jump out of your skin, use a car horn


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A64, do you need a check valve to prevent the water from the second to try and push back through the first? Is that even possible (push back).

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by jwcolby54

A64, do you need a check valve to prevent the water from the second to try and push back through the first? Is that even possible (push back).

Pumps are seperate, don't share anything, even on separate circuits, each has it's own thru hull.


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[cabo_sailor]

Two suggestions

First if you had a y-valve you could use the engine to pump out. In one position it would take water from your thru-hull in the second position you could be sucking water from the bilge with an appropriate strainer.

Second, there used to be a pump that coupled to the prop shaft. Capable of running dry for forever but if there were excess water it would pump it out like a firehose. I haven't seen them advertised in a long while so they may have been a flop.

Rich


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[farm sail]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

Two suggestions

First if you had a y-valve you could use the engine to pump out. In one position it would take water from your thru-hull in the second position you could be sucking water from the bilge with an appropriate strainer.

Second, there used to be a pump that coupled to the prop shaft. Capable of running dry for forever but if there were excess water it would pump it out like a firehose. I haven't seen them advertised in a long while so they may have been a flop.

Rich


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nice ideas, if the OP had an inboard. might not work so well with his outboard.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Azul

Why not install a manually operated Whale pump? If you run your batteries down you are still OK.

The Whale Gusher manual bilge pump can deliver about 17 Gal/Minute (1020 GPH) for as long as you can pump 70 stroke/min (11 GPM - 660 GPH @ 45 stroke/min).

Reducing the Pump's 1-1/8" discharge to 3/4" will also reduce the pump's capability to about 44% of spec (± 450 GPH @ 70 stroke/min).

[VinnyVincent]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The Whale Gusher manual bilge pump can deliver about 17 Gal/Minute (1020 GPH) for as long as you can pump 70 stroke/min (11 GPM - 660 GPH @ 45 stroke/min).

Reducing the Pump's 1-1/8" discharge to 3/4" will also reduce the pump's capability to about 44% of spec (± 450 GPH @ 70 stroke/min).

Interesting. It appears I was reading some false info on the sellers website where it stated their urchin pump only does 2.2 gallon per minute. I just checked whale's site and it pumps 14 gallons per minute! That's pretty impressive. I am seriously considering that as an option now. Apparently their titan model does up to 1680GPH. I might see if I can squeeze a 1 1/8" hose into the bilge so I can have the full flow amount.
Only downside is I'd have to rig up a more elaborate high water alarm setup than a64pilots radio shack buzzer system, which is genius.

[Kokanee]

Just a few points to add.
Mounting a bilge pump & switch on a base is a great idea, but rather than plywood use something that doesn't float. Mine are mounted on a teflon cutting board. It's cheap, easy to shape to the bilge bottom, and doesn't rot.


Manual pumps are great, except when singlehanded. It's hard to pump while sorting out the source of the water problem. Still worth having one when the batteries are dead or under water.

[a64pilot]

You can spend a small fortune on a high water alarm or just buy one of these.
I am admittedly paranoid of water in the boat and have one of these too as they are so cheap and independent of the boats electrical system.
Shop Basement Watchdog Plastic Alarm at Lowes.com

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Kokanee

Manual pumps are great, except when singlehanded. It's hard to pump while sorting out the source of the water problem. Still worth having one when the batteries are dead or under water.

Did you see the post where someone used a bungee cord to return the pump handle and towed a triangle in the water to operate the handle, triangle keeps jumping out of the water, bungee resets the pump handle, triangle falls back in water and pulls handle, cycle repeats indefinitely, Now that was smart, and automatic, manual bilge pump

[VinnyVincent]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You can spend a small fortune on a high water alarm or just buy one of these.
I am admittedly paranoid of water in the boat and have one of these too as they are so cheap and independent of the boats electrical system.
Shop Basement Watchdog Plastic Alarm at Lowes.com

[kenamick]

Thanks for all the great info and ideas, guys!

But remember, the best bilge pump is a scared man with a 5-gallon bucket...

[watevaworx]

Hi ,
I have a different system. I run a y fitting with directional capability on my engine intake. as long as the bilge is clean or you run a filter you can switch to the hose running from the bilge and use you engine pump for a backup.

[farm sail]

Originally Posted by watevaworx

Hi ,
I have a different system. I run a y fitting with directional capability on my engine intake. as long as the bilge is clean or you run a filter you can switch to the hose running from the bilge and use you engine pump for a backup.

do you have pictures or a diagram of how that would work with the OP's outboard motor???