Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 20-04-2006, 22:04   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: British Columbia
Boat: Currently Boatless
Posts: 111
Backflow from Bilge Pump

After my bilge runs the back pressure in the system empties 3 or 4 cups of water back into my bilge (basically the volume of water between the bilge and thru hull which can't get pumped out). I was wondering if anyone had tried a backflow preventer between the bilge and thru hull or would that just plug up? The same thing happens on my shower sump. I also don't have a low spot to collect that last little bit of water so I always seem to have water in my bilge and my keel bolts are perpetually submerged in water.

Kevin
KevinE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-04-2006, 22:19   #2
Senior Cruiser
 
Alan Wheeler's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Marlborough Sounds. New Zealand
Boat: Hartley Tahitian 45ft. Leisure Lady
Posts: 8,038
Images: 102
Yes there are non-return valves made especially for bilge pump applications. They do restrict a little, but not too bad.
The other way to go, is a self priming bilge pump that is used to get the very last little bit out. The suction end is attached to a low profile foot that sucks the last little bit out(as much as it can) but then you have a hassle of another through hull and so on.
__________________
Wheels

For God so loved the world..........He didn't send a committee.
Alan Wheeler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2007, 15:47   #3
Registered User
 
jheldatksuedu's Avatar

Join Date: May 2007
Location: On my boat, Manhattan, Kansas or LaBelle, Florida
Boat: 45 custom steel ketch-Steelin Time
Posts: 396
Images: 6
I plan to solve the problem by reshaping the bilge so it will drain into a plastic sump cut from the bottom of a bucket. That will hold the backflow safely away from anything that might rust.
__________________
A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work. www.jheld.mysite.com
jheldatksuedu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-12-2007, 16:12   #4
Registered User
 
delmarrey's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Philippines in the winters
Boat: It’s in French Polynesia now
Posts: 11,368
Images: 122
The question is; why are you getting water in your bilge in the first place?

Modern boats should be dry boats. Wooden boats have an excuse and need a little salt on the inside to prevent rot.

On mine I use a wet vac to extract the last little bit. My bilge pumps are for minor emergencies. The only water I get in my bilge comes down the keel stepped mast.

As for the shower sump, if it's used a lot, it can be sealed off from the regular bilge with a barrier below the deck plates. And that area can be sealed in epoxy to prevent saturation into the glass. And that area should be rinsed with clean water and pumped until the soap is gone. Then if it's going to sit for a while then it can be vac'd out too.
__________________
Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend, but the Kisses of the Enemy are Deceitful! ........
The measure of a man is how he navigates to a proper shore in the midst of a storm!
delmarrey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2007, 15:07   #5
Registered User
 
jheldatksuedu's Avatar

Join Date: May 2007
Location: On my boat, Manhattan, Kansas or LaBelle, Florida
Boat: 45 custom steel ketch-Steelin Time
Posts: 396
Images: 6
Good question about where it is coming from.
The entire time I've owned my boat it has been in a state of repair with things like the engine room cover removed and covered with a tarp. Maybe I don't need to worry about water in my bilge after I get done with refurbing it. The chain locker used to drain to it but I'm changing that. With my glass boats I never worried about the last little bit of water and it was always there. I just assumed with a steel boat it would be too, but maybe if I vac it out it wouldn't return. I'm not sure what to do now. I can do the job easily while everything is open, I'd hate to put it off and find out later it is needed. It's a long way down below the engine and not easy access to vac out but I have done it with a long PVC tube taped to wet dry vac nozzle I carry along anyway. Thanks
__________________
A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work. www.jheld.mysite.com
jheldatksuedu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2007, 21:29   #6
Moderator Emeritus
 
David M's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Boat: Research vessel for a university, retired now.
Posts: 10,406
I have used both plastic and bronze check valves on bilge pumps with long runs to the overboard discharge valve...no problems.

There is not necessarily something wrong if you are getting water in your bilge. There are dozens of ways water can get in there. In my case I get scientists who collect benthic samples (mud) which clogs the scupper around the afterdeck hatch which then allows water to get in the after bilge. It's all part of doing business.

In chop I get spray that comes down my engine room vents...normal.

Condensation forms on the aluminum in my after compartment...normal.

Water from my anchor rode drips water which ultimately leads to the bilge...normal

"Dripless" shaft seals occasionally drip...normal

Rudder shaft seals drip water at speed...normal.

I gave up years ago thinking I could keep 100% of the ocean out of my boat 100% of the time.
__________________
David

Life begins where land ends.
David M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2007, 08:06   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: St Charles MO
Boat: Easterly 36 Aft Cabin
Posts: 180
I also don't have a low spot to collect that last little bit of water

I use a sponge to get out the last little bit of water.
__________________
7.25 years until the Carib
easterly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2007, 08:10   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,933
Images: 4
We get rain water down the mast. Sometimes it is an amazing amount if the rain is wind driven from the right direction. It is not coming through the boot but from the openings in the spar for halyards and shrouds.
Joli is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2009, 00:48   #9
Registered User
 
Portobello's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Hobart
Boat: Portobello - a Walter Knoop designed "DOVEN 30"
Posts: 231
Images: 5
I vacuum out my bilge about once a year - it seems to accumulate a fair bit of dust!
Bull dust methinks! lol
__________________
Love the journey!
Portobello is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2009, 08:32   #10
Registered User
 
jheldatksuedu's Avatar

Join Date: May 2007
Location: On my boat, Manhattan, Kansas or LaBelle, Florida
Boat: 45 custom steel ketch-Steelin Time
Posts: 396
Images: 6
vaccume pail

I've built up a system to make it easy to vaccume out the last few drops. I use a 5 gal pail with a lid, (old comercial paint pail) I put two pvc fittings in the lid that just fit shop vac hoses. I connect one to the vac and the other to the long pvc pipe with the flex hose to the bucket lid. This way I vaccume the water into the pail, and not the shop vac. The lid just sets on the pail, vaccume holds it down. I never have to worry about changing over the shop vac from dry to wet and it keeps the salt water further away from the vaccume.

I just bought another steel sailboat, this one has leaks at deck level, so I get to use this more often. I'm getting ready to do the welding to seal the leaks. I bought this just to fix it up and then resell it. It's 27 foot and built in the same yard in Holland as my big boat. I'll have it on my website www.jheld.mysite.com and also have pics of this vaccume setup on there. I finally bought that rotary table last week, a 3 inch model, bet I might be the only sailboat in the world to have one of those onboard.
Also check out my 2 liter pop bottle dry food storage solutions.

Have a great day.
__________________
A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work. www.jheld.mysite.com
jheldatksuedu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2009, 08:37   #11
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,483
I've used a bronze or plastic check valve also, but to tkeep the boat from sinking rather than worrrying about a few cups of water!
Cheechako is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2009, 14:16   #12
Registered User
 
Therapy's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: W Florida
Boat: Still have the 33yo Jon boat. But now a CATAMARAN. Nice little 18' Bay Cat.
Posts: 7,086
Images: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by jheldatksuedu View Post
Also check out my 2 liter pop bottle dry food storage solutions.

Have a great day.
The only catagory I see it would be in is neat stuff.
I missed it.
??
Therapy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-05-2009, 16:20   #13
Marine Service Provider
 
Inkwell's Avatar

Join Date: May 2007
Location: St. Simons Island, Ga.
Boat: Hunter Legend 37.5 1993
Posts: 240
Send a message via Skype™ to Inkwell
Here in the South, the boat's a/c runs all the time. It drains into the bilge, so I always have water in it. I have the same experiences that KevinE has, and a Hunter 375!
Inkwell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-07-2009, 17:43   #14
Registered User
 
jheldatksuedu's Avatar

Join Date: May 2007
Location: On my boat, Manhattan, Kansas or LaBelle, Florida
Boat: 45 custom steel ketch-Steelin Time
Posts: 396
Images: 6
off topic: 2 liter pop bottle food storage

The 2 liter pop bottle food storage is on the top of the misc pictures page.

Misc Photos

I've been also getting a lot of 3 liter pop bottles too, they have larger lids and 50% more storage. About an inch taller and an inch bigger in diameter. One of them is in the picture.

They are great. I found the cheapest place to get them is Dollar Tree. $1 full of pop. Jon
__________________
A bad day sailing is 100 times better than a good day at work. www.jheld.mysite.com
jheldatksuedu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-07-2009, 21:33   #15
Registered User
 
scotte's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, CA, USA
Boat: Privilege 39
Posts: 664
Quote:
Originally Posted by jheldatksuedu View Post
The 2 liter pop bottle food storage is on the top of the misc pictures page.
Clever, I like it! Thanks for passing that along!!
scotte is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bilge, bilge pump

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bilge pump recommendations rebel heart Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 34 31-12-2012 06:08
Which Bilge Pump Switch Do You Like ? over40pirate Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 33 12-04-2012 16:01
Another Bilge Pump Thread cal40john Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 23 18-07-2010 17:38
Bilge Pump Carpy0126 Powered Boats 2 08-05-2009 21:08
Bilge Pump Failures ? GordMay The Sailor's Confessional 6 14-08-2003 01:23

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 15:09.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.