Can I get a recommendation on a good bilge pump

[Gustuv Wynd]

Are there any automatic bilge pumps out there that have a low profile and thus suck out a lot of water?

My boat will stay pretty dry just sitting in the water, but this year we are typically anchoring through a rain storm every time we go out. I have three bilge pumps on board, but they all stop pulling water at around 5cm of water and for the floats to kick on I think there needs to be like 10 cm...maybe 8, but still a fair amount. I am always manually running them so the floats do not get a chance to kick in much.

So, last night I was out at the boat shop vaccing the bilge out...again...and I got to thinking that maybe there is something better at getting water out. I don't know what make and model the pumps are...I just bought this boat last summer. They have the look of Rule 2000gph pumps, but they have no external markings...just white casings. When they do pump water, they seem quite good at it, but I have no idea how old they are so I'd feel better just replacing them.

But is there anything better out there or is a shop vac actually the primary bilge pump for a lot of boaters these days? I've been searching around, but haven't really found any thing but other people asking a similar question.

[pilott]

Have you thought of installing a manual bilge pump - something like a whale gusher? As a plus, it's a good idea to have a manual back-up, in case of power loss.
The suction hose can be set pretty low in the bilge

[Gustuv Wynd]

Originally Posted by pilott

Have you thought of installing a manual bilge pump - something like a whale gusher? As a plus, it's a good idea to have a manual back-up, in case of power loss.
The suction hose can be set pretty low in the bilge

Hadn't really thought of that...that might be a good idea if it can can the water really low. Manning the pump would probably be less work then vacuuming longer. I mean I am not expecting any pump to get it completely dry.

It's a river boat...so I am not overly concerned about a power loss, though. Any where I'd anchor I could literally pull it to a shore by a rope if I had too. Plus there I have a generator and the generator's start battery in a pinch.

I'd still like to replace my powered pumps...but I will likely be installing a manual pump as well depending on how the suction hose placement prospects look.

[Sailmonkey]

The ubiquitous centrifugal submersible bilge pump suck for normal maintenance. They’re great for de-watering.

A maintenance pump like this



Attached to a strum box like this




Will really pull the water out (not quickly, but almost all of it).

Your only real limitation now is the float valve.

[Gustuv Wynd]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

The ubiquitous centrifugal submersible bilge pump suck for normal maintenance. They’re great for de-watering.

A maintenance pump like this

Attachment 196232

Attached to a strum box like this


Attachment 196233

Will really pull the water out (not quickly, but almost all of it).

Your only real limitation now is the float valve.

Heh, that's my fresh water pump...

Would something like that be able to prime on it's own?

...and why does my thread have the tag of "men" LOL

[a64pilot]

Yes, they will self prime and one advantage of them is that they don’t have to be mounted down in the water like a normal boost pump. They can be mounted up high and dry where they are easily serviced.

They don’t pump lots of water though. I have one for our shower sump pump, it’s also where our AC condensate drains, so it operates quite often, and will do so for years

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Gustuv Wynd

Heh, that's my fresh water pump...

Would something like that be able to prime on it's own?

...and why does my thread have the tag of "men" LOL

Ours has a 4’ lift from the bottom of the bilge to the pump. It primes quite readily.

It’s not quite like your fresh water pump, it’s only a single chamber and has no ability to really generate pressure.

[a64pilot]

There are actually freshwater pumps just like it, but bigger, they pulsate water like a water pik when you turn on the faucet, but last nearly forever.
I maybe should have left mine installed as they last forever, and the newer multi chamber ones, don’t seem to.

This is one
https://www.defender.com/product3.js...34231&id=85028

[moseriw]

Whatever you do. NO pump with internal swim switch!
Beware of pumps that refuse to pump oil when detected - They are dangereous!!!
Swim switches: whatever I did: cheap ones, expensive ones, with relay or not the'd brake within a year.

Next try is a simple swimming pool swim switch.

[roland stockham]

Yes the problem you have is best solved by using a low profile strum box attached to a self priming pump. Any pump will do. You are however not going to get a float switch that will go much lower than a couple of cm so you will probable want to set it up on a manual switch.

[jmschmidt]

Use separate solid-state water level sensors with any good pump. You can mount the non-fouling solid-state sensor as close to the bottom as your want. I have two, one on a 500gph in the sump and one on a 3700gph pump mounted a little higher. Only one failure in thirty years. Just keep the sensor faces clean with a damp cloth once a month or so.
Both are connect to control panels for auto-on when the boat is unattended. They are wired to both the standard DC bus and Blue Sea CB/Switches and also to a fused hot battery bus always energized) through the auto on control panels.
I also have a lever action RULE float switch which is which is on the fused hot battery bus, mounted just under the cabin sole which will set off a screaming high-water alarm that can be heard over the entire marina.
Don't use float switches or pumps with float switches in the bilge, too easy to foul the floats with debris.

[Puget Dan]

This bulge pump looks like what you are looking for, I am going to get one to get the last water out.


Whale SuperSub Smart IC Automatic Bilge Pump
null
Whale SuperSub Smart IC Automatic Bilge Pump
Select Flow Rate, Port Type: Stepped
Select Voltage, Outlet: Non-Return Valve
High Capacity, Low-Profile Automatic Pump for Confined Bilge Spaceshttps://www.defender.com/images/50367312V110.jpg

[SV Sailfish]

Get yourself a mini wet/dry shop vac.

I have the same thing on my boat. 2 to 3 centimeters of water left after the bilge pump starts sucking air. The shop vac gets out every remaining drop. Works like a charm!

Plus, lots of other uses for it too.

[MicHughV]

a favorite topic of mine.

over the course of owning 3 sailboats, I can speak from experience about several " near sinking" moments on all of them.
Bilge pumps are, generally speaking " down there" where there is little service, moist and wet conditions, etc.
If your batteries are also located " down there", watch out!
Float switches can get fouled. knocked loose by a rolling can of beer, etc, or otherwise become " inoperable"

99% of boats are inadequately protected from water intrusion.
A 3000 gph rated bilge pump is a laboratory number. In real life, with a fading battery, several bends in the line and other obstacles, a real life number might be 300 gph for that same pump and that only for 30 minutes.

Water coming in thru' a malfunctioning thru-hull, broken hose, leaking prop stuffing box, etc, will look like a fire hose.

I would say, that no less than 3 bilge pumps is a minimum. Each one them at least 3,000 gph. Each with their float switch set at different levels. ie, pump # 1 comes on when water is 1" over bilge. # 2 comes on when water is 2", etc.
On top of the electrical pumps, at least two hand pumps, one permanently installed and one as an " emergency" pump on a board.
Don't chintz out on this. Monetary concerns need to be totally outweighed by saving yer arse in the middle of nowhere. 1,000 miles from land is not a good time to think " I shoulda done ......).

A bilge pump is not there to save yer arse, it is there to buy you time to save yer arse !!!

Ok, without question, the SINGLE most important bilge pump feature is an ALARM. I can't say this LOUD enough. When something screws up it is usually at night, in stormy weather, etc. when your mind may well likely be elsewhere. You need to know IMMEDIATELY why the alarm went off.
It is VITALLY important to know the origin of the leak ASAP !!

A buzzer, light, siren, whatever, NEEDS to go off when the bilge pump kicks in. This will IMMEDIATELY alert to you a pending problem, without having to wait until the water is over the cabin sole. I use a mini-siren. There is no mistaking this sound when it goes off!!!

The second most important tip I can provide, when sailing offshore is to close off all the thru-hull valves not needed. These would be the forward head, sink, etc.
At night, I will close off all valves not needed, so if there is a problem, I will immediately know where the problem might be located without trying to figure out what is leaking where.

Every thru-hull needs to have tapered wood plug attached to it with a piece of stout line.

When the doodoo hits the fan ( usually at night), you are not going to have time to figure out what is where. 1,000 miles from shore you will be your own mechanic/ rescue coordinator/man of the hour/etc.....

Don't count on shipboard lights to function. Have a handy supply of flashlights available ( with fresh batteries).

This is a topic often brushed off " it will happen to some other guy, not me"
Trust me on this.....you will be that guy !!

Hope this provides some guidance.

[Barkie]

my solution to this problem was to put the float swich in the bottom of a milk bottle ie a small container with a very small hole in it.The water creeps in as it does but when the float switch activates the water in the container drops slower than the real level so it goes on pumping longer before the pump stops. just have to suck and see how big the hole has to be