My bilge is making me moist...

[krisb007]

So I have a Coronado 28 with a wet bilge. My bilge pump is set up so that the pump doesn't come on until the water level reaches about 4-5 inches. I am assuming that was done to keep it from cycling to often. It appears that my original internal water tank">fresh water tank has a very slight leak somewhere which will add about a 1/2 inch per week into the bilge. I will be addressing that soon by either relining the tank or switching to a bladder. The other source of water is the ice box which drains directly into the bilge. The way it is set up, when you pull the plug on the ice box the water just free flows into the bilge down the interior of the hull. No hose or ability to connect a hose.

My question is does anyone else have this set up and what do you do to keep the bilge dry? I am thinking of adding a smaller bilge pump as a backup anyways that would sit directly on the bottom, but this does not fix the root cause of my issue. I was thinking of adding a hose connection to the icebox drain that would lead into some type of bucket in the bilge so that when I drain the box I could just toss the water overboard. I might be able to route it to my kitchen sink through hull but It may be lower than the gate valve, which would not help much.

Any better ideas?

Thanks

[Bleemus]

Your on the right track. Adding a barbed hose drain to icebox and run it to a plastic sump that will pump it out keeping your bilge dry.

I like this one as it is a lot less expensive than those offered by West Marine . . .

http://amzn.to/2wRRz2Y

[krisb007]

Now that is a slick idea. Thanks! The tough part will be accessing the drain for the ice box.

[Terra Nova]

Fix the leaks.

[Cheechako]

I never worried about keeping the bilge dry. Doesn't your shaft packing drip? Most bilge pumps will pump and then the water in the hose runs back to the bilge. You can go to a lot of expense and eliminate most of that if it bugs you. Use a Diaphragm pump or etc.

[krisb007]

I have a check valve in my bilge line that eliminates that. I am trying to get it as dry as possible, but I know it will not be perfect. But if I can eliminate the majority of the water that would help.

[Terra Nova]

Never install a check valve in a bilge pump line.

[Davidhoy]

I have a similar problem, and have been toying with an idea to keep bilges dry, and am testing a promising prototype device. On my boat I have a water-cooled refrigeration compressor that runs periodically. I was curious to see if I could plumb a small venturi pump into the discharge side of the cooling loop, and run a small tube from the suction inlet down into the bilge. With this setup, whenever the compressor is running it will be, little by little, draining the bilge overboard. I designed a venturi device in some 3D CAD software, and printed it using my 3D printer. I tested the device with a garden hose as the input, and sure enough it works, and can pump a 2-3 foot head of water. I'm experimenting with different internal geometries to see if I can get more suction, but I'm already in the ballpark for what I need. I also need to test how much back pressure or flow restriction the device introduces, so that I do not negatively affect the compressor.

It's fun to tinker like this, and I'm close to having a functional bilge drying pump that has no moving parts, uses no additional electricity, and should be largely maintenance free - just have to keep the pickup from getting clogged.

-David

[krisb007]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Fix the leaks.

Working on that as stated in my post.

[krisb007]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Never install a check valve in a bilge pump line.

Many say do have one many say don't. I prefer to keep the water from back flowing into the bilge since I have a long run to get it out of the boat. No perfect answer to this one.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Never install a check valve in a bilge pump line.

That used to be the rule but now some pumps are coming with check valves.
The all use joker style valves like you see on toilets.

I recommend that if someone wants a check valve in their bilge discharge that they use a pump designed for it. Both the Whale and Rule Low Profile pumps come with this type of check valve.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

I have a similar problem, and have been toying with an idea to keep bilges dry, and am testing a promising prototype device. On my boat I have a water-cooled refrigeration compressor that runs periodically. I was curious to see if I could plumb a small venturi pump into the discharge side of the cooling loop, and run a small tube from the suction inlet down into the bilge. With this setup, whenever the compressor is running it will be, little by little, draining the bilge overboard. I designed a venturi device in some 3D CAD software, and printed it using my 3D printer. I tested the device with a garden hose as the input, and sure enough it works, and can pump a 2-3 foot head of water. I'm experimenting with different internal geometries to see if I can get more suction, but I'm already in the ballpark for what I need. I also need to test how much back pressure or flow restriction the device introduces, so that I do not negatively affect the compressor.

It's fun to tinker like this, and I'm close to having a functional bilge drying pump that has no moving parts, uses no additional electricity, and should be largely maintenance free - just have to keep the pickup from getting clogged.

-David

To keep the pickup from getting clogged use a peri jet type of eductor Derbyshire - Peri-Jets & Eductors

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by krisb007

Many say do have...

Many don't know what they're talking about.

Originally Posted by HopCar

...some pumps are coming with check valves.
The all use joker style valves...

They don't all use joker valves.

The pumps whose design includes a check valve are one thing; amateur-installed check valves are another.

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by newhaul

To keep the pickup from getting clogged use a peri jet type of eductor Derbyshire - Peri-Jets & Eductors

My eductor/venturi is 3D printed using nylon filament, and is very small. The peri jet eductor is pretty large, made of sintered bronze, and requires significant motive flow to drive it. My device is not meant as a high-volume dewatering pump - I still have my regular bilge pumps for that - it's just designed to get the last few millimeters that the big pumps cannot handle.

-David

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

My eductor/venturi is 3D printed using nylon filament, and is very small. The peri jet eductor is pretty large, made of sintered bronze, and requires significant motive flow to drive it. My device is not meant as a high-volume dewatering pump - I still have my regular bilge pumps for that - it's just designed to get the last few millimeters that the big pumps cannot handle.

-David

David many years ago when Mon the Navy I made a miniature one that operated on compressed air. My linking that to you was to give you some ideas as to efficient design aspects not to purchase one of these units. Personally I would look at the peri design. Moves more with less volume to operate it than a standard eductor.