How Often does your Bilge Pump Run?

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I skip the bilge water tasting and let some evaporate from a shallow dish set in the sun. 'easy to compare the remaining salt to the same volume taken directly from the sea in a similar dish. I drink the scotch while watching the samples evaporate.

A very empirical approach.

If you have a stuffing box, and are in salt water, then there is more likely than not salt contaminatination present which will taint any fresh water that finds it's way into the bilge. Just tasting it will tell you it's salty but not how much.

+ewww, gross!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Delancy

Have you ever tasted it and it tasted fresh?

Absolutely. Check the first post in this thread:http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ms-104147.html

[Bash]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I skip the bilge water tasting and let some evaporate from a shallow dish set in the sun. 'easy to compare the remaining salt to the same volume taken directly from the sea in a similar dish. I drink the scotch while watching the samples evaporate.

I'd call that a good approach for someone certain that he's not in the process of sinking.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I skip the bilge water tasting and let some evaporate from a shallow dish set in the sun. 'easy to compare the remaining salt to the same volume taken directly from the sea in a similar dish. I drink the scotch while watching the samples evaporate.

My auto bilge pump rarely runs because I regularly throw the manual switch and count the time taken until sucking air. With my dripless shaft seal, my increased time also comes with air conditioning condensate or some increase with rain dowm my masts interiors. Often I just get the one or two seconds that comes from the downfall on the bilge side of my anti-siphon loops.

Mine is sort of similar in that I have an manual switch to activate it, and then a switch higher up that will trigger it. Doing it manually kind of forces me to pay attention to how much water is going in. But if I forget or am away from the boat for a while, there's an automatic switch (that stays dry normally).

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Bash

Absolutely. Check the first post in this thread:http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ms-104147.html

Interesting, so was your fresh water pressure pump running at the time also? Or was it a gravity leak? Usually the pumps are so noisy.