How Often does your Bilge Pump Run?

[Driftwoods]

My bilge always has a little water in it and I noticed my bilge pump runs about once every 2-3 days for about 15 seconds. I don't think it's a problem but I was wondering what would be considered abnormal?

I think I'll use the shop vac to dry out the inch or so that's always in there to see how long it takes to get deep enough to trigger the pump and I just like the idea of a dry bilge too.

[Capt.Alex]

Depends. Bilge water has several sources. Packing glands should not leak at all on the rudder, and should only leak a small amount around the prop shaft when running. My A/C condensate drains to the bilge so during the warm months I accumulate quite a bit. Your run time does not sound abnormal. Lots of rain can find its way into the bilge if you have any deck leaks, etc. It also varies from boat to boat depending on the volume of water the bilge holds. A long shallow bilge will take longer to rise to the point of triggering the float switch. Mine has a relatively small sump that fills rather quickly.

[RTB]

Have you tasted it? Fresh or saltwater?

Ralph

[rebel heart]

A little bit of water in the bilge is no big thing. Don't give into the OCD impulse for a dry bilge.

I run mine once every day or so underway, manually. I have a Water Witch alarm that activates once there's more than a few gallons in there. It rings an alarm and trips a second bilge bump.

I have a deep bilge that can probably hold ~40 gallons just in the deep part, not that I make that a habit.

If you have a conventional packing gland, it probably drops a little bit, which is completely fine. The "dripless" shaft glands, and their failures, are the only time I've heard of someone getting flooding through the gland.

[Driftwoods]

Thanks Alex. My A/C condensate drains to the bilge also and it looked like there was quite a bit building up there so I was thinking that might be a source of the water. My wife looked at me sideways when I mentioned it as a possibility so I'm glad to see you list that!

Originally Posted by RTB

Have you tasted it? Fresh or saltwater?

Ralph

No. No plans to do so either.

I do need to put a high water alarm in my bilge just for peace of mind.

[sy_gilana]

Our Freezer expansion valve frosts up each run, adding about a tablespoon each time, then the halyard slots in the mast admit rain, it comes out the bottom of the mast, so we have a 5 second run every 2 days or so...not a worry.

[Sailmonkey]

Before the dripless shaft seal, we'd run once a day for about 30 seconds. Now we can go weeks and the deep bilge is dusty. I also put a Venturi on the AC condensate, all that fresh water in the bilge is good for no one!!

[sailorboy1]

I don't know how often mine runs as I have never heard it do so. I do get water in mine and I don't really know when it comes from (I think sometimes it comes from the frig when I defrost and forget to turn on the shower sump at the same time). I do wet vac mine out every so often and it will stay dry a while then one day have a gallon in it (way below the float level).

Next time I run the engine a long time that really heats up the water heater I'm going to wet vac the bilge and see if the water comes from the water heater relief valve.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Driftwoods

No. No plans to do so either.

It's actually an important diagnostic to determine the salinity of bilge water. The good news is that you don't need to swallow.

I like to follow a salinity test with a good swig of single malt, just to reset the meter. Neat, of course.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Don L

Next time I run the engine a long time that really heats up the water heater I'm going to wet vac the bilge and see if the water comes from the water heater relief valve.

It's not too big a job to vent that relief valve overboard. (That setup came standard on my boat. )

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by RTB

Have you tasted it? Fresh or saltwater?

Ralph

Lol!!!

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by Bash

It's actually an important diagnostic to determine the salinity of bilge water. The good news is that you don't need to swallow.

I like to follow a salinity test with a good swig of single malt, just to reset the meter. Neat, of course.

Have you ever tasted it and it tasted fresh?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Bash

It's not too big a job to vent that relief valve overboard. (That setup came standard on my boat. )

Yeah, I could hook the relief up to the shower sump pretty easy. I don't run one of the showers much and it would probably be good to send water to it more often as it gets all foul otherwise.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Bash

It's actually an important diagnostic to determine the salinity of bilge water. The good news is that you don't need to swallow.

I like to follow a salinity test with a good swig of single malt, just to reset the meter. Neat, of course.

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.

[PamlicoTraveler]

Don't taste it....it could be your head or holding tank leaking and no amount of double malt will make you forget it...

We have bronze seacocks and they always seem to seep a little. Not a problem when they're turned off, so I don't worry about it.