Bilge pump rant

[sartorst]

I have been working on the boat lately and left on area open to the rain but thought it would not damage anything. After being on the boat for some time and passing the sound i was hearing as something far away on another boat I discovered that my bilge pump was running? after removing the cabin sole which used to be left open any time I was away( until my daughter fell in an hurt her ankle pretty bad )and checked before leaving and on entering there was really nasty water there but not high but I could see where it had been high??? on further inspection a lot of trash,dirt ,cut of wire ends and zip ties which must have stopped it up at some point all of which had come from between the liner and hull from previous owner as I have had a flooded boat because of a zip tie end
Time for a better pump mine was only 75$ Right ? When checking the reviews many had the same complaint " won't stop running " except for the few that said " I just installed mine and it was fun works great 5 stars" Well guess what the 200$ pumps have the same reputation and then there are those pos float switches with a microswitch and ball GIVE ME SOME MERCURY if the boat sunk there would be more contaminants from other pollutants than mercury contained in glass!
And for the record before the 2 mishaps mentioned I could have said "mine works great " and its not all the parts fault I have 2 pumps and an alarm but I would not have been there to turn on the other pump or hear the alarm! Time to rethink

[Paul Elliott]

Hey, take a breath!

So your first pump failed because it sucked up some trash? Wire and zip-ties will clog just about anything short of a huge trash-pump. My bilge pumps have strum-box filters on them and I once had a zip-tie end get through the filter and block the internal pump valves.

This was not the pump's fault!

What was your second pump's failure mode?

It sounds to me that you should clean your bilge.

[a64pilot]

Two pumps, completely independent of each other.'
Second float much higher than first, so second pump will only run if first has failed, wire a buzzer or a car horn in parallel with second pump so buzzer or horn will blow if pump ever comes on. Warning, horn will take ten years off of your life, I promise you, maybe buzzer is better.

Use this switch, you get what you pay for

Ultra Pump Switch SR.

[SSgtPitt]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Two pumps, completely independent of each other.'
Second float much higher than first, so second pump will only run if first has failed, wire a buzzer or a car horn in parallel with second pump so buzzer or horn will blow if pump ever comes on. Warning, horn will take ten years off of your life, I promise you, maybe buzzer is better.

Use this switch, you get what you pay for

Ultra Pump Switch SR.

I wondered what that thing was strapped to the side of my pump. I need to pull it out and look at it. I think it's original to my '82 Cape Dory....and still works.