I have two bilge pumps- I have the original pone hunter installed and abother , just incase. Thw water was way above both of them yesterday, when I manually switched the bilge pump on the panel only the secondary pump went into action. Needless to say the float didn't kick it on. There is a lot of swirling sand in the water where it is docked so it migrates from the prop shaft to the bilge. The sand must clogg the pupm. My feelings are the original pump burned out, and the secondary pump???? beats me- it works but not automatically in response to the float turning iot on. Both pumps are wired together any suggestions? How can I tighten the nuts on the prop shaft so I do not get so much crap into the boat?
bilge pump does not automatically come on,
- Thread starter jco789
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Pump IT UP...
I recently had my auto-pump switch go bad also..when I returned to the boat one day I heard the Bildge Pump running but noticed no water coming out the Transom Fitting.After it ran for about 10 mins I got the idea something was wrong and looked into the bildge.Inspection of the Auto Switch revealed it was severly corroded where the wires go into the switch on the float..green stuff coming out of it,etc.I found a "Electric" switch that was on sale at West Marine for $20.00. Thus far it's been down there for about a month and I have nothing bad to say about it..seems to work without flaw.Nothing to clog...nothig to jam..nothing to wear out.Manufacturere warrants this for the life of the boat. As for limiting the water coming in..LOOK AROUND THE BOARD HERE FOR ARTICLES ON THE STUFFING BOX>>REPACKING IT>>SERVICE IN GENERAL> I just repacked mine with very good results..it's not hard..just a bit intimadating if you've never done it before.Trust me..its not hard. Good Luck and Fair Winds>> David P.S. If you look in the Lancer Forum under my name I posted an article on Stuffing Box's thats very good..complete with pics.
I recently had my auto-pump switch go bad also..when I returned to the boat one day I heard the Bildge Pump running but noticed no water coming out the Transom Fitting.After it ran for about 10 mins I got the idea something was wrong and looked into the bildge.Inspection of the Auto Switch revealed it was severly corroded where the wires go into the switch on the float..green stuff coming out of it,etc.I found a "Electric" switch that was on sale at West Marine for $20.00. Thus far it's been down there for about a month and I have nothing bad to say about it..seems to work without flaw.Nothing to clog...nothig to jam..nothing to wear out.Manufacturere warrants this for the life of the boat. As for limiting the water coming in..LOOK AROUND THE BOARD HERE FOR ARTICLES ON THE STUFFING BOX>>REPACKING IT>>SERVICE IN GENERAL> I just repacked mine with very good results..it's not hard..just a bit intimadating if you've never done it before.Trust me..its not hard. Good Luck and Fair Winds>> David P.S. If you look in the Lancer Forum under my name I posted an article on Stuffing Box's thats very good..complete with pics.
Float Switches
Float Switches will fail now and then. I have several fail. All that I know to do is test them frequently. Bill
Float Switches will fail now and then. I have several fail. All that I know to do is test them frequently. Bill
Bilge pumps are great to have...
but do no more than hide the symptom of a different problem until your float switch or batteries fail. You really need to address the stuffing box issue where presumably most of the bilge water is coming from. As David said, the job of fixing it is intimidating but not all that difficult to do. Here is the link he posted which is very informative if you read the whole thing: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box&page=1 I installed one of the electronic bilge pump switches on our Tartan 27' when we had a bad stuffing box leak going on from the need of re-packing. The automatic switch and pump lulled me into complacency and one time we got to the boat after an extended absence and there was 6" of bilge water above the cabin floor (sole). Not good, not good at all; we needed a new battery, to change our inboard engine oil 3X to get the water out of it, to dry and clean everything that was below water. Do you know when your stuffing box was last re-packed? It is said to be about a 5 to10 year maintenance issue depending on accumulated engine hours. Since then I have re-packed my stuffing box and removed the automatic switch completely and try to make sure that weekly visits are made to the boat. No problems and no big leaks. If you have a keel stepped mast you might want to ensure that rainwater does not also get a free ride to your bilge from that and find out if other thru deck fittings might be leaking water. Cost of complacency: well over $100 (new marine deep cycle battery $$$, 3 gals of engine oil plus the time to do. Cost of fixing stuffing box (if you already have the wrenches): about $16 + shipping for the packing material if you know the right size to get: http://www.emarineinc.com/products/gfopacking/packing.html The first thing you should try though is to try and tighten the packing nut on the stuffing gland a bit to see if you can stem the flow somewhat. I would spray these bolts with PB Blaster or at least WD 40 a day or two in advance and then see if the wrenches enable you to get them to budge. Start with the packing nut which is farthur down the shaft and see if you can get it to tighten. If the flow diminishes then tighten the locking nut down on the packing nut. Read the link I posted and David recommended. Good luck and sleep soundly.
but do no more than hide the symptom of a different problem until your float switch or batteries fail. You really need to address the stuffing box issue where presumably most of the bilge water is coming from. As David said, the job of fixing it is intimidating but not all that difficult to do. Here is the link he posted which is very informative if you read the whole thing: http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box&page=1 I installed one of the electronic bilge pump switches on our Tartan 27' when we had a bad stuffing box leak going on from the need of re-packing. The automatic switch and pump lulled me into complacency and one time we got to the boat after an extended absence and there was 6" of bilge water above the cabin floor (sole). Not good, not good at all; we needed a new battery, to change our inboard engine oil 3X to get the water out of it, to dry and clean everything that was below water. Do you know when your stuffing box was last re-packed? It is said to be about a 5 to10 year maintenance issue depending on accumulated engine hours. Since then I have re-packed my stuffing box and removed the automatic switch completely and try to make sure that weekly visits are made to the boat. No problems and no big leaks. If you have a keel stepped mast you might want to ensure that rainwater does not also get a free ride to your bilge from that and find out if other thru deck fittings might be leaking water. Cost of complacency: well over $100 (new marine deep cycle battery $$$, 3 gals of engine oil plus the time to do. Cost of fixing stuffing box (if you already have the wrenches): about $16 + shipping for the packing material if you know the right size to get: http://www.emarineinc.com/products/gfopacking/packing.html The first thing you should try though is to try and tighten the packing nut on the stuffing gland a bit to see if you can stem the flow somewhat. I would spray these bolts with PB Blaster or at least WD 40 a day or two in advance and then see if the wrenches enable you to get them to budge. Start with the packing nut which is farthur down the shaft and see if you can get it to tighten. If the flow diminishes then tighten the locking nut down on the packing nut. Read the link I posted and David recommended. Good luck and sleep soundly.
Float Switch
Just had this happen to me over weekend on the hook time to leave battery too low switched to other and got home ok could not figure where the amp drain was then i heasrd pump go on and stay on for a while pulled up floor board inspected bildge almost dry but pump running switch was jamming in on pisiton voila there went the amps tried cleanig it etc but no luck so i disconnected it and closed all thru hulls in AM installed new switch about 25 bucks at tidewater marine plus a few #18 crimp connectors all fine now just remember the connections need to be crimped and the wires need to run straight up out of water pump manual advises enclosing connections with waterproofing t
Just had this happen to me over weekend on the hook time to leave battery too low switched to other and got home ok could not figure where the amp drain was then i heasrd pump go on and stay on for a while pulled up floor board inspected bildge almost dry but pump running switch was jamming in on pisiton voila there went the amps tried cleanig it etc but no luck so i disconnected it and closed all thru hulls in AM installed new switch about 25 bucks at tidewater marine plus a few #18 crimp connectors all fine now just remember the connections need to be crimped and the wires need to run straight up out of water pump manual advises enclosing connections with waterproofing t
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