Bilge Pump Plumbing

Jan 4, 2007
406
Hunter 30 Centerport
The Rule 1000 GMP bilge pump in my 1983 H-30 jammed over the winter. I purchased an exact replacement. The pump electrics went in fine but when I went to connect the old bilge hoses which appear to be origional H-30 equipmnet they split and broke in several locations. The Rule 1000 has an 1 1/8" output port. The origional hose was a white heavy plastic with a wire inside. It had a kind of rubber fitting on the end that fit INSIDE of the rule pump output (Kind of an odd set up). The old hose was about 7/8" ID with soft plastic fittings on each end that kind of threaded onto the hose. I removed the old hose up to the thru hull which is behind my electric panel and of course the plastic thru hull broke apart too. I pulled a thin line through with the old hose to help thread the replacement back.

So here's the problem. The Rule pump has an 1 1/8" output port and the only bilge hose I can find is the thin corrigated plastic. I dont like the stuff and it would require that Ireplace the old thru hill with a 1 1/8" 90 degree fitting. A big hole in my topsides. I can't find any 1 1/8" bilge hose other than the corrigated stuff.

Is there a reducer or something that I can use? Or is there a source of 1 1/8" ID hose? How is yor bilge plumbed?

Advice would be very much appreciated.
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,119
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
I also had the bilge pump thru-hull behind the electric panel and just thought running water behind open electrical connections was an inherently bad idea, so I moved the bilge pump discharge to the opposite side of the boat, through the dish cabinet behind the stove. I replaced the old one behind the electric panel with a faux thru-hull fitting from Marine East to seal the opening without doing glass and gelcoat work.
I also have a secondary bilge pump with the thru-hull inside the medicine cabinet in the head.
 
Jan 4, 2007
406
Hunter 30 Centerport
I also had the bilge pump thru-hull behind the electric panel and just thought running water behind open electrical connections was an inherently bad idea, so I moved the bilge pump discharge to the opposite side of the boat, through the dish cabinet behind the stove. I replaced the old one behind the electric panel with a faux thru-hull fitting from Marine East to seal the opening without doing glass and gelcoat work. I also have a secondary bilge pump with the thru-hull inside the medicine cabinet in the head.
. But what size piping did you use?
 
Oct 25, 2008
74
Hunter 37 Cutter, 1980 Solomons, MD
So here's the problem. The Rule pump has an 1 1/8" output port and the only bilge hose I can find is the thin corrigated plastic.
Shields 141 Bilge Hose is made in ID 1-1/8"

Looks out of stock on the Hunterowners store...

[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica]Sierra: Shields Multiflex Bilge Hose - Series 141[/FONT]

  • [FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica]This hose is similar in appearance to Series 141 hose, but the sprial reinforcement is tighter. Smooth interior, heavily corrugated outer surface.[/FONT]
  • http://shop.hunterowners.com/prod.php?15886
But there are plenty of other places that will have it.


 
Oct 6, 2007
1,119
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
My primary and secondary bilge pumps are both 800gph capacity with 3/4" ports, so I used the 3/4" Shields Series 120 hose. For 1 1/8" hose, it looks like your options are the Series 120, which you don't like, or the Series 141. Maybe the Series 148 if you want to be extra conservative. If I were doing it again, I might go with one of the heavier options for the added insurance and reduced friction. Though I've had absolutely no issues with the Series 120 to date (about five or six years).
Regardless of the hose type, I would recommend relocating the through-hull from behind the electric panel. I don't know what Hunter was thinking when they did that.