My pump has been working fine all year, however now the pump works but the water is not going out of the boat. I tried taking off hose at pump and putting it back on thinking I was priming it. Does anyone know how to prime? Its a automatic float which is connected directly to battery.
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Sounds like a clog...
Either in the pump or the line...or a failed check valve in the line (if so, you've just provided an excellent example of why check valves are a bad idea that can sink a boat). If you "clean" your bilge the way most people do--just throw in some bilge cleaner and or bleach occasionally and nothing more--your bilge water is likely to be full of glop and slime that can clog up a pump or build up in the discharge line.
Either in the pump or the line...or a failed check valve in the line (if so, you've just provided an excellent example of why check valves are a bad idea that can sink a boat). If you "clean" your bilge the way most people do--just throw in some bilge cleaner and or bleach occasionally and nothing more--your bilge water is likely to be full of glop and slime that can clog up a pump or build up in the discharge line.
Check valves NO!!!!!
I had constant problems with my bilge pump until I took out the check valves. Now it is just a straight tube out of the boat. I bought some heavier tubing so that it was resistent to kinks. I came to the boat one day and all of the batteries were dead. There was water in the bilge. When the batteries started recharging the pump came on and no water was leaving the boat. I found a clog at a check valve. The PO had put two valves in the line and had a couple different sizes of tubing spliced together.. I threw it all away. Not a single problem since.I figured that with no obstructions or kinks a clog would be much less likely. The only joint to catch stuff is the thru hull. Tom
I had constant problems with my bilge pump until I took out the check valves. Now it is just a straight tube out of the boat. I bought some heavier tubing so that it was resistent to kinks. I came to the boat one day and all of the batteries were dead. There was water in the bilge. When the batteries started recharging the pump came on and no water was leaving the boat. I found a clog at a check valve. The PO had put two valves in the line and had a couple different sizes of tubing spliced together.. I threw it all away. Not a single problem since.I figured that with no obstructions or kinks a clog would be much less likely. The only joint to catch stuff is the thru hull. Tom
Tom, there should be an arch in the line
For two reasons: to prevent sea water--most of it anyway--from coming INTO the bilge via the thru-hull...and also to create a shorter uphill run from the pump, which means less water running back into the bilge when the pump shuts off. People make the mistake of putting check valves in the line for only one reason: they're too lazy to mop up the water the bilge pump leaves behind by hand.
For two reasons: to prevent sea water--most of it anyway--from coming INTO the bilge via the thru-hull...and also to create a shorter uphill run from the pump, which means less water running back into the bilge when the pump shuts off. People make the mistake of putting check valves in the line for only one reason: they're too lazy to mop up the water the bilge pump leaves behind by hand.
Bilge Trash
Most likely you have trash in one of the valves inside the pump. This is what happened to mine. Take it apart and clean it out. Hope this works for you too. Paul
Most likely you have trash in one of the valves inside the pump. This is what happened to mine. Take it apart and clean it out. Hope this works for you too. Paul
Peggie, whats wrong with a check valve?
I installed a check valve in my bilge pump discharge line that is like the Joker valve in my head. I don't understand why that is a bad thing. If the "big stuff" from my head won't cloge the Joker valve, why would small stuff from my bilge plug the baby Joker? The discharge hose is about 12 feet long and used to let quite a bit of water drain back into the bilge when the pump went off. My thought was to minimize the water in the bilge. BTW, I keep my bilge spotless.
I installed a check valve in my bilge pump discharge line that is like the Joker valve in my head. I don't understand why that is a bad thing. If the "big stuff" from my head won't cloge the Joker valve, why would small stuff from my bilge plug the baby Joker? The discharge hose is about 12 feet long and used to let quite a bit of water drain back into the bilge when the pump went off. My thought was to minimize the water in the bilge. BTW, I keep my bilge spotless.
The check valve will restrict and reduce the ....
output flow capacity of the bilge pump. It takes 'energy' to keep a check valve (the usual types found on boats) open and that energy drain will result in reduced pumping capacity. If you have a dual or parallel system: small bilge pump and an emergency hi flow bilge pump, then its reasonable to put a check valve on the smaller pump to prevent 'drain-back' of the effluent. BTW mine is 'poppit' type check valve (very low pressure/flow drop) but it does 'plug' with accumulated crap occasionally.
output flow capacity of the bilge pump. It takes 'energy' to keep a check valve (the usual types found on boats) open and that energy drain will result in reduced pumping capacity. If you have a dual or parallel system: small bilge pump and an emergency hi flow bilge pump, then its reasonable to put a check valve on the smaller pump to prevent 'drain-back' of the effluent. BTW mine is 'poppit' type check valve (very low pressure/flow drop) but it does 'plug' with accumulated crap occasionally.
If you don't flush long enough, the "big stuff"
going through the head WILL clog a joker valve. Toilets don't grow molds, slime and glop either...bilges do. Nor are you likely to find much trash in a toilet. Ever stopped wonder why builders don't ever put check valves in bilge pump lines...only owners do? Why the installation instructions for bilge pumps don't recommend installing one?
going through the head WILL clog a joker valve. Toilets don't grow molds, slime and glop either...bilges do. Nor are you likely to find much trash in a toilet. Ever stopped wonder why builders don't ever put check valves in bilge pump lines...only owners do? Why the installation instructions for bilge pumps don't recommend installing one?
Peggie, this is not our day.
My boat was built with a check valve at the bilge pump outlet. It worked OK for many years but did require service. I still need one for the new pump. The discharge is out of the stern now, not starboard-midship. That means the bilge will fill up with the back flow after the pump shuts off. Then the pump starts again. Not good. The new check valve is where I can reach it now. That's good. Even better will be a small pump to move the 'small stuff' to the shower sump. But I'm open for suggestions. Maybe just a sponge? My bilge sump is small and usually nearly dry. Now and then water rears it's ugly head. Last time it was from the water heater.
My boat was built with a check valve at the bilge pump outlet. It worked OK for many years but did require service. I still need one for the new pump. The discharge is out of the stern now, not starboard-midship. That means the bilge will fill up with the back flow after the pump shuts off. Then the pump starts again. Not good. The new check valve is where I can reach it now. That's good. Even better will be a small pump to move the 'small stuff' to the shower sump. But I'm open for suggestions. Maybe just a sponge? My bilge sump is small and usually nearly dry. Now and then water rears it's ugly head. Last time it was from the water heater.
I used a dinghy bailer, sponge and bucket, Fred.
At the end of every weekend aboard, I mopped up all the water. Took less than 10 minutes. Which, unfortunately, is 10 minutes longer than a lot of boat owners these days want to spend on ANY work...they expect a boat to be as easy to maintain as their vehicles--drive it, wash it, change the oil...that's it.
At the end of every weekend aboard, I mopped up all the water. Took less than 10 minutes. Which, unfortunately, is 10 minutes longer than a lot of boat owners these days want to spend on ANY work...they expect a boat to be as easy to maintain as their vehicles--drive it, wash it, change the oil...that's it.
Water blaster or wet vac
For the last 1/2 to 1" of water in the bilge, try one of those water blaster water cannons that the kids use. Suck of the water and squirt it out the sink (clear that too). If you really want it clean, keep a small wet vac on board.
For the last 1/2 to 1" of water in the bilge, try one of those water blaster water cannons that the kids use. Suck of the water and squirt it out the sink (clear that too). If you really want it clean, keep a small wet vac on board.
leaky boat
My '65 Islander 32 lets in a fair amount of water during the wet season. I haven't had it long enough to find and fix all the leaks. At least it doesn't seem to be sea water coming in. It's also 90 minutes from my house so I can't check it after every rain. With ~16 feet of hose from the pump to the stern, the check valve keeps the pump from continuously cycling and killing the battery. We just had about 8 inches of rain in 24 hours last Saturday (after weeks of draught). I made it down to the boat on Sunday. Still had plenty juice in the battery. Not so for my neighbor. His float switch got stuck in the on position. (Bad switch. He knew about it.) The pump continued to run, even after the bilge was empty, until the battery died. But the rain continued and he ended up with about a foot of water in the bilge before the it stopped.
My '65 Islander 32 lets in a fair amount of water during the wet season. I haven't had it long enough to find and fix all the leaks. At least it doesn't seem to be sea water coming in. It's also 90 minutes from my house so I can't check it after every rain. With ~16 feet of hose from the pump to the stern, the check valve keeps the pump from continuously cycling and killing the battery. We just had about 8 inches of rain in 24 hours last Saturday (after weeks of draught). I made it down to the boat on Sunday. Still had plenty juice in the battery. Not so for my neighbor. His float switch got stuck in the on position. (Bad switch. He knew about it.) The pump continued to run, even after the bilge was empty, until the battery died. But the rain continued and he ended up with about a foot of water in the bilge before the it stopped.
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