Retrofitting an S2 9.2A with an electric bilge pump

[judithkto]

My manual bilge pump died. Since I had just had some work done on the boat, I suspect something fell into the bilge and the pump sucked it up. At the very least I'll have to replace the diaphragm on the pump, which cracked as was trying to clear the bilge. I'll probably also have to deal with the obstruction -- and I hope I don't have to replace the hose.

I've also been thinking about adding an electric bilge pump and as I was peering four or five feet down into the bilge and then crawling around inside my cockpit locker trying to get a look at the wholly inaccessible manual bilge pump assembly, I began to wonder how the the heck that would be possible.

Has anyone out there done it? I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks.

Judith

 

[bugbitten]

Practical Sailor and many others actually recommend TWO electric pumps, in addition to the manual one. I'm very surprised your 9.2 didn't have at least one electric pump. It's not hard to add one. Is there currently a bilge pump switch on your electric panel?

 

[woodster]

you can pull the rear bulkhead in the quarter birth assuming you have a 9.2a ...and change out the manual pump there...the pump is a guzzler brand that you may be able to get here on SBO.....good luck....


regards

woody

 

[judithkto]

This boat has lived 29 years without an electric bilge pump. I'm the third owner. And no, there is no switch for a bilge pump on the electrical panel. Only after I heard of someone I know nearly sinking her S2 (the propeller shaft came loose, her electric bilge pump didn't start & she couldn't find the handle to her manual bilge pump!) did I become concerned.

The access to the manual bilge pump is blocked by the hot water tank. I suppose that could be moved, but as far as I can see it's not coming out in one piece.

I don't have a movable rear bulkhead in the quarter berth. There is only an opening in the side, the access the engine.

 

[BobM]

Get a bucket.

 

[judithkto]

Already have one

 

[Bob McKee]

Judith
The rear bulkhead is removable, You start by removing the outboard panel in the quarter berth to allow the rear panel to come out. It is not complicated, but it seems to be more involved than it should be. Lots of screws and the panel may have wires through it so you either slot the panel to remove them or work around the loose panel. I cut the panel and took it out of the boat so I could work.
I have two manual pumps for the aft bilge and an electric pump for the forward bilge. Does yours have two bilges? The manual pumps can be rebuilt, most marine stores should have kits to do it.
When I replace my YSE12 with a larger engine I cut the side bulkhead and removed it to get better access, then I spliced it back in.

 

[woodster]

here is a pic of the bulkhead removed ....this was copied from the yahoo s2 site and pasted here to give you a visual of the bulk head removed.....

regards

woody

 

[Swampyankee]

I added an electric bilge pump on my 9.2A in addition to the manual pump that was installed. I wired it direct from the batteries (with a fused connection of course) so that power would always be on regardless of whether the main battery switches were on. It came with a 3 position, off-manual-auto switch.
The pump is the type that has an internal sensor which doesn't require a float switch. Unfortunately, the sensor seems to be stuck "on" and the pump is no longer automatic (W@#$T%^&F). I'm not sure if I'll try to pull the pump and clean it up, or just add a float switch to be safe. Right now I run the pump every time we board the boat and there is usually hardly enough to pump out of the bilge.

 

[Bergovoy]

I added an electric bilge pump on my 9.2A in addition to the manual pump that was installed. I wired it direct from the batteries (with a fused connection of course) so that power would always be on regardless of whether the main battery switches were on. It came with a 3 position, off-manual-auto switch.
The pump is the type that has an internal sensor which doesn't require a float switch. Unfortunately, the sensor seems to be stuck "on" and the pump is no longer automatic (W@#$T%^&F). I'm not sure if I'll try to pull the pump and clean it up, or just add a float switch to be safe. Right now I run the pump every time we board the boat and there is usually hardly enough to pump out of the bilge.

you should not 'add' a float sensor to an auto sensing pump....

if your pump isnt working, I would return it.

also you can not use the three way switch with most auto sensing pumps.

I would suggest using regular pumps and seperate float or water sensors

 

[BobM]

These automated pumps work by spinning and feeling for resistance to spin. Check your pump. Perhaps something is interfering.