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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Installing a power bilage pump

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RedRedWhine
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USA
167 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/06/2006 : 12:11:50

I was looking at installing a power bilage and was wondering if anyone else had one. I have seen some that are auto and come on when the water is at a certain level. I don't believe I need one like that. I just want to hit a switch and pump it out when needed. I will keep the manual in case of loss of power. Any advice and how you did it as well as pictures would be great. Thanks

Don and Kim Young
Las Vegas Nv
http://web.me.com/bolter303/Our_World/Welcome.html

Edited by - on

Ericson33
Admiral

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USA
892 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 12:28:33

500 GPH Pump 22.00
20 ft of hose to thru hull @ transom 5.00
No more bucket and sponge - Priceless

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 13:03:41

Hi CS, in which compartment do you put the pump. I have small leaks here and there so I get water in most of the compartments. No much but enought to spend a half hour sopping after a rain. Cheers.

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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1893 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 13:15:11

Don and Kim,

Personally, I believe in having more than the bare minimum bilge pump setup. However, in line with your original question, I can think of two ways you might consider going.

There are auto/manual elec. bilge pumps which come on automatically when the bilge water level lifts their internal float. Some of these will continue pumping, even after the float drops, until they sense they are pumping air. I think Rule makes some with that capability, but you want to read the advertised feature list carefully to distinguish it from other auto elec. pumps.
<center>

[url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/53597/0/0/Rule%20electric%20bilge%20pump/All_2/mode+matchallpartial/0/0"](link to more info)[/url]
</center>
There's another way to go, especially if you're thinking primarily manual activation to remove a very small amount of accumulated water. A self-priming pump with remote pickup. This is probably the best pump setup for slurping down to the least amount of remaining water of any pump I've seen. A remote float switch can be added to one of these to make it both manual and automatic. However, this type of pump doesn't move many GPH, and how low it slurps depends on the design and installation of the pickup, and length of intake hose.
<center>

[url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/233376/10001/234/232/11"](link to more info)[/url]

[url="http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/23107/10001/76/75/11"](link to more info)[/url]
</center>
(I'm still waiting to see a bilge pump which finishes by mopping up with a sponge.

)

-- Leon sisson

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 15:26:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RedRedWhine
 .... I have seen some that are auto and come on when the water is at a certain level. I don't believe I need one like that.....
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
BoatUS and any insurance company will tell you that the majority of boats that sink do so while tied up unattended in their slip. Unless you trailer your boat and will always be on it when it's in the water, get the auto-on option. IMHO.

Steve

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 15:40:12

Its for the reasons Steve mentioned that I added the Rule 1100 auto.

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RedRedWhine
Navigator

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USA
167 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 15:51:34

Tom,

How did you install the Rule 1100. Did you "T" into the existing line or run a new line through the hull. How does it wire up to the control panel? Do you have it on its own breaker? Thanks

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 16:15:08

Don, I ran a separate discharge hose (white) along side the existing hand pump hose and put a thru hull right next to the existing hand pump thru hull at the stern. Just followed the same hose route.

(taken from the wet locker)

(taken from aft berth)

(thru hull discharge)

I installed a rule 3 way switch (on, off, auto) over near the Propane switch on the starboard side and ran power straight from the battery to it (through a in-line fuse). The switch will also light up if the pump comes on. I bought a alarm but couldn't get it to work.

(the switch is just to the left of the fan)

Edited by - Tom Potter on 07/06/2006 16:38:01

RedRedWhine
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USA
167 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 20:39:59

Tom

Thanks for the info and pictures. What is the best way to drill through the hull and what are the connectors that use use. I assume they are water tight. Is it easy to fish the wires to the switch? The other question I have is that I am looking for a basic electrict hand book. I want to learn as much as I can now so that when I start offshore crusing I will know how to fix it. I am looking at taking a basic electronics and mechanic class at the local community college. Thanks for the help. Where did you get the pump at?

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/06/2006 : 21:27:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RedRedWhine
 Tom

Thanks for the info and pictures. What is the best way to drill through the hull and what are the connectors that use use. I assume they are water tight. Is it easy to fish the wires to the switch? The other question I have is that I am looking for a basic electrict hand book. I want to learn as much as I can now so that when I start offshore crusing I will know how to fix it. I am looking at taking a basic electronics and mechanic class at the local community college. Thanks for the help. Where did you get the pump at?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Don,
I used a hole cut saw on my drill to cut the holes. They come in a variety of sizes. First you need to know what size pump you are getting and the size hose you need for the pump, that tells you what size thru hull and size hole cut saw you will need.

Running the wires from the switch to the battery was not very hard. First I cut out the hole for the switch. My concern, was not to cut into the propane line that is near by. I took the main breaker panel off so I could see where I was cutting so not to hit the propane line. After the hole was cut I fed the wires back toward the battery area between the liner. I removed the aft bulkhead to gain access back there making it easier to get to the wires and to drill the discharge hole for the thru hull.

You just need to get a flashlight and plan your wire runs and how you want to run you hose. Think twice before you cut and drill.

I picked up the pump and switch on e-bay (new).

Edited by - Tom Potter on 07/06/2006 21:29:29

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2006 : 10:25:28

I installed the Rule 500 auto on as shown in the photo above. On my boat (pedestal table interior) it was possible to run the hose without any new holes being drilled. My pump is wired directly to the batteries. I decided to tee into the existing hose on the downward side just aft of the manual pump. The job cost about $100 and took a day. After getting it all done I wish I went with the bigger pump. It puts out water but not like a hose gushing or anything.

You'll need more hose than you think if you go without drilling holes (it serpentines all over the place).

This setup will not pump the bilge dry. Water has to be over 2 inches deep for it to come on and it pumps it down to about 1/2 inch.

I use a hand pump and sponge to dry it out.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2006 : 11:11:03

This is a dumb question, or I should say I feel dumb asking it, but where is the bilge on a c25? When it rains, I get water in all my compartments....not much but some. Cheers.

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Ericson33
Admiral

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USA
892 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2006 : 13:25:22

Dennis, the bilge is where the keel bolt locker is. If you are getting a little rain in all the compartments then I would say that you have some small leaks at random places, Don't worry its just another weekend project. The best advice that I have heard on finding little leaks is to go and buy some colored sidewalk chalk, Mark the inside of the hull liner with vertical chalk lines, then from the outside spray the deck, or wait until it rains, the chalk will tell you right where the rain is coming from and draining down into. I have been fixing leaks o our boat for the last year, and I am getting close to have pulled all of the hardware off of the deck, and re-bedding everything. Just last week I re-bedded both chain plates, forward and aft lowers. I think I read to use 3M 101 Caulk, I am a fan of the really sticky stuff. I think that all of the windows on almost every Catalina leak. Catalina Direct sells a new rubber kit to fix the ports, I still need to do this repair, and it will be my next Tech Tip for the Capri 25. The rubber is not that bad on our boat, Its not cracked, and is really still very bendable so I am guessing that the seal between the port frame and the hull is where the water is coming in from.

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RedRedWhine
Navigator

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USA
167 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2006 : 23:25:56

Jim,

I was thinking along the same lines. I want to tie the line from the pump into the existing line. I saw on the end of the line I have mow that there is a flapper valve that wil not let the water out of the hose. If I tee in to the line my pump should pump out of the boat and not back in to the bilge compartment. Tell me what you think. Also what size do you recoment. Thanks

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2006 : 11:48:30

Its a lot of work. When you are all done, you'll wish you just got the 1100. If there is ever a leak you can have too much pump. I teed into my existing hose using some PVC elbows and hose clamps. I don't think you need a flapper or one way valve if you use gravity to help but it is not a bad idea. I tested the manual pump with a hose and you can't push water upstram through it into the bilge.

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