SJI Sailor
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2018
- Messages
- 804
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- American Tug (formerly had C30)
I recently had both forward and aft bilge pumps fail in our 2019 C30 (http://www.tugnuts.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=19636&sid=beef5a59bbd37d3158574bf727c5af37). Along the way to fixing them, I discovered two things that may be of general interest, IF you have the Rule 27SA automatic model that turns on & checks every 2.5 minutes:
1. The forward pump is almost inaccessible, such that putting in any other model is almost impossible.
2. The 27SA model that is there appears to be discontinued -- but is still widely stocked, for now.
Short version: if that's your pump (https://www.amazon.com/Rule-27SA-Electronic-Sensing-Pump-1100/dp/B01LZT149C), I'd consider ordering 1 or 2 backups today while they are in stock.
More details? For the AFT pump, I replaced it with a Rule Mate RM800B. That and the higher volume RM1100B seem to be Rule's replacement models. It has a different footprint, with an internal float switch. It fits fine in the aft bilge. That is good news, since the aft bilge is the one of most concern. Lots of options there.
For the FORWARD pump, the access is so restricted and far down that it seems impossible to replace the base or fit anything new into there (according to two mechanics). In particular, the larger RM1100/RM800 pumps won't fit; there's no way the mechanics could access the base to put in a different automatic pump; and they said there's no way to put a float switch in a suitable place. They tried a 27DA (the non-automatic version of the factory pump) but gave up on how to activate it. They said the best, perhaps only, option was to pop out the 27SA and get the same model that would fit the installed base and be automatic.
Rule's own website shows the non-automatic version, Part number 27DA, but not the automatic version, which is 27SA. Maybe that is temporary? However, one of the mechanics said he believed it has been discontinued. But I see them in stock at Amazon, West Marine, etc.
Bottom line, I ordered 3 of them; 1 to replace the pump that failed, plus 2 backups. Thought I'd share all of this as FYI -- or maybe in case someone else knows differently.
1. The forward pump is almost inaccessible, such that putting in any other model is almost impossible.
2. The 27SA model that is there appears to be discontinued -- but is still widely stocked, for now.
Short version: if that's your pump (https://www.amazon.com/Rule-27SA-Electronic-Sensing-Pump-1100/dp/B01LZT149C), I'd consider ordering 1 or 2 backups today while they are in stock.
More details? For the AFT pump, I replaced it with a Rule Mate RM800B. That and the higher volume RM1100B seem to be Rule's replacement models. It has a different footprint, with an internal float switch. It fits fine in the aft bilge. That is good news, since the aft bilge is the one of most concern. Lots of options there.
For the FORWARD pump, the access is so restricted and far down that it seems impossible to replace the base or fit anything new into there (according to two mechanics). In particular, the larger RM1100/RM800 pumps won't fit; there's no way the mechanics could access the base to put in a different automatic pump; and they said there's no way to put a float switch in a suitable place. They tried a 27DA (the non-automatic version of the factory pump) but gave up on how to activate it. They said the best, perhaps only, option was to pop out the 27SA and get the same model that would fit the installed base and be automatic.
Rule's own website shows the non-automatic version, Part number 27DA, but not the automatic version, which is 27SA. Maybe that is temporary? However, one of the mechanics said he believed it has been discontinued. But I see them in stock at Amazon, West Marine, etc.
Bottom line, I ordered 3 of them; 1 to replace the pump that failed, plus 2 backups. Thought I'd share all of this as FYI -- or maybe in case someone else knows differently.