Bilge Pump Blues

Levitation

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
1,296
Fluid Motion Model
C-248 C
Hull Identification Number
fmlt2510f809
Vessel Name
Charlotte Ann
The bilge pump got me!
Went over to the other farm at first light (faint) to check on the corn after a nasty thunderstorm squall line had gone through during the night - worried about hail... As a habit when there, swung by the boat to check.... Heard a faint humming... Long story short - storm water had activated the bilge pump and it never shut off... House set is down to 10 volts (damn)... Could not in the darkness find the fuse for the pump so grabbed a wrench and unhooked the + leads off the battery...
Brought the boat home... It is recharging now in front of the workshop and the charger is hot... Later today when charging is done the fumes from the batteries have dissipated I will attempt to contort myself into the bilge and remove the pump...
 
While out checking on the damage from a storm the last thing you want to hear or see is an issue with the R-25. Did you think you burned up the pump? We've had a dirty sensor on the bilge and like you, when I stopped by I found mine was running for about a full day, non-stop. Was on shore power so our batteries stayed charged. All pumps, etc. are still working fine. They must be made to run "forever". Let us know how the bilge airs out and what condition the battery and pumps are in . . .
 
Also, check the check valve in the output hose in case it's letting water trickle back down to be continuously pumped again.
 
Don't ypu leave the drain plug out? I also learned the hard way, if the boat is on the trailer and you leave the plug in sometimes the bilge pump won't go off.
 
Nope, plug is always in - other than out long enough to drain the keel after the boat is back up on the trailer.. That is a conscious decision to avoid a brain fart on the next launch...
Normally the boat does not sit outside between trips... It is put right back into the shop (see picture in Levitation's sub-album "Other Bits Of The 2009 Season") where it resides high and dry... However with the purchase of another farm last summer the need for shop space to work on equipment (and to store a load of seed corn in a heated/dry space) has displaced the boat and it has been outside since returning from Florida...
A new building (65 x 100) is planned to be built this summer which will help the storage problems... And with a 65' doorway the combine can enter with the corn head still mounted saving us oodles of time and effort in doing maintenance...
With the canvas up on the boat I did not anticipate it taking on significant amounts of water... It is the forward pump, not the stern that insists on running... I have it up out of the bilge at the moment and it still runs, so I may need to replace the sensor... It was late and dark when I got it out, I will revisit it this morning...
 
Immediate update... Well, I got to the extracted forward pump this morning in good light... Put power back on the battery circuit (and house lights) and the hum started right up... Confidently stepped into the cabin, bent down and picked up the pump and sensor - and it was not humming in my hand...
The pump was silent (picture confused look - uuhhh ya, I know that is my normal expression - picture more confused )...
Opened the door to the shower and the hum became a buzz (arggghhh &^%*$#! ) Pulled the hatch off the access to the shower pump and sure enough it was running... That is what I get for jumping to conclusions...

There has been no water in the shower since March so why did it decide - during a rainy night - to suddenly start running - sympathy pains?
(hum along with me, "Oh, I love a rainy night, I love a rain . . . " NOT )
Anyway, as I vowed back when RIch was dealing with his shower there will be manual switch put in and that will be that... Gotta look up his post - I think the Grey wires were power?
 
Denny,

Sorry to hear of your shower sump pump problem. I sincerely hope that your batteries aren't toast.

Here is a link to my post with a procedure to change the sump pump switch;

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1958&p=14106&hilit=shower+sump+pump#p14106

Here is a link to the Defender catalog to buy a replacement switch;

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... &id=679952

The switch wires are grey.

Here is a link to the manual/off/auto switch that I installed next to the toilet paper holder to prevent this type of problem from occurring again. The manual on setting could also be useful in draining the sump tray during winterization. The switch comes with a wiring diagram.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=50635

You'll also need about 20 feet of wire, some heat shrink butt connectors, and about 3 feet of plastic conduit to protect the exposed wires in the cabinet under the sink.

As always, please call if you have any questions, or bring the boat down and I'd be happy to work with you on this project.

Rich
 
Rich, thanks for info and the offer... It was too hot to work in the boat today once the sun got fully up, so everything is on hold... Supposed to be cooler for next few days...
I'm scrambling for some corn seed as I just came up with a small field to plant... I'm waiting for a seed dealer to open in the morning...Hopefully it will all work out and I can get back to the boat on Wed...
I have the three way switch on hand and I'm holding off ordering the float switch until I get the shower box open and see exactly what has failed... I may yet cut the float off and only use the manual position on the switch...
 
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