Bilge pump float sensor

Cutwater28GG

Cutwater28GG

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Messages
1,996
Location
seattle
Fluid Motion Model
C-28
Non-Fluid Motion Model
Cutwater 28
Vessel Name
Living The Dream
Is the bilge float sensor supposed to be attached to the pump housing or the side of the bilge. Mine is at a jaunty angle after the last service.

If attached to the pump is it cable tied or supposedly actually attached by design indicating I have a failure?
 
Usually there is a clip on the side of the motor housing that allows you to slide the sensor on right behind the motor.
 
thanks. I'll have another look this weekend. I was freaking myself out last night stupidly worrying that the boat might sink between now and the weekend if I didnt check on this.

Im pretty sure I have the SPX johnson pump. does anyone know if its the 750GPh unit? I see you can upgrade the pump (just literally just dropping it into the same holder to a 1000 GPH unit.
 
I went to my c30 two weeks ago to find the electronic float literally floating on top of bilge water. It had broken away from the tab on the side of the Johnson pump. small piece of plastic. always a good thing to check at each visit to your boat...the bilge pump.
 
how did you reattach? new housing? cable tie? something else
 
I was able to get the small broken piece out of the slot. Put it back in and it stayed. Then some duct tape. I’ll be buying a new pump and “basket” soon
 
I bent myself into a pretzel and reached down to the pump on our 2017 R25SC last week to do the two finger test on the sensor. The complete pump unit moved and when I managed to lift the latch and pull out the cartridge I found the "basket" is broken away from the mounting screws. I'm going to buy a new pump and pay someone to install the basket, keeping the new cartridge as a spare. My body won't do that install! I can't think of any reason why it would be broken other than from new.
 
interesting. i guess screw length is important here!
 
My sensor gave up a few weeks ago (I think) The hi water alarm works although I wasn't there to hear it. A fellow boater went over and turned it off but forgot to call and let me know the water was above the deck. My sensor just slides on and off, But what is this about a tab, I can't seem to get the insert to turn. Is there a tab I have to do something with and where is it. Got to get them both out to unwrap the wires so I can replace the sensor. Not much room to work on it on a R12EC. I think it is a great idea just would like some documentation.
 
bjp447":3ydnl39t said:
My sensor gave up a few weeks ago (I think) The hi water alarm works although I wasn't there to hear it. A fellow boater went over and turned it off but forgot to call and let me know the water was above the deck. My sensor just slides on and off, But what is this about a tab, I can't seem to get the insert to turn. Is there a tab I have to do something with and where is it. Got to get them both out to unwrap the wires so I can replace the sensor. Not much room to work on it on a R12EC. I think it is a great idea just would like some documentation.
Click to expand...


Assuming you are referring to the Johnson style pump there are two tabs being referred to. One is a tab or clip at the bottom of the housing. This is the one where the auto sensor mounts. It can easily be snapped off during installation of the sensor in confined quarters. ( I found this out)

The second tab is the locking tab or clip at the side and near the top of the pump. You have to pry it out a bit and rotate the cartridge CCW to remove it. I just posted a few photos of a new pump (750 GPH) showing these tabs.

Just FYI on my R21EC one or two of the 3 tabs that would be used to mount the housing to the bottom of the bilge had to be removed to get it to fit. To help better secure the housing, given that they had to cut off the tab, they drilled a hole in the center of the bottom of the housing and added a screw down through from inside. Found this out while trying to replace a melted housing when the pump failed.
 
Got it out. Now trying to trace the wiring going under the exhaust hose to connect one lead of the sensor.
The lead to the battery is easy, the second lead no so much. With all the electrical tape wrapping on the
wires it is a pain and it disappears under the deck. I did find that removing the engine box completely
makes things a little easier. My one hour job is now 2 weeks old.
 
thanks Newf for the photos!
 
bjp447":nf68tlpb said:
Got it out. Now trying to trace the wiring going under the exhaust hose to connect one lead of the sensor.
The lead to the battery is easy, the second lead no so much. With all the electrical tape wrapping on the
wires it is a pain and it disappears under the deck. I did find that removing the engine box completely
makes things a little easier. My one hour job is now 2 weeks old.
Click to expand...

Now that you are opening up the wiring to install a new sensor, why not go an extra step and run a wire to the helm and add an indicator light. This was recommended to me by a fellow tugnut after I have a couple of pump/sensor failures. When these pumps kick in while you are running you are unlikely to hear them so if they stay kicked in, your pump, sensor or both with fail if your fuse don't blow. This happened to me twice. Now with the indicator light, it comes on as soon as the pump kicks in and if it stay on for more than 15-20 seconds I know the sensors is most likely gummed up and I just pull the fuse, clean the sensor and you are good to go again. Having a dirty bilge from fish crap, this has save my pump/sensor on several occasions.
 
How did you wire it.
Electrical is not my favorite skill
 
bjp447":3is9oois said:
How did you wire it.
Electrical is not my favorite skill
Click to expand...

Electrical not my best skill either but I muddle my way through it when I can. I just tied the positive lead from the light in the wire from the sensor to the pump and then the other wire to ground. I added a sketch in my bilge pump photo album for your reference. The sketch shows a float switch but its the same idea. If you do this, just test it before securing all the wiring. I find this set-up well worth the effort and not much of an added expense.
 
Chimo":ugvua8xv said:
I bent myself into a pretzel and reached down to the pump on our 2017 R25SC last week to do the two finger test on the sensor. The complete pump unit moved and when I managed to lift the latch and pull out the cartridge I found the "basket" is broken away from the mounting screws. I'm going to buy a new pump and pay someone to install the basket, keeping the new cartridge as a spare. My body won't do that install! I can't think of any reason why it would be broken other than from new.
Click to expand...

A quick update. I decided against the basket replacement when I saw the new Rule 1100GPH Automatic that RT are now fitting to new boats. Port Boat House supplied the unit down to Steve at Canoe Cove Mfg. He did a great job of installing. I'd had enough of that two finger sensor thing.
 
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