Bilge Pump - Questions

[gregc]

Is the "every two minutes or so" test controlled from the bilge pumps themselves, or some electronics in the dash?

Just realized none of my pumps are firing in that semi-periodic time. 2/3 of the pumps turn on when manually flipped on... but I need to understand the intermittent behaviour. I have three new pumps on board ready to go.... but want to be sure there isn't "more"

 

[it4llc]

Assuming it's the Rule bilge pump, the pump has the auto-sensor in it that runs every 2.5 minutes.

 

[gregc]

Assuming it's the Rule bilge pump, the pump has the auto-sensor in it that runs every 2.5 minutes.

Thats what confuses me. The pump itself will cycle if turned on manually, but not doing the 2.5 minute check.

Oh well, its time for all three to get yanked and replaced (original from 2019).

Cheers,

 

[AGLyme]

My one year old Rule pump stopped doing the auto feature a couple of months ago. Research indicates there is a (computer) board issue, and sadly it is common.
The manual switch does work however.

When the auto feature is working, as previously stated above, every up 2.5 mins the pump goes on for a fraction of a second to check the level. Clever.

 

[Rode Trip]

There's a second power supply for the 'auto' feature of the bilge pumps. They are fused. I remove the fuses whenever the boat is sitting on the trailer for a length of time. Be sure to check those fuses before you go replacing the pumps.

 

[AGLyme]

So, I removed the bilge fuse when I visited the boat one day because the pump was “on” and would not shut off.
Once I removed the fuse - the pump stopped.

I could turn the pump on manually using the on/off switch in the cabin.
However…

I noted that the auto feature would work intermittently… when I come aboard and there was no water in the bilge sometimes after rain and shaft drip… and sometimes I’d come aboard and there would be water and I’d have to press the manual on switch.

It’s a big mystery to me why the auto sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t with the fuse pulled.

 

[Rode Trip]

So, I removed the bilge fuse when I visited the boat one day because the pump was “on” and would not shut off.
Once I removed the fuse - the pump stopped.

I could turn the pump on manually using the on/off switch in the cabin.
However…

I noted that the auto feature would work intermittently… when I come aboard and there was no water in the bilge sometimes after rain and shaft drip… and sometimes I’d come aboard and there would be water and I’d have to press the manual on switch.

It’s a big mystery to me why the auto sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t with the fuse pulled.

That's strange, you've got some wiring glitch if that's the case. When I pull the fuses the auto never runs, only manually.

People do weird things when they don't understand electrical work. I had to rewire one of the pumps on my used boat when I bought it because someone had removed the high water alarm sensor and used that wiring for the forward bilge pump auto feature, so if the alarm was on it beeped every 2.5 minutes when the pump cycled, lol.

 

[AGLyme]

I have a pal who is smart on such things... he will take a look and figure it out... will report back.

 

[gregc]

Pulling and replacing all three pumps today. They're the original from factory delivery, and well, its time.