Moorage tips: Bilge pump on or off?

V

VogonPoet

Active member
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Messages
41
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
I've heard arguments for leaving the bilge pump on (auto) when mooring, and also concerns of risk of the bilge pump burning out. What's everyone's thoughts?
 
Leave it/them on auto. If your are adjacent to another boat then the owner of that boat can hear if your bilge pump is running and report it to Marina staff for you. I suspect it takes a lot to actually burn out the pump motor so it could run for a long time and hopefully catch someone's attention.

You're mooring at Edmonds Marina and their security person will walk the docks maybe twice per day and would notice your pump running hopefully, especially if the water is being pushed overboard and making a splashing noise.

When I was moored at Edmonds Marina my slip mate's bilge pump was running and I reported it to the Marina office for them to contact the boat owner.
 
Always leave the pumps on auto. Make sure your sensors are clean and functional on a regular basis. Make sure the impeller on the pump is clear of debris on a regular basis. Remove the screens at the cockpit drains. Remember that there is also an in line fuse for the auto function. So if for some reason the pump is not working always check that fuse first. You should be golden.
 
Where is that inline fuse?
 
Ah now, that is one of the mysteries of life - and a closely held secret of the demented squirrel who wired your boat :mrgreen:
 
Not sure about your particular boat. Usually there are several requiring continual power and they are grouped by the power switches.
 
Dock side water hookup has nothing to do with the bilge pump but I think it's been determine it best to leave the bilge pumps on, so I wanted to add something about water hookup. Our R27 has a dockside fresh water hookup that when one connects a water hose to it you're hooked up just like at home and have fresh water all of the time and no water pump noise when running water. The downside of this is important to understand. If an internal boat water line breaks you'll have non stop water coming into your boat that your bilge pumps will not be able to keep up with.(assuming they have been left on) Its best practice to turn the water off at the dock when you go away from the boat, if you've hooked it up, as a precaution against potential flooding. Our R27 is a 2012 so newer models may not even have a dockside water connection.

Jim
 
bjp447":1jrhrbqs said:
Where is that inline fuse?
Click to expand...
On your 21 you should have two fuses if it is wired as mine is. One is at the battery and leaves the battery and goes straight to the bilge pump float switch. The wire should be brown. The other wire at the pump comes from the switch at the helm. The wire from the float switch and the wire from the helm are tied together at the pump. The wire from the helm should also be brown. The switch at the helm is fused at the panel and should be labeled unless your boat was wired late on a Friday afternoon. 😉 If you could find a lighted switch that matches the ones at the helm (I could not) you would know if your bilge pump was on from the float switch as it would be back fed from the float switch.

You have to remember each boat is a prototype for the next one built and may differ.
 
I have a21ec and my understanding is that the bilge pump is alway powered on, if the float trips the pump will run, unless the fuse on the line from the battery is blown. The helm switch will turn it on in spite of the float. The alarm system runs off a separate sensor located above the float. If it sounds then there is a problem with the float or the pump. I always leave the pump as is when in the water. Out of water I pull the bilge plug.
 
trailertrawlerkismet":1yeusaib said:
Dock side water hookup has nothing to do with the bilge pump but I think it's been determine it best to leave the bilge pumps on, so I wanted to add something about water hookup. Our R27 has a dockside fresh water hookup that when one connects a water hose to it you're hooked up just like at home and have fresh water all of the time and no water pump noise when running water. The downside of this is important to understand. If an internal boat water line breaks you'll have non stop water coming into your boat that your bilge pumps will not be able to keep up with.(assuming they have been left on) Its best practice to turn the water off at the dock when you go away from the boat, if you've hooked it up, as a precaution against potential flooding. Our R27 is a 2012 so newer models may not even have a dockside water connection.

Jim
Click to expand...
I think this is a good tip Jim. While this one may seem obvious to me (coming from an RV background), it will not be so obvious to other newbies.
 
A slant back Sunbrella canvas cover covering the cockpit to keep out bird crap and rain water is not a bad idea either.
 
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