Engine Bilge question

[Grassman]

19 hours ago, Rebotco said:

I gave up using a wet vac on my cruiser stern.  It is designed to have a wet bilge, and and takes multiple empties with a vac.

It does have an automatic bilge pump, but this still leaves about 2" of water.

So now I also use a cheapie small bilge pump fixed to the end of a stick, with crocodile clips to temporarily attach to the domestic batteries.  I also use a longish piece of hose, which will reach the far side of the towpath.  So I just dip the pump into the bilge and it runs continuously, with no emptying of a vac., until I'm happy with the result.  If there is a bit of oil as well, it doesn't much matter as its not going into the cut.  I find this most useful for emptying the bulk of the engine tray especially, as this cannot be dealt with automatically.

 

 

I did a similar thing. I fitted a Whale Gulper pump to the cabin bulkhead in front of the engine, and attached one hose to a pole so that I could vac up the water, and the other hose was long enough to reach over the side of the boat to discharge the water. If there was water in the engine bilge I'd put the hose end into a suitable container for proper disposal. 

[JonA66]

Thanks @Grassman we have a flojet shower pump that I am about to replace with a whale gulper and I think this may be a perfect use for the pump. It is OK but struggles to get the shower water to the height of the exit through the hull. With a bit of jiggery pokery I am sure I'll be able to use the flojet to clear the small amount of water in the engine bay. Pretty sure it is just rain water, usually the cover keeps most of it out but it was torrential recently.

 

Thanks to all for the kind replies

[JoeC]

On 17/12/2023 at 09:37, JoeC said:

It is not a standard setup. They are using the tub and bilge pump to remove the water drips from the stern gland - this saves the water going into the engine bay. However, there needs to be another pump in the bay.

As pointed out 'do not put a pump in the engine bay' - this is the blocked off part under the engine itself intended to catch oil drips etc. What I meant, and should have made it clearer, was to have the bilge pump outside of that drip area.

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, JonA66 said:

Thanks @Grassman we have a flojet shower pump that I am about to replace with a whale gulper and I think this may be a perfect use for the pump. It is OK but struggles to get the shower water to the height of the exit through the hull. With a bit of jiggery pokery I am sure I'll be able to use the flojet to clear the small amount of water in the engine bay. Pretty sure it is just rain water, usually the cover keeps most of it out but it was torrential recently.

 

Thanks to all for the kind replies

 

I would advise against using the Flojet, even though it sounds as if it has valve problems, because after a short while on bilge pump duty there is every likelihood it definably will have, or you will spend a lot of time cleaning the inlet strainer. I think the Flojet is really just a water pump with few, if any, modifications to cope with hair etc.

[JonA66]

Thanks @JoeC sorry I think its my terminology, there is a distinct and clear engine bay area sealed off from eveything else to catch oil drips etc. I am talking about the wider bilge area which gets some rain water in it. 

 

Also @Tony Brooks thanks, its not going to be used as a bilge pump but wanted to try and get some use rather than throw it away. I think it should be able to suck up the little bit of water out of the bottom of the bilge area by connecting it manually with some hoses, sort of like a wet vac but temporary not permanent. It may not work in which case it will be dumped.

[magnetman]

If you strap the pump to the side of a bucket so that the inlet is half an inch above the base or the bucket and route the outlet into the bucket that might work. 

 

As long as there is room to fit the bucket down there. Maybe a small diameter bucket. 

 

Then the pump doesn't have to do much work and you empty the bucket when its full. 

You might be able to use a modified plastic petrol can. Its not a lot of contents but small amounts could work just for tidying up now and then. 

 

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, JonA66 said:

Thanks @Grassman we have a flojet shower pump that I am about to replace with a whale gulper and I think this may be a perfect use for the pump. It is OK but struggles to get the shower water to the height of the exit through the hull. 

Mine lifts it with no problem

 

[Up-Side-Down]

There would appear to be waste water being piped into the bowl too ..... 

[magnetman]

Probably the pressure relief valve from the calorifier. Sensible approach. 

[Up-Side-Down]

4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Probably the pressure relief valve from the calorifier. Sensible approach. 

Agree on both counts!