Bilge Pump

[PNB116]

Dear all,

 

‘’I hope that you can help me with some suggestions. My bilge pump (narrowboat) has packed up, the auto feature isn’t working and thinks that it is always under water. 
 

The same one at Midland Chandlers is £65. As this is the second one to fail I was wondering what bilge pump people would recommend?

 

many thanks

 

Paul

[Tony Brooks]

32 minutes ago, PNB116 said:

Dear all,

 

‘’I hope that you can help me with some suggestions. My bilge pump (narrowboat) has packed up, the auto feature isn’t working and thinks that it is always under water. 
 

The same one at Midland Chandlers is £65. As this is the second one to fail I was wondering what bilge pump people would recommend?

 

many thanks

 

Paul

 

There are several different designs of automatic bilge pumps, depending upon how the water level is sensed. A remote float switch, an electronic level sensor, or one that pulses the pump every xx minutes and decides by the current draw if it is pumping or just spinning. Oil & grease can cause problems for all types, so make sure the bilge is clean and oil/grease free. Unless we know what type of system your pump uses, how can we make a recommendation. It is perfectly possible that all you might need to do is remove debris from the float switch, if it is that type.

 

If it is running all the time, perhaps fitting a remote float switch may be cheaper than a new "fancy" pump.

 

PS, do you have a three position, pump switch, if so you may have set it to run all the time.

[Arthur Marshall]

5 hours ago, PNB116 said:

Dear all,

 

‘’I hope that you can help me with some suggestions. My bilge pump (narrowboat) has packed up, the auto feature isn’t working and thinks that it is always under water. 
 

The same one at Midland Chandlers is £65. As this is the second one to fail I was wondering what bilge pump people would recommend?

 

many thanks

 

Paul

Every auto bilge pump I've had in thirty years has failed when it was needed. Admittedly only three times, I think, but the first time sank the boat, the third would have done if the bloke using the boat hadn't driven halfway round the 4 counties with it on permanent manual. I just don't trust them any more and treat the auto feature as a backup which might, but probably won't, work.

[cheesegas]

Avoid the float type - I'd recommend the Rule ones with an electronic water sensor and no moving parts, not cheap though at around £80. Had mine for the 4 years I've had the boat plus however long it was installed before that...1 year of my ownership I had a leaky stern gland and it's still going strong and the bearings still sound good. The sensor never fails to activate the pump no matter how much crap collects in the bucket under the gland, but I do regularly clean the pump.

[Tracy D'arth]

The best bilge pump is a desperate man and a bucket.