Adding second bilge pump

[mlibkind]

I'm updating a bilge pump setup on a European boat that does not meet US specifications. Your setup is similar to what I was thinking (primary with float switch and higher volume emergency manually activated pump). FYI, I do not have room for a submersible pump.

I see that your primary pump is 6 gpm, which is the max I could find for my primary pump. You consider this large enough for the primary pump?

Do you have any suggestions for high capacity backup pump that is non-submersible?

Originally Posted by exMaggieDrum

I just overhauled my bilge pump system. It already had a Jabsco heavy duty diaphragm pump with 3/4" hose. It will run dry for a long time and has excellent self-priming capability. The pump is remote from the bilge. The system was already setup with another Whale Gusher 220 pump used for the graywater tank. There are two Y-valves so that either pump could be used to pump either the bilge or the graywater. A bit complicated but there is redundancy that way. It also has two bronze gravity type check valves which I didn't really want but kept in because of having two pumps. They also prevent some of the backflow from the t-hull back in to the bilge (but very little since they do not seal tight).

The pump is 6 gal/min but is steady and reliable. I have an inline strainer just above the bilge and a wide flange in the bilge at the end of the hose. It pumps very well with a good stream of water, at least as strong as previous 1500 gph Rule centrifucal pump and an 1 1/2" hose.

I installed a dual Water Witch model 257B "float" switch. It has two sensors (not a float mechanism) and is highly reviewed (but like all these gizmos some hate them some love them). I have had Ultimates in the past and had excellent experience with them as well. But one of the things I like about my WW is that it will open a separate circuit (to activate a backup pump or an alarm or ?) after the primary circuit runs for two minutes. It also has a backup sensor a bit higher than the lower one as another backup.

Above that I installed a Water Witch High Water Alarm. I ran new wire from the panel to the switches and alarms that is separate from the bilge pump wiring power wiring. Of course the "auto" and "manual" wires are connected when the switch is on. I heat-shrinked butt connectors on to the Water Witch 30" leads and put the wiring terminal block up higher still (behind a settee actually) well above the bilge waters.

I've attached a photo. I just buttoned it up yesterday and it works great. I also used the 100% s.s. AWAB hose clamps for all of it. Expensive but worth it for a mission critical system in the harshest environment on the boat.

The first photo is the pumps: fresh water in foreground, bilge on the right, graywater on the left.
Second photo: wiring at the pumps
Third: check valves mounted on starboard to keep horizontal and vertical (they were just laying on the bilge pan prior)
Fourth photo: wiring for bilge switches and alarm. I removed the solenoid shown as it created a short circuit for some reason. I decided it was overkill and removed it. I mounted the terminal board and alarm sounder with Velcro behind the settee seat.

[mlibkind]

I'm looking for a large capacity bilge pump. You mention the Rule and say to mount it high. Am I correct that the Rule pump is a submersible pump? I assume that the switch for this pump is also mounted high. Correct?

Do you then have a another smaller volume pump at the low point in your bilge?

Originally Posted by CarlF

I would install the largest bilge pump you can justify (say Rule 3900 gph) with a 1 1/2" hose. Mount the pump high enough in the bilge so it doesn't get wet in normal conditions. Any switch will do since it also won't normally get wet or be cycled (although do test it occasionally).

For the cell service I have had this unit for several years.

GSM GPS Alarm Autodial SMS Pager Vehicle Car Boat Moto | eBay

There now are much cheaper units available but I don't know if they work as well. I use the alarm in the US with a T-mobile pay-as-you-go SIM. It also worked with a SIM for Batelco in the Bahamas. There's no monthly fee and you pay less than $0.10 a text message. I have mine set to send me a daily text even if there's no alarm (I enjoy hearing from the boat). In the text it tells me:

a) Voltage (e.g. that the batteries are above 13v meaning the float charger is working)

b) Temperature in the boat

Alarms are sent immediately if a) the voltage drops below 13v (boat unplugged or someone started the engines). b) the boat goes outside the GPS "geo-fence" area. c) A motion detector goes off. d) the temperature is out of my set range e) the 2nd bilge pump turns on.

I can also call it and see if the 1st bilge pump is running at that moment as well as "listen" inside the boat for other alarms sounding. I haven't figured out a way for it to tell me number of bilge pump cycles which I'd really like.

Has been working great. Costs less than $50 a year even with the daily SMS status message.

Carl

[mlibkind]

I love your system and its very similar to what I'm thinking of refitting my boat with. What do you use for the high volume, higher up, pump? All I find are submersible high volume pumps. Do you use one of these and if so were you able to buy a bracket or did you build your own?

Originally Posted by Paperbird

When I rebuilt our bilge pump system, I was more in line with HopCar. One small autopump down low, one much larger autopump with a higher pickup. Each with separate discharges and on separate circuits. Then, being somewhat paranoid, I also have a cockpit-mounted manual pump with a high pickup and a very large edson manual under the nav seat with the pickup down low next to the lower autopump.

[bfiegener]

Did the same set up as Paperbird. Small diaphragm pump down below and a second high capacity 4000 gph higher up. Both on separate switches and separate discharges. I believe its the same setup that Nigel recommends.

[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by mlibkind

I'm updating a bilge pump setup on a European boat that does not meet US specifications. Your setup is similar to what I was thinking (primary with float switch and higher volume emergency manually activated pump). FYI, I do not have room for a submersible pump.

I see that your primary pump is 6 gpm, which is the max I could find for my primary pump. You consider this large enough for the primary pump?

Do you have any suggestions for high capacity backup pump that is non-submersible?

There are probably some higher capacity non-submersible pumps available but I have not researched this. My boat came with the current pumps and then I rebuilt the wiring circuits and switches. My preference would be to have a high capacity pump with a higher level pickup, or, it could be a submersible pump. Since it is only for backup and emergencies it should only be run in a high water situation. That is the setup I had on my previous boat. My preference would be to have a float (or electronic) switch on it as well and not just a manual switch. E.g. something like the Rule 3900 with a large capacity hose and separate thru-hull outlet. The good thing about a higher pump is that it has less gravity to overcome. I do have a large capacity manual pump with separate plumbing with 1 1/2" hose that is pumped from the cockpit. It picks up from the same low bilge spot that my primary pump picks up from.