Secondary bilge pump

madmike · **Joined:** 06 Sep 2020 10:08 **Posts:** 112

Ahoy.

Our bilge pump has started acting funny: sometimes it takes a minute or two to prime and start pumping. Sometimes it's slow to turn off after the bilge is empty. Of course the plan now is to take it apart, clean out any debris, see if it's better, and replace it if not. But it's also got us thinking that installing a second bilge pump might be a good idea.

Does anyone have two pumps? What type and where did you put the second one? The sump isn't big enough to just double-up what we have now side by side.

WayneH · **Posted:** 03 Dec 2021 21:57

My second and third bilge pumps only have hoses and strainers in the bilge pocket.

The second 12V pump is a positive displacement pump mounted on the inside aft wall under the galley sink. It makes a heck of a racket when it comes on during testing.

The third pump is a diaphragm pump located in the cockpit with its handle tied to the rudder head in the lazarette locker.

All three pump discharges tie together close to the discharge through hull.

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

I have an automatic Rule 1100 centrifugal pump with its own hose to the common outlet but with its own direct wiring to the batteries. The switched electric displacement bilge pump under the galley (with an expensive neoprene impeller I fortunately replaced it with years ago as it is a bitch to service) and the manual Whale Gusher manual pump I recently replaced in the cockpit (Henderson pump parts for the original model are no longer available). I rigged an alarm on the Rule automatic pump and that has been helpful in a couple cases where I would not have notice a bilge water problem. I have owned this boat for 30 years in this configuration and it has worked well.

NP336 · **Joined:** 16 Mar 2007 16:10 **Posts:** 143

Great topic of discussion.
I too am thinking about adding a secondary bilge pump.
My current pump is only two years old, many times I have to tap it to get it going. Access is terrible. And pumps / drains the bilge slow.
My pump is hard wired directly to my starting battery, not the house bank.

Would you recommend wiring the second pump to the engine battery or to the house battery bank?
Did you add another thru hull for direct discharge?
Or tee all hoses together?
Any photos you could share would also be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Nick,
S/V Angela Mia
Hull #336
Lake Superior.

Timshel · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2010 10:24 **Posts:** 193

I went a slightly different way,my initial pump is a jabsco diaphragm self priming pump,wired to a water witch sensor,I have it exiting under the engine instruments,by my left foot. It goes down the cockpit drain and gives me notice to take a look below! Also a large Johnson ,manually switched,overboard discharge allongside the manual pump discharge. I think a common discharge may not be good as one pump may backfeed another. No check valves .

madmike · **Joined:** 06 Sep 2020 10:08 **Posts:** 112

Thanks, everyone, for the help.

Searching for bilge pumps on the internet, it seems like the immersed pumps, like the one I have now in the sump, can do 1000-4000 GPH. For diaphragm pumps that use an intake hose, I've only seen flow rates around 200-300 GPH. What Flow rate or model are your diaphragm pumps?

Maineiac · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2021 06:27

Since my '72 Bristol 35 beginning in the late '80's, I have put a 500 gph rule auto at the deepest point, then a float switched 1500-2000 gph a little higher (with the float switch above the pump base) and the Whale Gusher in the mix. Separate thru hulls. I also have quick switch spare pumps and switches onboard. But I must say all these pumps are kinda built like tinker toys. The auto goes directly (fused) to battery. I just did this (with Group 31 Optimas - Cummins 6BT Reman) on my non-op lobster boat that I had trucked from Maine to Rhode Island so it could experience a friggin' hurricane before getting loaded onto a freighter and delivered to St. Thomas for final refit. Luckily, my guy in Newport was watching the weather as well and by the time I contacted him had already stuffed it on a dock in behind Goat Island. And boy did it rain and blow. After a month, she's still spitting from the Rule 500 auto. I don't think the 1500 ever kicked on. Need to put a trickle charge on these batteries. I think I'm going to put a check valve on the 500 auto just because that backflow after pumping always drives me crazy. No check valve on the larger pump.

Erewhon · **Joined:** 24 Feb 2014 00:12 **Posts:** 51

Needed upgrade - I too need to improve the pump situation on Erewhon.

I have managed to get by fine with a 500 GHP rule maintenance pump in the sump (lowest point in boat). From tests this pump will almost keep up with a 5/8 full open thru hull (scary). Also have a 3 way thru hull I can open and pull in cooling water from a flooded cabin via the engine. Then there is the manual.
I have plans to add a second and LARGER pump like you guys have but that project has managed to slip by. Also considering adding a second manual that can operate from the cabin. This can come in handy if you have crew or want to pump out of the weather.

The bucket, hole plugs, and some plywood and stiff foam are always at hand too..lol

Good stuff -

jfalsone · **Joined:** 06 Aug 2020 09:02 **Posts:** 142

I have a single Rule centrifugal pump in the bilge sump hooked to a float switch. One thing I realized too late is that since the float switch runs athwartships and not fore/aft it can turn on with minimal water in the bilge when heeled to one side and since the pump won't eject this small amount of water it can stay running when on Auto mode. So, I need to reconfigure the float switch somehow to fit in that small sump.

The boat came with an automatic shower sump pump. It's mounted below the port cockpit and it's quite loud when running. I replaced the float switch and it's a luxury to be able to take a shower now and have the sump automatically pump it dry. I suppose that in an extreme situation water in the bilge would flow into the shower sump and could be pumped out. I could also just manually move the suction hose into the bilge to act as a bilge pump. However, it seems like good practice to have both a high water alarm (I have one to install) and a secondary high capacity emergency bilge pump. I have two separate manual pumps - one mounted on the front side of the engine tray and the other in the cockpit. I suppose that I could plumb the suction for a new emergency pump into one of those and share a discharge. The question is where to mount the new pump and what type to get.

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Secondary bilge pump

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