I still have the original bilge pump setup on my boat, and Tortuga's Lie is correct. The bilge pump is a diapragm pump which is located, in my boat, in the engine compartment directly aft of the aft bulkhead of the aft quarter berth. It's not real easy to get to. The pump is controlled by a 3 way switch on the electrical control panel. It's 3 positions are on-off-auto. The pump on my boat was originally hot wired directly to the starting battery, bypassing the battery switch. The pump can take suction from either of two locations: the bilge or the shower/ice box collection box loacted in the bilge about mid-way forward. You can select the source via a 2 way valve located under the aft bilge access floor panel. The auto feature of the bilge is activated as Tortuga's Lie described. There is an 'inverted wine glass' like 'sensor' in the shower/ice box collection box. The top is connected, via a flexible tube, to an absolute pressure sensor that is located in the aft storage locker of the port settee. It's the same type of device that measures water level in a washing machine. If I recall, there is an adjustment screw on it that allows you to calibrate the setpoint. Mine works very well!!!
Jim Odyssey #191
_________________ Jim Voelxen Odyssey #191 Home Port: Osterville, MA
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