Is it possible to have too much bilge pump?

[RogersonCrusoe]

The auto-switch in my unit finally kicked the bucket and it's time for a new setup. Looking at the Sailflo all-in-one bilge pumps from amazon. They have 600/750/1100gph models for $3 difference between the three volumes.

Is there any downside to buying the most powerful?

Thanks!

 

[noluck]

no downside, i have ever heard off

 

[Reeltime]

I put a 1500 and a 2000 with a float switch.... you just never know the day one decides to not work and it's happened with the 2000 with it's
built in sensor so i bypassed it... so more is better, bigger pump doesn't work as hard i'm guising

Your pump might be still ok...test it out, bypass it and see if it works

 

[Foxsea]

The auto-switch in my unit finally kicked the bucket and it's time for a new setup. Looking at the Sailflo all-in-one bilge pumps from amazon. They have 600/750/1100gph models for $3 difference between the three volumes.

Is there any downside to buying the most powerful?

Thanks!

Keep in mind that a 3/4" hole allows 660 gallons per hour into the boat (forgot the transom plug?). Also keep in mind that stated flow rates are under ideal (unrealistic) conditions. So anything less than 1100 gph. is not likely helping that much. The only downside to a larger pump is that it may require heavier wiring and fusing.

 

[brutus]

2x wired in mine, and an auxilary portable in case **** happens, been in a few border line disaster, boat taking on water after hitting a log and was happy to have extra pumps

 

[Aces]

2x wired in mine, and an auxilary portable in case **** happens, been in a few border line disaster, boat taking on water after hitting a log and was happy to have extra pumps

Same as me. A 2000 and a 1500 plus a 1000 portable on alligator clips to connect to the battery. I’ve tossed that into other people’s boat more than once when they had a situation

 

[brutus]

Same as me. A 2000 and a 1500 plus a 1000 portable on alligator clips to connect to the battery. I’ve tossed that into other people’s boat more than once when they had a situation

Great minds think a like my friend, 1x1500 at in the bilge 1000 in the bow, auxiliary with gator clips sitting beside my batery ready to go in case of oh f...... we are sinking lol

 

[Aces]

Great minds think a like my friend, 1x1500 at in the bilge 1000 in the bow, auxiliary with gator clips sitting beside my batery ready to go in case of oh f...... we are sinking lol

I also have a 750 in my pod for safety’s sake

 

[Aces]

Great minds think a like my friend, 1x1500 at in the bilge 1000 in the bow, auxiliary with gator clips sitting beside my batery ready to go in case of oh f...... we are sinking lol

When I got hit by a rogue wave the 3 feet of water in the cockpit was gone in 5 mins with my large scuppers and 2 pumps

 

[ab1752]

Same as me. A 2000 and a 1500 plus a 1000 portable on alligator clips to connect to the battery. I’ve tossed that into other people’s boat more than once when they had a situation

Thanks guys, I'm gonna buy a portable pump asap. The hand pump isnt gonna do much for me.

 

[Gong Show]

Hand pump and motivation have saved me a couple of times.
Never get rid of the manual pump.

 

[casper5280]

Here is a great article on Bilge pumps
https://www.yachtsurvey.com/bilge_pumps.htm

 

[jim morrow]

the larger the volume pump, then the larger the exit pipe and fitting has to be. the 600 and 750 will be a smaller pipe than the 1100 gph unit.

 

[Oly1]

Are you hooking both bilge pumps (Main on auto switch and back up pump) up to the same drain hose with a Y (with or without check valve) or are you running another line out the haul. I have thought about increasing the hose size exiting the boat and then connecting another beige pump with a Y and a check valve on both lines to the larger exit hose. Ideas???

Oly

 

[brutus]

Are you hooking both bilge pumps (Main on auto switch and back up pump) up to the same drain hose with a Y (with or without check valve) or are you running another line out the haul. I have thought about increasing the hose size exiting the boat and then connecting another beige pump with a Y and a check valve on both lines to the larger exit hose. Ideas???

Oly

Two seperated exit hose, the hose size can only handle so much volume, so 2 pump two exit hose, at least that what i did, the auxiliary i have on board with gator clips has a 15 ft hose attach to it i just trow over the side in an emergency bail out

 

[RogersonCrusoe]

Here is a great article on Bilge pumps
https://www.yachtsurvey.com/bilge_pumps.htm

That's a very eye-opening article. Looks like I have a fall project lined up. Thanks for the tips.

 

[brutus]

Boat sink at the marina all the time because pump are out of order, i check my pump everytime i leave for a week, make sure its not plug up and works has it should, have solar panels hooked up to keep my batteries charge up, i have bailed out a number of boats over the years, that if i did not would of sank, the one guy was a bit of a pain, never check on his boat and his batteries would dies and the thing would be full of water all the time, i bail his Boat at least 4-5 times and the marina boys did too

 

[23Hourston]

I have heard of switch meters tells you how many times the pump came on when you were not at boat. If you pump is coming on and you don’t know about it... bad news

 

[Sharphooks]

My approach to boating is you can never have enough horsepower or bilgepumps.....go for the max Hp your transom and boat can accept; go for the biggest bilge pump you can install based on wiring, switches and outflow hose diameter...

I installed a 3000 gph just ahead of my smaller Rule pump. It’s huge but I thought it would be nice to have in case of catastrophic failure of one or all the thru-hull transducers I have ...

Little did I know that a few months after I installed it, that pump would save my boat from sinking when I launched and forgot to put the plug in....

One of the guys helping me hold the boat while I got the truck and trailer back under the sinking boat saw the size of the water stream coming out of the transom and remarked.....Jaysus, what size bilge pump do you have in that boat???

I responded ...the perfect size for the situation...

 

[Saxe Point]

I think redundancy is as important as capacity. I read somewhere that 2 pumps is 1, 3 is 2 etc. I agree. No matter how big the capacity of a pump, if it fails the capacity is zero and therefore worthless. In my 18’2” Hourston I have a 750 GPH Johnson pump in the bottom of the bilge. Where the deck drops to the bilge (about 18 inches higher) I installed a 900 GPH Rule pump. Both are automatic water sensing pumps so they both protect against rain or other nuisance water, as I moor my boat. If the water gets high enough to climb out of the bilge, because of sheer volume or if the 750 GPH fails, the 900 GPH will start to assist. Both can be manually switched on and off at the helm. They each have their own thru hull.