Bilge pump

[Confused]

How often should you replace your bilge pump? A number of years, hours, etc?? I would think waiting until it doesnt work would be too long, but really how often should you relpace them? My boat only has one and it is 12 years old, but few hours for a boat of that age(300).

 

[spring fever]

How often should you replace your bilge pump? A number of years, hours, etc?? I would think waiting until it doesnt work would be too long, but really how often should you relpace them? My boat only has one and it is 12 years old, but few hours for a boat of that age(300).

I personally don't think there is a set time line for a bilge pump because you can't tell from one guy to the next how he is going to take care of it. Take care of it? Well you should probably flush it with fresh water every other trip-take it off the basket and make sure there is no debris in there before every trip. Personally when I start wondering about a bilge pumps longevity I put in another one-and have 2-much safer option and you have redundancy which is a great option for something that can be as critical as a bilge pump

 

[gungadin]

If you trailer your boat, and wash it down with freshwater, the fresh water is benificial of course, but I have found that the major causes of bilge pump failure are wiring, physical damage, and debris caught in the impeller. If you moor your boat, I would suggest two pumps, each wired separetly, to automatic switches. Most pumps are wired with in line crimped connectors, and replacing a pump involves rewiring, if you initially use a pull apart waterproof connector (sure seal, weather pack etc. ) you can have a spare cartridge prewired to just plug in. As Spring Fever suggested, removing the pump to check for debris (fishing line) is a good idea as well.

 

[trendsetter]

How often should you replace your bilge pump? A number of years, hours, etc?? I would think waiting until it doesnt work would be too long, but really how often should you relpace them? My boat only has one and it is 12 years old, but few hours for a boat of that age(300).

I think 12 years is a pretty good lifespan for an electrical pump in the bilge of a boat. It's not usually an easy life for those things. When you replace it, replace it with a larger pump. Johnson makes a reliable, heavy duty bilge pump for a reasonable price.

 

[tyeeking]

Bilge pumps and related floats and wiring are cheap . . . Sinking is expensive. Always have redundancy and make sure that they are wired on separate circuits to separate batteries. Up the wiring gauge one size to maximize efficiency on the pump motor. If you're wondering if it's time to replace a pump, well then it's time if for no another reason than to sleep well at night.

 

[trophywife]

so, i got my new bilges installed a couple years and guess what, luckily i found out that they will kill my battery before turning off!!! dumb butt set the float switches too low, so when the water pumps down the switches do not turn off the pumps!! works great in a rough or wave affected dock but sitting,,,, the pumps would not shut off... fixed by me and re-mounted. shoulda done it myself the first time.

 

[fishin solo]

if you question it, just do it

 

[Mighty Sylvan]

I bought a bilge pump with water sensing electronic technology and it lasted only two years. It wouldn't shut off thus running the battery dead if not disconnected thus not doing its job at the dock. Only buy a mechanical float and carry a spare on the boat with the butt splices and shrink tube installed so it is quick and easy to swap out.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

you should have two or three pumps. I would never consider heading offshore with just one..

 

[TheHurtLocker]

How often should you replace your bilge pump? A number of years, hours, etc?? I would think waiting until it doesnt work would be too long, but really how often should you relpace them? My boat only has one and it is 12 years old, but few hours for a boat of that age(300).

If I think about it, or worry about it, I change it. If not I wake up in the middle of the night and think about it. If it's 12 years old it's done it's job, give her a retirement and replace.

 

[seadna]

As mentioned above, when you do replace it, replace it with a larger one - preferably two larger ones. Nearly all boat manufacturers put in bilge pumps that are far too small to be very useful in any emergency situation. For example, my friend's 21' Woolridge has a pump rated at only 360 gallons/hour (GPH). The rating is what the pump puts out with minimal rise. With the 20" rise and 5-6' of tubing between the pump and the outlet, it probably puts out around 200GPH. One wave breaking over the stern can dump in 100 gals in a few seconds. With that pump, that's about 30 mins to clear IF the pump doesn't get clogged up with all of the fish scales and other debris that gets dislodged. But it will get clogged so one needs to clean the screen a few times. Most boats I have seen in the <22' range tend to come with either 500 or 360GPH pumps. If you ever wind up with a significant amount of water in the boat, trust me, you'll want a bigger pump.

My current boat has two 1100GPH bilge pumps (one in each sponson of a catamaran) and a bilge alarm with a sensor mounted a few inches higher than the pumps. My plan is to add two additional bilge pumps that are also mounted higher than the other two. The idea is that these would only come into play in an emergency situation and they will stay clean and clear unless the water gets that high.

 

[Rum Buddies]

good advice! Bilge pumps save boats!