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E38 Bilge Pump Configurations

WBurgner

Member III
I have been having problems with my electric bilge pump set up and it got me to wondering what others have found to be a bullet proof set up.

I am not sure if it is the factory set up, but I have Water Puppy pumps for both the shower sump and bilge located in the starboard cockpit locker. Both pumps have an Auto-Off-Manual switch with fuse in the cabin or head. The shower sump and center bilge each house the automatic switches which are now electronic as opposed to mercury float switches. I believe my current problems are electrical involving current to the pump, but I am curious if anyone has had this set up and converted to the combined pump/switch in the bilge itself and found it a better set up.
 

CSMcKillip

Moderator
Moderator
Yep, I had the same setup as you with the exception of the man/on/off switch on the main bilge pump. The "Water Puppy" for the main pump had totally fried the wires interimg the pump and without the extra fuse it would trip the breaker as soon as you turned that breaker on leaving the other pump useless.

I purchased a PAR pump to replace the existing trashed puppy. On our boat the puppy at the 1/2" barb exit turns up 90 deg. Plan on a relocation of the pump or order an extra 90 deg. bend.

I ran an inline fuse back to the breaker panel and added a float switch in the bilge compartment. I purchased a water witch, I had to run new wires so plan accordingly. I now leave the breaker open on that circuit, and turn the shower bilge to off when I leave the boat. I also have a battery maintainer that will keep the batteries at full charge that run off of shore power.

Thoughts,
Nothing is going to get all the water out of the bilge except for a sponge. I get about 16-32 oz of water in the boat with good rains during the week. The pump with the witch I feel is a good setup, the witch has no moving parts and will not pump oil, or diesel.

Even if you had a pump set at the very bottom of the bilge compartment the scuppers that are glassed in the TAFG are set 1/4" above the bilge bottom.

I am still looking for that perfect setup, I think I am very close.
 

WBurgner

Member III
PAR Pump

Thanks Matt and Chris,
I missed that good thread last month while cruising the Abacos. Sorry to be redundant.

I am not familiar with the PAR pumps, so I will check that out as a water puppy replacement.
 

WBurgner

Member III
Final Solution

I stuck with the Water Puppy pumps but installed two relays, one for each pump, in the vicinity of the pumps in the starboard cockpit locker. The original wiring from the switches now energizes the relays. Power for the pumps now comes from the DC side of the inverter/charger nearby via the relays using #10 wiring. Plenty of juice now and the pumps run fine.
 
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