Bilge pump question

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:00 am

I found one bilge pump up front, just under the access panel in the v berth,
Im a big fan of redundancy, I like to always have a back up, so I intalled another pump next to the one thats there,
I have a switch at my lower helm for the pump that was there, and another switch at my flybridge helm, and not really sure what that one does, I was alone at the time I checked it and couldnt hear the pump running, from the flybridge when I hit the manual switch at the flybridge
my question is do any of you have a pump in the engine bilge, seems to me there should be one there

I do see a pump to the right of my starboard engine, but Im pretty sure thats for the shower,,, being that its so high in the bilge, and not in the low part
any info would help

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:24 am

A pump in the engine room / stern would be a good Idea also make sure all pumps are not hooked up to the same battery

I have 3 pumps one in the bow one in the engine room ( my engines are mid ship ) and one in the stern . one to the port battery one to the starboard battery and one to the genset battery .

farfrompuken · Post by **farfrompuken** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:28 am

mine upfront is on a float switch. so is the one in the rear but i have a manual override switch to run the rear one when ever i want. the one to the right in the rear is for the shower.i changed that one and ran the discharge overboard as not to get the shower water in the bildge.

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:34 am

george, where did you attach the overboard for the shower drain, thats a good idea, I dont like the idea of a pump for the shower, seems a little silly to have to activate a pump when showering,
is there an overboard fitting close by for the shower?

LandVF36 · Post by **LandVF36** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:37 am

Over time, there has been many threads on this site about bildge pumps. I think the tribal wisdom achieved by each thread was that you must have redundant bildge systems.

With that in mind I suggest that Captain's of the Trojan Table adopt the following guidelines regarding qty of bildge pumps installed:
1) One: Crazy. You will sink. Not if, but when.
2) Two: Each with its own power source. Adequate but you could try harder.
3) Three: Hmmm. OK, better than two.
4) Four: The majic amount of bildges. Two forward, Two Aft on multiple power sources. Perfect. Prudent.
5) Five to Eight. You are overlooking other creative ways to spend money on your Trojan! There are just so many low points either at rest or under way to install the darn things. Lets not get carried away.

So, I have 6 all set up with manual and automatic switches. What does that say about my Trojan obsession?

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:54 am

umm,,,,, ok, ..................

farfrompuken · Post by **farfrompuken** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 12:06 pm

i replaced the original with a rule self contained unit .mounted it on the floor of the bildge as low as possible,between the engines and installed a new bulkhead fitting on the starboard side next to the drain for sink in the head.[img][img]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo35 ... 247140.jpg[/img][/img]

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 12:10 pm

You need to down size you photo

I see your working on it ( been there )

Thats a shower pump are you using that as you bilge pump ?

farfrompuken · Post by **farfrompuken** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 12:43 pm

sorry about the picture sizing

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 1:11 pm

I did the same thing when I post my photo . only took me about a dozen trys .

farfrompuken · Post by **farfrompuken** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 1:51 pm

here's where the shower drain is[img][img]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo35 ... 10105a.jpg[/img][/img]

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 1:52 pm

doomed...6?....mega doomed....

mtwolf · Post by **mtwolf** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:15 pm

I have a 73' F-31 the same as yours, just a difference in age. When I bought the boat it had a small pump, up front, with an automatic float switch and a manual over ride, on the dash, to run the pump. I installed a pump in the the rear with a Rule switch in the side, mounted above the throttle levers, also with an automatic switch on the pump. When you get the boat up on plane, where is the water going to go? To the rear! I also installed a 110 volt pump in the middle of the bilge, in front of the fresh water tank. As long as the boat is plugged in to shore power, even if the batteries die, I still have a pump. The pump to the right of your starboard engine is the shower pump. You could but a tee in the hose and run another hose to the bottom of the blige, with a strainer, to use as a manual pump. Just a thought. I keep my shower pump as it is though.

John

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:52 am

I have 7:

> (2) 12VDC forward,
> (2) 12VDC aft.
> Jabsco brass bulkhead-mounted hand pump forward.
> Whale pump (not mounted yet).
> Portable plastic tubular hand pump.
> (2) 5-gallon buckets.
> All auto and 1 at each end has manual override.
> All 12VDCs are Rules (each a different model - no reason).
> No Attwoods (very important - they're junk).
> None with the "every 5-10 minute automatic run setup".
> Each on a different battery.
> Each battery connected to at least 1 solar panel.

Also have:

> Various size corks.
> Complete tool set.
> Double Type 316 SS hose clamps on each hose + spares in every size
> 5200 sealant.

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:09 pm

And in an emergency, with pump/circuit failure and taking on water..what can we do?

Shut the seacock, cut or remove the intake hose, lay into bilge and use the engine(s) to be the pump. (crash pumps)

Was thinking of adding a bronze "Y" valve and hose and connecting it to the intake hoses for that very reason, like the battle wagons have.

Other than that and taking on water while under way, head for the beach! Better to ground the boat than to sink her.