Bilge pump wiring.

[Chessie246G]

Im adding another hole and second bilge pump. Redundancy is important to me in this department. Any reason to wire the second pump to a manual/auto switch? I was planning on adding the second pump about an inch or 2 higher and only running the float switch (fused obviously). I like to use it as an indication the first pump has not kicked on. If the second pump pumps.... There is a problem, either the first pump failed, or water is coming in faster than the first pump can keep up with.

 

[Chessie246G]

While on the subject of bilge pumps. What is the point of the forward pump?? It's in the tiniest of compartments I've ever seen. Other than removing any water coming in from the anchor rode. Nothing else would drain into that compartment. Is that the only reason??

 

[SkunkBoat]

There is a tube that passes the water aft (or fwd). The bilge is all connected. Fwd pump is important because when boat is in the water at rest, the low point is the FWD bilge pump.
Water will run fwd at rest. Without a fwd bilge pump, the water has to build up to the level of the aft bilge before it gets pumped. When you are underway, evrything moves aft and out the aft bilge pump.
If you have a fwd and aft pump, just put in a float alarm a little higher than the aft pump float.

 

[Chessie246G]

There is a tube that passes the water aft (or fwd). The bilge is all connected. Fwd pump is important because when boat is in the water at rest, the low point is the FWD bilge pump.
Water will run fwd at rest. Without a fwd bilge pump, the water has to build up to the level of the aft bilge before it gets pumped. When you are underway, evrything moves aft and out the aft bilge pump.
If you have a fwd and aft pump, just put in a float alarm a little higher than the aft pump float.

Makes perfect sense. Cant see behind that pump, or behind the forward bulkhead too see if they were connected.


There is one forward and now 2 aft pumps.

 

[DennisG01]

Put the "emergency" pump (which is usually a higher GPH capacity) on the bilge floor. Put the float switch about 3 or 4 inches higher. I would still use a manual switch, as well, for backup in case the switch fails.

 

[Chessie246G]

Put the "emergency" pump (which is usually a higher GPH capacity) on the bilge floor. Put the float switch about 3 or 4 inches higher. I would still use a manual switch, as well, for backup in case the switch fails.

Thats what I was planning, just not what I typed... Building a HDPE mounting plate to secure everything to. The pad in the bilge is tiny.

 

[DennisG01]

Another option for a mounting plate is to use a large enough aluminum or fiberglass "L" - secure one leg to a stringer and the other leg turns into a "shelf". Like above, though... there's more than one way to do it. (3) pieces of HDPE can do the same thing... (2) to make the "L", one attached to one side of the "L" for support.