Mount The Pump
You must not place the pump in the bilge unrestrained. If it falls over it
will suck air and burn out. Pumps must be fastened down. Brackets are
available that attach to a stringer or other vertical feature, or you can
epoxy a couple of bolts to the bottom of the bilge to serve as mounting studs.
Float switches must also be fastened.
Use Smooth-Bore Hose
Corrugated hose reduces pump output by as much as 30%, so always connect the
pump to the discharge fitting with hose that has a smooth interior surface.
Bends and long runs also reduce pump output, so make the hose run as straight
and as short as possible. That may mean discharging the pump through the side
of the hull rather than through the transom. However. . .
Place The Discharge Above The Waterline
If the discharge is submerged when the pump runs, the ocean siphons back
through the pump into the bilge when the pump shuts off. When enough water has
entered to float the switch, the pump will eject it, only to have it siphon
back again. This continues until the battery is depleted, then the water
floods the boat until it reaches a level that gets the crew's attention. The
discharge fitting must never go below the waterline. If the fitting is through
the transom, be sure it is high enough not to submerge when the stern squats.
And if it is through the side of the hull, it must be high enough to remain
above the water at the deepest angle of heel.
Use A Thin-Wall Fitting
The through-hull fitting can further reduce pump capacity. To minimize this
restriction, use a fitting with the largest possible opening.
Lead Wiring Up
It is essential to get the pump wiring out of the bilge as quickly as
possible. Run the wires up and secure them so that they do not sag into the
bilge water.
Don't Skimp On Wire Size
A 3,500 gph pump will draw 15 amps, typically necessitating 10-gauge, or maybe
even 8-gauge wire. Consult the ABYC Wire Size Table to determine the
appropriate wire for your pump and length of wire run.
Use Butt Connectors & Heat Shrink (Option: Terminal
Block & Ring Terminals... Dan CMS)
Crimp-on step-down butt connectors will assure a good mechanical and
electrical connection between the supply wires and the pump leads. Enclose
these connections in adhesive heat shrink tubing to make them water tight. You
must slide the heat shrink over the wire and out of the way before you make
the connections. Then center the tubing over the crimped connector and shrink
it with a heat gun or by playing a flame beneath it. Be sure there are no
explosive fumes in the bilge!
Connect To The Battery
When you turn the power off to leave the boat unattended, you don't want to
turn off the bilge pump. Connect an automatic bilge pump directly to the
battery, not through the distribution panel.
Fuse The Positive Side
It is essential to have a fuse in the positive wire as close to the battery as
possible. Some switch panels (see below) include a fuse. Otherwise join an
in-line fuse holder to the battery end of the positive wire using a crimp butt
connector.
Install Terminal Fittings
Do not strip the ends of the supply wires and loop them beneath the battery
terminal wing nuts. Install crimp-on ring terminals the proper size to fit the
threaded posts on your battery. Use a copper washer-not steel-between the wing
nut and the ring terminal.
Three-Way Switch
If your bilge pump has a separate float switch, you may want to wire it to a
three way switch that allows you to select automatic, on, or off. Be sure to
support all wire runs at least every 18 inches using cable clamps or ties.
Two Pumps
A bilge pump big enough to deal with a real emergency will do a poor job of
keeping the bilge dry because the water in the discharge hose drains back into
the bilge when the pump shuts off. And a big pump requires a big hose. The
ideal bilge pump arrangement is a small (400 gph) automatic bilge pump mounted
in the sump to dispense with rain and shaft-gland leakage, combined with a
high capacity pump (3,500 gph) mounted higher to deal with more serious
ingress.
Stepping the discharge hose from the small pump down to 1/2-inch minimizes the
backflow from the hose when the pump cycles, maintaining a dryer bilge. The
large pump can be wired to a float switch if you prefer, but I think a manual
switch makes more sense. An added advantage of this bilge pump configuration
is that the high-capacity pump sits high and dry, extending its life
indefinitely.
(Optional High Water Alarm System &
3rd Pump... Dan CMS)
Large capacity Pump, Float switch, Electronic alarm,
Relay, Indicator lights, Terminal block, Wiring etc........
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