Thought I would test mine, 2012 boat with dual pumps, float activated one, but found one didn’t work with either the float or the console switch. So, how often do you test? After finding this, it makes make want to test prior to every splash!
I wash/hose down after each trip. This includes a few gallons in the bilge to rinse out any accumulated salt water. I let the bilge pump run it out. So I suppose I test the pump after each use.
ZX
My world cat has four pumps in the bilge. All four activate when I rinse her down since I leave the plugs in. They get tested all the time.
A week ago one of the switches got stuck on a leaf and almost drained a battery!
Part of the check list before leaving the house!
Mark Ingle
NauticStar 1810 Merc 90
Great point/question. Recently I found a float switch not working and then installed a high-water alarm, just a little higher than the auto bilge pump. It’s cheap insurance,and has already called attention to another float-switch problem. If you have water gathering in the bilge, you really need to know asap.
In my boat I accumulate some water in sloppy seas like today. Maybe it’s sloshing out of the bait tank, or maybe back feeding from the transom through the bilge pump? But the sooner you know, the better.
The next question is whether to carry a peg that can plug a hole in hull, and a spare pump?
Totally agree with suggestion to rinse/test the bilge after each trip. Just did mine.
Carry a 6 inch piece of pool noodle, and cut off pieces to plug a through-hull if you get a water leak.
Just roll it up tight and stick it through the hole.
Every single day when I wash the boat. I pull the pumps and float switches about every two weeks or so to make sure I’m not accumulating gunk.
quote:
Originally posted by tanksgtI wash/hose down after each trip. This includes a few gallons in the bilge to rinse out any accumulated salt water. I let the bilge pump run it out. So I suppose I test the pump after each use.
ZX
This plus I always crank on muffs before leaving the yard (usually the night before if I’m leaving early) and double check everything. Have seen dirt dobber nests on float switches, doesn’t take em long to build with boat under an open shed. or even with a cover over it.
“If Bruce Jenner can keep his wiener and be called a woman, I can keep my firearms and be considered disarmed.”
Lately I have been testing my bilge pump by forgetting to put in the drain plug and then wondering why I have water blowing out of the side of the boat when I back down the launch…
I keep a 1000 gal pump with a 10’hose and 10’ power cord with battery clips for pumping out my bait tank and emergency bilge pump plus a hand pump! The high water alarm has saved me once, never go off shore with out one. Your mind is on catching fish not on the amount of water in the hold and you wont notice it till you try to plane off when it might be to late with all that water gone the stern!