Bayliner Trophy Bilge pump question

[rhedayi]

Hi everyone, I am wondering if someone is familiar with this setup. It is a 1996 trophy 20 foot WA. The bilge pump currently works when I turn it on from the dash. Does anyone know the GPH of the stock pump. The dash has a simple switch that is on and off. The blue box next to the bilge pump looks to be a float switch. I was under the impression that for a float switch to be attached, the dash switch needed to be 3 way, on off and auto settings. Can anyone correct me on this ? What would be the easiest way to test the float switch ? Boat is never left in the water so I dont need the battery to be connected directly but I would want the automatic feature to work. Thank you

 

[matt167]

someone could have wired the switch in series through the float switch making the dash switch make the circuit active. The wrong way to do it. You can sneak a metal coat hanger through a slot and lift the float to test it. The original pump was probably 800 gph or so. If you want to replace it. Get the biggest one you can fit and hook up

 

[alldodge]

Looks like the Johnson 500GPH
Could pop it out and look closer

You can wire a bilge with a single on/off
Disregard high water and alarm float.

 

[dingbat]

 

[airshot]

I would want to pull both out to clean and test. Probably some markings on them to get your info. You can make any wiring changes when you put them back.

 

[rhedayi]

Does anyone know if the float switch is oem?

 

[alldodge]

Don't know of any boat manufacture that also makes float switches

 

[dingbat]

Does anyone know if the float switch is oem?

According to your Operator's manual both components are OEM
Page 31 and 32

 

[rhedayi]

Thanks allsodge. I meant is it supposed to be there from factory. Thanks dingbat

 

[rhedayi]

Dingbat i don’t have the manual The dash switch is on and off. Does it say if this is supposed to be wired directly to battery for the float activation? I just need to get in there with test light and check all this

 

[rhedayi]

someone could have wired the switch in series through the float switch making the dash switch make the circuit active. The wrong way to do it. You can sneak a metal coat hanger through a slot and lift the float to test it. The original pump was probably 800 gph or so. If you want to replace it. Get the biggest one you can fit and hook up

Matt
the coat hanger triggered the pump. The dash switch was off (its only on or off) and coat hanger basically had the bilge pump turn on. Interesting a 28 year old switch works. What the heck. Same with the bilge pump, still works. At the point swapping a stronger bilge pump is what I would like to do. I think I may have to increase the tubing size and also the hole thru the hull

 

[rhedayi]

Final update, the bilge pump is a 1000gph Johnson The bilge pump is activated 2 ways, thru the dash switch and thru the float switch. The float switch is run on a fused wire that goes to the battery switch. It was initially on the 12v battery terminal but I dont leave the boat in the water so no need for that. Thank you gang.

 

[dingbat]

Dingbat i don’t have the manual

Page 31 is the detail you’re looking for pump and float. Circuit schematic in the back

https://www.searay.com/content/dam/bayliner/technical/documents/past-owners-manuals/Trophy-OB-.pdf

 

[rhedayi]

Dingbat thank you. I found that manual too last night. I just wasn’t sure how the flat switch would be wired from factory. It’s all right there. I moved the wire to the battery switch so it doesn’t drain a battery since i do not leave the boat in the water. I also feel 1000 gph pump is probably ok If there’s some catastrophic leak i think a larger pump would be nice but i don’t know if i should install another pump

 

[dingbat]

I also feel 1000 gph pump is probably ok If there’s some catastrophic leak i think a larger pump would be nice but i don’t know if i should install another pump

If you read the small print and footnotes on any bilge pump, you'll find that the advertised flow rates are best case scenarios. By the time you figure in actual head, outlet hose size, smooth or corrugated hose, actual supply voltage at pump, etc. you lose up to 30% of rated capacity.

So now your 1,000 GPH pump (assuming your using 1-1/8" diameter hose) is only good for 600 GPH or 10 gallon per minute. About the same as a 5/8" garden hose.

Popping a 3/4" thru hull fitting below the water line could easily be 3 times that amount. You're going to need a commercial marine dewatering pump to survive a "catastrophic" breach of the hull.

 

[rhedayi]

So do most people install secondary bilge pumps?

 

[dingbat]

So do most people install secondary bilge pumps?

Accept the reality that bilge pumps are only there to remove runoff from the deck that accumulates in the bilge and focus on maintaining the systems that account most sinkings….failure to install drain plug, leaking thru-hulls, outdrive boots, and raw water cooling system

Personally, I have a self bailing cockpit (bone dry bilges) but replaced all plastic fittings with stainless or bronze when I bought the boat. Outboard powered so no outdrive boots or raw water systems to worry about.

 

[JASinIL2006]

If I was only a trailer boater, I would not bother with a second pump. If you keep your boat in the water, even only for a few days/weeks at a time, then a second bilge pump is cheap peace of mind.

 

[airshot]

So do most people install secondary bilge pumps?

All depends on the situations already mentioned. When I had my bigger boat, I did have some minor leaks that caused the bilge pump to come on every so often. I decided to upgrade my pump....just in case....!!! They had a sale, two for the price of one, so I bought a pair. Replaced the built in pump with a new one, then added a plug that I could reach fairly easy and kept the spare pump in storage, ready to plug in if needed. Never used it, but was a piece of mind add on that didn't really cost hardly anything...

 

[harp2822]

You should actually have 2 pumps, i have a 21 foot and have 3 on the suggestion of the coast gaurd when i had a vessel check.