Bilge pump float sticking.

[KD4UPL]

The boat is a 2004 Rinker Captiva 232. Lately the float switch for my bilge pump is hanging up. It's practically inaccessible. I have to remove a storage bin from the engine bay, crawl in beside the engine, practically stand on my head and stick my arm as far under the engine as I can to just barely reach the float. It's right beside the pump. Going by feel it's enclosed and has a protrusion on the side that turns to manipulate the float. All it takes is a slight little turn and the float drops back down and the pump turns off.
Some questions:
Is running the bilge pump dry for several hours going to hurt anything?
Since the switch is enclosed it doesn't seem like something would be in there, does it just need replacing?
Any ideas on how to replace it without pulling the engine? Obviously I'm not going to do that but I see no other way to access it.

 

[Grub54891]

Well, what I do is remove the entire set up, it can be a pain to do so as access is limited. Seal any old screw holes with epoxy or 3m 4000.
from there I fabricate an aluminum flat bar stock from the hardware store wide enough to install a pump and float switch. Have the aluminum flat bar long enough to slide the pump setup under the motor where it needs to be, and bend the bar up to the side of the stringer or other handy place and screw it down. Makes future repairs to it easy Peasy.

 

[Chris1956]

There are bilge pumps with built in float switches. There are also bilge pumps that use electronic timers to check for water and then pump it out. Why not leave the existing pump and use it manually and install a new automatic one.

 

[Grub54891]

There are bilge pumps with built in float switches. There are also bilge pumps that use electronic timers to check for water and then pump it out. Why not leave the existing pump and use it manually and install a new automatic one.

I personally don’t like the water sensing ones as they keep testing every few minutes, it’ll drain the battery over time unless plugged into shore power. I’m a fan of floats myself.

 

[Chris1956]

Grub, it takes a real long time (months) for the water sensing bilge pumps to affect the battery, if there is no water to pump. If you run the boat once a week, and your charging system and batteries are good, you will not have any issue.

 

[Grub54891]

Grub, it takes a real long time (months) for the water sensing bilge pumps to affect the battery, if there is no water to pump. If you run the boat once a week, and your charging system and batteries are good, you will not have any issue.

Yeah, but there are some that test by running the pump, they start and stop if there is no resistance. If it detects resistance it runs till it grabs air and stops. Those are the type I don’t like. Others detect it differently. Those are ok.

 

[Scott Danforth]

You shouldn't need a bilge pump unless you have a leak

Yes, running dry is not good for the pump

 

[KD4UPL]

Grub, I like the suggestion of the removable aluminum bracket. That will allow me to install a new one. I guess I'll just have to leave the old pump and switch down under the engine and disable it.
Scott, I agree I shouldn't need it unless there's a leak. Just like I don't need my fire extinguisher unless there's a fire.