Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

[TN Scout]

Earlier in the Summer, we sold our pontoon boat and bought a 2000 Monterey 220 deckboat with a 5.0L Volvo Penta Motor and SX outdrive; changing from an outboard to an inboard - with no inboard experience, but I've learned a lot from reading on this forum. The boat has one bilge pump - that I can see - right in front of the engine. But I have yet to see more than a 1/4" or so of water around the pump. If I turn the console switch on, the pump runs whether there's any water around it or not, so I'm assume that it doesn't have a float switch. That said, after spending a few hours on the lake, when I pull the drain plug, I always get a fair amount of water (estimate maybe 2-3 gallons?). Is there another bilge pump down in the drain plug area? Should there be? Since there's never much water around the pump, I almost never turn it on. Should I just leave it on anyway, or will it hurt it to run without water? I bought the boat used and without manuals. I've downloaded manuals from the net, but they're pretty generic and mostly safety related.

 

[v2plus25]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

Perhaps water is accumulating in the ski locker or from a built-in cooler somewhere?

If I have a bilge pump without a float switch, is it a simple swap to put one in with a float switch? Or can the float switch be added onto the existing bilge pump? This is on a 05 Glastron SX195.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

Perhaps water is accumulating in the ski locker or from a built-in cooler somewhere?

If I have a bilge pump without a float switch, is it a simple swap to put one in with a float switch? Or can the float switch be added onto the existing bilge pump? This is on a 05 Glastron SX195.

You need to start your own thread - rude to interupt anouther

TN Scout, your manual bildge should be located in the lowest & most aft point possible - I have one myself & am used to getting a little water in my bassboat so i just flip the switch once in awhile during the days fishing (when i think about it :redface Be best to get a auto one

 

[maxh]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

your pump should not be continuous like that... It should either be automatic or have a switch to turn it on and off. Liquid pumps generally dont like running dry...

One possibility is that the angle of your boat only allows a small amount of the water built up to get to the bilge pump, which is OK, or maybe its coming from under the deck which might be a tad bigger problem...

your boat will leak some amount... no matter what

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

your pump should not be continuous like that... It should either be automatic or have a switch to turn it on and off. Liquid pumps generally dont like running dry...

One possibility is that the angle of your boat only allows a small amount of the water built up to get to the bilge pump, which is OK, or maybe its coming from under the deck which might be a tad bigger problem...

your boat will leak some amount... no matter what

Wrong
If you have a actual leak fix it

 

[maxh]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

so you've never taken out your drain plug?

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

your boat will leak some amount... no matter what

your's might.

There souldnt be any leaks and if there is they need to be taken care of as soon as is reasonable. thats where wet foam and rot come from.
As for the bilge pump mine is in the aft by the bung hole, i just flip it on a couple times every so often just to see (as said before). if there is a 1/4 inch then the pump likely wont pick it up, but there may be more further back behind the motor that you cant see.
You will have to do the acrobat menuver to get there and put the pump by the drain hole. thats the lowest point. then there should be less when you pull the plug.
As for the float switch, i never leave mine in the water so i have no need for one.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

Mine is a manual bilge pump also, and I am fine with it for now until I need to replace it and when I do then I will put one with a float, Yes I agree that it should be as far back aft even when I am beached or just sitting all the water goes to the back any way due to the engine weight, NO you don't need to run it all the time, Its good practice to just flip her on once in a while if no water just turn it back off, I haven't replaced with a float because because I dont want to just depend on it that way, what if have a blown fuse or loose wire, I would just automatically ASSUME I have no water, when I flip the switch then I KNOW, I can also hear it kick on when we are just sitting, Thats how I know its working

 

[marine4003]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

Earlier in the Summer, we sold our pontoon boat and bought a 2000 Monterey 220 deck boat with a 5.0L Volvo Penta Motor and SX outdrive; changing from an outboard to an inboard - with no inboard experience, but I've learned a lot from reading on this forum. The boat has one bilge pump - that I can see - right in front of the engine. But I have yet to see more than a 1/4" or so of water around the pump. If I turn the console switch on, the pump runs whether there's any water around it or not, so I'm assume that it doesn't have a float switch. That said, after spending a few hours on the lake, when I pull the drain plug, I always get a fair amount of water (estimate maybe 2-3 gallons?). Is there another bilge pump down in the drain plug area? Should there be? Since there's never much water around the pump, I almost never turn it on. Should I just leave it on anyway, or will it hurt it to run without water? I bought the boat used and without manuals. I've downloaded manuals from the net, but they're pretty generic and mostly safety related.

Some pumps have built in float switches, if not put one in....if a hose develops a leak..you may not know it until its too late, its a good thing to have,as for water accumulation, sure, people getting in & out of the boat wet will generate a build up, other than that there should be no water in the bilge. starting off the day dry..with minimal "people water" you shouldn't have 2-3 gallons in the bilge at the days end.Have it checked, also check the size of your pump,for that boat a 1200 is good, it may make the difference between sinking or making it back to the dock.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

Earlier in the Summer, we sold our pontoon boat and bought a 2000 Monterey 220 deckboat with a 5.0L Volvo Penta Motor and SX outdrive; changing from an outboard to an inboard - with no inboard experience, but I've learned a lot from reading on this forum. The boat has one bilge pump - that I can see - right in front of the engine. But I have yet to see more than a 1/4" or so of water around the pump. If I turn the console switch on, the pump runs whether there's any water around it or not, so I'm assume that it doesn't have a float switch. That said, after spending a few hours on the lake, when I pull the drain plug, I always get a fair amount of water (estimate maybe 2-3 gallons?). Is there another bilge pump down in the drain plug area? Should there be? Since there's never much water around the pump, I almost never turn it on. Should I just leave it on anyway, or will it hurt it to run without water? I bought the boat used and without manuals. I've downloaded manuals from the net, but they're pretty generic and mostly safety related.

TN; having the bilge pump at the front of the engine compartment in the bilge isn't unusual. there are a lot of compartments that if the pump was mounted under the back of the engine next to the transom, wouldn't be accessible for service.

mine is located as yours and always has a little water in the bilge as the transom end is lower. maybe a gallon or two. i took care of this by installing a 5/8 hose with frame clamps to the transom and extending the end down next to the drain hole in the transom. i have a hand pump and can pump it out as needed but don't ever get that much water in there so its pretty easy.(i installed this hose when the motor was out- no other way to get there other wise)

about the float switch. the way our searay is wired. there is a switch at the helm that you can operate to turn the pump on manually any time you like but there is a float switch that is wired via fuse directly to the battery. as long as there is a charge in the battery the pump will kick on when the bilge water gets high enough.

if you have never let the water in your bilge get high enough on your pump to activate the switch, you may well all ready have a pump with a built in switch.

 

[TN Scout]

Re: Bilge Pump Where It's Supposed To Be?

Thanks for all the replies. As it turns out, I went out late this evening - too hot earlier - to install an in-line battery switch and had to use a flashlight. Found what appears to be another bilge pump about six inches aft of the more visible one. It has what appears to be knobs on opposite sides - maybe it has a float switch? Anyway, I'll just turn the console switch on every so often. Thanks for the help.