Securing the bilge pump

[Acer2428]

Guys,

Long story short, I'm installing a whole new bilge pump system in my boat. I'm putting in a 500 with a float switch with an on-off-auto switch and a 900 with an on-off switch (manual).

I'm TERRIFIED of drilling down into the bottom of the bilge, as I'm 99.9% sure it's all kinds of rotten, squishy wood. I wouldn't know where to start remedying that situation. And if I did, it'd be a winter project.

For now, I thought about securing the bilge pump base using some 3m super-duper marine sealant (7-day set stuff) to the bilge floor. Is this just plain dumb? Does it have any chance of holding up? The float switch would be sealed to the pump/bilge.

The 900 won't fit under my motor in the rear where all the water builds up. The boat has some decent leaks that I need to be addressing before I head out again (bilge kicks out water every 10 minutes or so just sitting).

I'm trying to do this right. I spent the money and bought the smooth, clear tubing for instead of the corregated crap and have two seperate thu-hull fittings, and all the toggle switched a boy could dream of

Thanks,

Sam

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

That would be fine. Many people use fast set epoxy and set the base to the hull...

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

First good news all day!

 

[tmh]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

So you can epoxy the bilge pump right to the bottom? Obviously leave space for water to get in, right?

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Mine has a 'strainer' that lifts up the pump 1/4" or so off the bottom and keeps some of the larger debris out.

 

[sankanother1]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Epoxy works great,If you use a rule pump you can take it apart and keep the original bottom from the old pump if it ever fails.Come to think of it I don't think I ever had a bilge pump fail.Odd they seem cheaply made to me..Just make sure your surface is VERY clean, Use alcohol for your final clean up before setting it.Put a piece of duck tape to secure it for a day until it is dry.

 

[Wotam]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

> "I'm trying to do this right"

Get an piece of 3/4" thick wood or plywood, cut/shape to an appropriate size, saturate it with several coats of epoxy (if you want it to last awhile). Let the epoxy set up.

Mount the bilge pump to the coated wood with some stainless screws and then use epoxy or adhesive caulking to secure the wood to the bottom of the boat.

Then you can remove or replace the pump in the future and not have to worry about drilling holes in the bottom of your bilge.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

While the plywood idea would work regarding removing it, the downside would be the 3/4" or so of water that would always remain in the bilge. If the pump should fail and you can't find the exact replacement, the epoxy chips off easily with a wood chisel.

Pick out a good spot (make sure you have enough clearance to put the pump in the base if you end up under the oil pan), and make sure it's dry. Take some medium grit sand paper (like 120 or 150) and scuff up the area where you will put the epoxy. (If you have a problem with water running back into your dry spot, you can take some plumbers putty, roll it into a rope, and put it down first like a do-nut dam. Then you can work within the do-nut.) Get it nice and dry, use alcohol as mentioned, and/or lacquer thinner, acetone, whatever to completely remove all water and oils. If it's not absolutely clean and dry, the epoxy will not stick to the hull.

The strainer that the pump locks into is what you are epoxying down. The water comes in through the sides of the strainer the same as it would if it were screwed down. Make sure the orientation is how you want it (wires), use four nice size balls of epoxy under the strainer in the corners and press it down tight to the hull. Lick your finger (that's what I do anyway) and push down the bits that extrude up through so you have a flat bottom inside the strainer. Do not mount the pump for 24 hours, or longer if that's what your epoxy calls for for final cure time. There's no need to tape it down if you use the fast set, double-tube type epoxy.

I use ~dime size balls, and I put them close enough to the corner that they stick out the sides just a little bit.

As was mentioned, use a common Rule pump and if it should fail, you can snap a new one into the same base you've epoxied down.

Good luck tracking down your leak...

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Using an Attwood, so that way I can replace it at any Wal-Mart in the country. I bought some 3m 5200 stuff, says it takes 7 days to cure, but I have many leaks (needs a new boot for the outdrive) and need to do some general maintinance sealing, so I'm in no rush.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Using an Attwood, so that way I can replace it at any Wal-Mart in the country. I bought some 3m 5200 stuff, says it takes 7 days to cure, but I have many leaks (needs a new boot for the outdrive) and need to do some general maintinance sealing, so I'm in no rush.

Thanks for all the info.

5200 is not a general purpose sealer. It states right on the package that's it's permanent and they mean it. It's tenacious stuff and just anything you use it on will become a permanent fixture.

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

So you wouldn't reccomend it for deck to hull or transom sealing?

It could be the 4200, whatever it is, it's the 7-day drying kind. So you would reccomend stepping down to the 24-hr dry stuff?

 

[gazelle]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

as an FYI they now make the 5200 in a quick dry formula(24 hr). Worked great for me although I am not sure if it is as strong as the 7 day since I have never used the 7day.

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Not super anxious to get back on the water. Need to wire up my bilge and switches and order/install a new transom boot.

 

[Bill Adkins]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Doesnt this boat have some form of stringers, you know the rails the motor or transom commonly hang on to. If you have those you can easily attach some sort of fabricated bracket to them. If the boat takes water on you might consider trailering it and finding the leak. The pump wont fly around once it is plummed so its much easier to secure than paerhaps a battery.
Have done it many times when I worked in a marina as a mechanic.
Bill

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Yeah, my guess is everything's rotted.

Kinda bummed, but I might just hold onto the thing and replace the whole damn transom when I get the time/money.

I know this is a big job, but just hwo big is big?

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Well if everything is rotted like you suspect then yes it is a big job. Your talking floor, stringers, and transom. Pretty much rebuilding the whole structural aspects of the boat. It is a lot of work but can be quite rewarding if you are into projects like that. One question I would ask is how much do you love the boat? This can be a whole winter or longer project that involves 100's of man hours and 100's of dollars in materials and tools. As far as the pump is concerned the epoxy idea is good but if you do decide to re-do things back there you will probably have to remove it anyways. Does your hull have a center board that runs along the keel? if so I have seen them mounted onto that using some 1/2" to 3/4" screws into the center board with sealant in the screw holes. If not then go the epoxy route.
good luck.

 

[Acer2428]

Re: Securing the bilge pump

Going today with a hammer to see how bad it is. Might try to get my money back.