2018 Models have float switch Bilges!!

[Julian]

Thanks to info from @Fishwrecked I've learned that 2018 models all have float switch bilges! This will be a nice improvement for those of us that leave their boats on (or over) the water.

Rulemate 500 float switch bilge pump!!!

Pretty sure this is the pump they are installing:

Rule-Mate® 500

Fully Automated Bilge Pump

Rule introduces the rule-mate™ series of bilge pumps. The rule-mate consists of a powerful rule bilge pump and a new non-mecury float switch in a single housing. While fully automated, the pump will only turn on when the water level rises. There is no cycling and battery drain. The pump remains off until the internal float switch rises. The pump then stays on until the water is evacuated. The pump's internal computer senses no load (Water) against the impeller and then shuts off. A detachable strainer provides easy access to the impeller area for removal of debris. Each pump is easily installed with the pump and switch internally wired. A third wire allows the pump to be connected to a manual override switch if so desired. The rule-mate bigle pump is thoughtfully designed, and due to its compact profile, can be used in practically all bilge pumping applications.​

 

[Julian]

 

[ncnmra]

Wow: it only took them 10+ years to finally do this? I quickly replaced my stock bilge with this one that works great:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0L4ONM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Beachbummer]

Maybe in another 10 years they'll put an alarm and dash light to alert the float is activated.

At current price increase rate, that will be a $200k boat

 

[2nazt]

I wonder if these will mess up with oil or fuel in the bilge like some water activated units do? You may want to also set a reminder every quarter or half year to clean the unit to be safe. I've read of failure on some units that operate like this.

 

[GWC69]

Ha my 95 Crown line has this.

Glad to see when I buy a AR 195 it will have this feature.

 

[0627Devildog]

Thanks to info from @Fishwrecked I've learned that 2018 models all have float switch bilges! This will be a nice improvement for those of us that leave their boats on (or over) the water.

Rulemate 500 float switch bilge pump!!!

Pretty sure this is the pump they are installing:

Rule-Mate® 500

Fully Automated Bilge Pump

Rule introduces the rule-mate™ series of bilge pumps. The rule-mate consists of a powerful rule bilge pump and a new non-mecury float switch in a single housing. While fully automated, the pump will only turn on when the water level rises. There is no cycling and battery drain. The pump remains off until the internal float switch rises. The pump then stays on until the water is evacuated. The pump's internal computer senses no load (Water) against the impeller and then shuts off. A detachable strainer provides easy access to the impeller area for removal of debris. Each pump is easily installed with the pump and switch internally wired. A third wire allows the pump to be connected to a manual override switch if so desired. The rule-mate bigle pump is thoughtfully designed, and due to its compact profile, can be used in practically all bilge pumping applications.​

Yet another reason to upgrade. . . .

 

[buckbuck]

@0627Devildog
You may as well give up your resistance, give into the emotion and start shopping in earnest.

 

[0627Devildog]

Lolz. . . . Looking at one on Monday.

@0627Devildog
You may as well give up your resistance, give into the emotion and start shopping in earnest.

 

[FloJet]

Wow: it only took them 10+ years to finally do this? I quickly replaced my stock bilge with this one that works great:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B0L4ONM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Was this fairly easy to install? Do you have to run whole new wiring to batter or can it be tied off to existing setup?

 

[Bluewater272]

I wonder if these will mess up with oil or fuel in the bilge like some water activated units do? You may want to also set a reminder every quarter or half year to clean the unit to be safe. I've read of failure on some units that operate like this.

It shouldn't. A float switch would trigger whether the bilge is full of water, oil, or maple syrup. Some of the other sensors are optical and may not trigger if it sees something other than water.

Was this fairly easy to install? Do you have to run whole new wiring to batter or can it be tied off to existing setup?

You'd need to run direct to battery with an in-line fuse if you wanted it to work whenever it floated, otherwise it would just get powered intermittently the same as the current bilge system.

 

[2nazt]

It shouldn't. A float switch would trigger whether the bilge is full of water, oil, or maple syrup. Some of the other sensors are optical and may not trigger if it sees something other than water.

I was looking from my phone and didn't see the internal float switch part, I glanced and thought it meant a sensor.

 

[Julian]

It shouldn't. A float switch would trigger whether the bilge is full of water, oil, or maple syrup. Some of the other sensors are optical and may not trigger if it sees something other than water.



You'd need to run direct to battery with an in-line fuse if you wanted it to work whenever it floated, otherwise it would just get powered intermittently the same as the current bilge system.

You could just cut the lines to the existing bilge and you'd be all set. The intermittent power is a function of the pump not the power to the pump. That said, wiring direct to the battery would allow you to turn off the battery switches and still leave the bilge operational.

 

[Bluewater272]

Ah, thanks. Didn't know that.

 

[ncnmra]

Was this fairly easy to install? Do you have to run whole new wiring to batter or can it be tied off to existing setup?

The stock pump in my setup had two wires to a harness. These were "ground" and a switched power from the dash. The way the stock pump worked (which in my view is idiotic) is that it needs to have the helm switch on so that it can get power to activate it's detection mechanism (which works by starting the pump every so often and detecting if there is water "flow", presumably by the current consumption of the pump itself).

Anyway: the replacement pump I installed had three wires: 1) Ground, 2) Auto, 3) Manual Override. I cut off the stock harness and spliced in the "Ground" and "Manual Override" to the stock harness location. This means that when I push the helm switch, the pump gets power via the manual override wire and will run, regardless of the status of the float switch.

I then ran a new wire from the "auto" wire to the battery terminal directly, bypassing my A/B switch, etc. I put a small in-line fuse as close to the battery as possible. This way (as @Julian mentioned), the bilge can run under any condition automatically. To me, if a feature isn't "automatic", then it won't get activated. The fact that a safety critical component requires user interaction is a huge oversight in my view by Yamaha's engineering team.

My new pump is nice because it has a manual lever to test the float operation. You can hear it click on/off and therefore verify that the pump is working, and that it is all clear and wired properly.

Other than the wiring, I just needed to drill new holes for the base. The stock bilge output hose fit with no issues.

Maybe in another 10 years they'll put an alarm and dash light to alert the float is activated.

At current price increase rate, that will be a $200k boat

Actually: with the way my bilge pump is wired, the light on the blower switch WILL light up if the bilge is activated (regardless of the switch position). I found this out by accident one day when I was bouncing around on some waves and noticed the light going on and off. The float switch was bouncing around a bit and caused this.....so yeah: I guess my boat is worth $200k now?

 

[Beachbummer]

Nice!!!

 

[Honey Badger]

So of course the owner's manual has no information about this in it. The boat will be in the water for the next week, and it looks like we have some thunderstorms rolling in tomorrow. Do I need to keep my battery switches on for it to activate? Thanks for the help.

 

[jEt_jAk]

Also the LED lights up when the bilge activates. I see it come on sometimes.

 

[Weeb]

So of course the owner's manual has no information about this in it. The boat will be in the water for the next week, and it looks like we have some thunderstorms rolling in tomorrow. Do I need to keep my battery switches on for it to activate? Thanks for the help.

You could shut the battery switches off take it out of the strainer and push the float up if you can get to it and see if it runs.

 

[Lpennington]

Basic question here: for a 2018, I know the battery has to be in the on (green) position, but will the auto bilge function if the keys are not in the ignition?