Automatic bugle pumps for wet slips

[Skysurfer2010]

Hey guys after much debate this year I've decided to wet slip my boat for the season in fresh water. I was going to buy a lift or drive on dock, but decided against it since I have a gut feeling I'll be buying a large cruiser next year and don't want the hassle of selling a lift.

I plan in installing an automatic bilge pump. Do you guys take out the preexisting pump and hardware it to the battery? How have those that installed one already set it up? Did you wire it to your existing bilge switch?

 

[OrangeTJ]

What is wrong with the factory bilge pump? On my SX210 I just leave the bilge pump switched on. It cycles every few minutes and will run until empty if it senses water. To keep the battery from going flat between outings, I use a small solar trickle charger ($45 from Home Depot). Works like a charm.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I think most just install a float switch. If water does get in it lifts the float and turns on the bilge pump.

The factory bilge pump is just fine for 2-3 days but will run the battery dead in a week or so. It cycles to see if there is water, not cycling because there is water.

 

[MNdrifter]

My slip has power available. I installed a battery charger and a power inlet. I plug in if I'm going to be away for several days.
I also installed a second bilge pump hard wired to a second battery for redundancy. If the main bilge or battery die, I'm still covered.

 

[RForester]

Add a solar charger. Also, close the scupper valve.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Add a solar charger. Also, close the scupper valve.

Why and how do you close the scupper valve?

I would hope that you would leave the scupper valve open so the water that would get in the cabin would drain out of it.

 

[Noko]

I haven't done it yet, but I bought a float switch bilge pump. I'm going to put it near the other pump and run the discharge hose to the same location as the original bilge pump. It will be hard wired to the battery. I think I bought a Johnson pump that is in the 750gph range.

 

[Skysurfer2010]

I'd never close the scupper valve. If your boat takes on a lot of water in a down pour you'll wish you had it. Plus the newer boats don't have the same issues as older boats since the discharge is above the water line.

I also already have a dual bank battery charger. I turn both battery masters off when I leave the boat so I'll need to hardwire the float to the aux battery. I also assume I'd need to hardwire the existing pump and switch to the battery with a float or just install a separate automatic bilge pump and just have that one hardwired?

 

[aarons1k]

What year boats had problems w the valve ?

 

[jcyamaharider]

What year boats had problems w the valve ?

09 and older

 

[aarons1k]

09 and older

Ok thx !

 

[Evildwarf]

we wet slipped last year and an onboard charger kept our dual batteries charged up with no issues with the stock bilge pump on 24/7. It cycles at a preset interval and will stay on if it senses resistance against the impeller until the resistance (water) is gone.
Boat never leaked so never really had to test the efficacy of the pump in any serious way.
Bought a lift in the fall so now the boat is slipped but dry.
You will get all sorts of nasty growing type stuff below the water line from being in the water all the time. Our lake has this spider algae which is a bitch to get rid of.
good luck and have fun

 

[Skysurfer2010]

I don't like the idea of leaving my boat unaccompanied at a marina without the battery masters turned off for a week or two at a time.

 

[rkluck]

we wet slipped last year and an onboard charger kept our dual batteries charged up with no issues with the stock bilge pump on 24/7. It cycles at a preset interval and will stay on if it senses resistance against the impeller until the resistance (water) is gone.
Boat never leaked so never really had to test the efficacy of the pump in any serious way.
Bought a lift in the fall so now the boat is slipped but dry.
You will get all sorts of nasty growing type stuff below the water line from being in the water all the time. Our lake has this spider algae which is a bitch to get rid of.
good luck and have fun

X2

 

[Skysurfer2010]

After giving this some thought I think I'm just going to rewire the current bilge pump and switch to my aux battery. That way I can still turn my battery master switches off and be sure everything else is shut off and keep the bilge switch on to keep the bilge powered at all times. Since I have an on onboard battery charger it should be fine. Thanks guys.