Secondary bilge pump

[Vic K]

FYI:
I'm installing a secondary automatic bilge pump in my 27. There is a primary installed but I wanted to have a backup. Both pumps are in the aft bilge. I enlarged the opening in order to have better access to the packing gland etc. The primary pump is on a pvc stalk on the right side of the shaft and sits at the bottom of the bilge. I wanted the secondary to be above the primary so I used a yoke that sits on top of the bilge with a pvc stalk cut to the depth needed. The secondary pump goes on the port side of the shaft. Both pumps can be easily lifted to be serviced or replaced. Hoses exit through anti-siphon connections and then out transom.
There is no rubbing or any type of interference with the shaft. Both pumps are Rule automatics. They are wired direct, thru a fuse to the batteries ( pump 1 to battery 1 and pump 2 to battery 2)as well as to a manual override switch on the panel.

There is also a manual pump mounted in the lazerette.

[Mark Deeser]

CaptVic, looks like you thought it out. One question, are batteries 1 an 2 isolated from each other? Not sure I understand why pumps would go to different batteries. Thanks, Mark.

[Vic K]

Mark,

Batteries are isolated. The guy that set up the wiring put a pump with fuse on each battery. These are AGM batteries hooked to one of these new smart chargers that has a degree from MIT. With luck you'll never need the secondary pump.

Vic

[cork]

Vic,

I must come by and see your boat.

My primary pump is below my packing gland.

My secondary is in bilge near engine.

I like the pvc stack idea. I may re-do mine.

[coolchange]

did you get these into the bilge without removing the driveshaft? I have only about 2" and a little to work with.

[Vic K]

The step the pump basket is mounted to is 2" wide and go by the shaft. No problem. Being on the PVC stalk you just lift them up when you need to. I can get to the packing gland with the pump in the bilge. I did increase the size of the bilge opening. The original size was to small to do the work you need to do.

Vic

[Vic K]

Coolchange,

FYI:

Attached is the best photo I could get showing the second pump below the shaft. The second pump is a Rule 800 and squeezed in. I took it out and in a few times to make sure. You can't see the primary pump (Rule 500) at the bottom of the bilge. The wire nuts will be replaced with connectors. I need to shorten the wire length.
I ran the engine in gear to make sure everything about the secondary pump cleared. In the photo it looks like the hose is against the shaft but its not. To be safe I tied it back to the primary hose. Both hoses go through the transom. If you need more let me know.

Vic

[JT48348]

I like this set up. I had never considered a stalk for removal or servicing the pump. Seems like a great idea!

Where would you say the low spot is in the bilge?

I found an my 1500gph pump at the extreme aft end of the boat under the stuffing gland, but it looks like it was rigged to draw water from the bilge area closer forward by the engine via a hose section. The pump is shot, but I can't get it out of the bilge becuase its too wide to get past the prop shaft. It wont fit under the space in the bilge bulkhead either. I have no idea how it got in there, unless it somehow came from the fwd bilge compartment and passed under the bulkhead that separates the engine compartment from aft cabin bilge. Its the craziest thing I've seen.

I'm thinking of enlarging the hole in the bulkhead that separates the two builge compartments. Then I can get the bilge pump out, and put in a new one using your stalk setup. In my boats I like a 2000gph pump rigged to a smaller 500gph pump with the shallowest pickup possible, rigged to a automatice float swtich, to a auto-man-off wall panel switch.

[Vic K]

A 800 Rule automatic was the biggest I could get past the shaft on the stalk. The primary 500 auto was no problem. If both of these go off at the same time I'm looking for a nice shallow place to land.
I had a 2000 with a float mounted just above the shaft but the more I looked at this the less I liked the set up so I replaced it with the 800 a couple of inches under the shaft.

How are you coming along with your project?
Vic

[AKDW]

I just replaced the aft bilge pump in my 27. It had a line tied to it in allowing me draw it forward and bring it out of the bilge next to the transmission. Drawing the new one back works using the outflow hose. I also have another pump in the bow under the hanging locker.

[Vic K]

AKDW

Sounds like a good system. I have a partition in that area that acts like a dam so no oil/water/ or other liquid can escape from beneath the engine into the bilge. I also have added a flexicoupling to the back of the tranny and that also cuts down on the space. I like the string idea.

Vic