Back Flooding thru bilge pump??

[Kevin Vine]

I've discovered that when under sail in a stiff breeze on port tack in my E26-2 that the cabin floor can actually become awash. The "uninvited bilge water" comes from forgetting to shut off the valve to the sink drain in the head, which will cheerfully allow the outside to gain access to the inside if not checked!

I've also discovered that you need to pay attention when filling the water tank. When the tank approaches "full", water will spurt out the vent into the head sink and then out of the faucets in both the head and the galley!

And I've also discovered that if you choose to use a "solar shower" suspended from your mast, you should shut the sliding port in the head, or it will usher in all the water from your solar shower, waiting there to surprise you the next time you use the facilities!

 

[Sailsteve]

Water water everywhere.

It just goes to show you that water should be kept under the boat, and out of it at all costs. Now this horse has got to be allowed to die a peaceful death.

 

[Al Emondi]

Floating Birkenstocks

I have given up the fight for a dry bildge for now.. at least until I get that darn keel rebedded. Can't seem to stop the fore keel bolt from leaking. But, I have learned, as others have on this thread, that the bildge hoses were not ran to prevent siphoning. After sailing with teh bildge switch in the off position (oops), I noticed my girfriends Birks go floating by in the cabin when we tacked. After switching on the pump and using the Whale pump mounted in the cockpit, things were back under control in no time. We sailed on a different tack, still with the bildge pump off, and no water. So a few extra feet of hose and a anti-siphoning loop later, the problem is fixed.

 

[Jarod]

while we are on the subject

hi there,

quick question ...I just installed a rulemate 500 gph at the bottom of the deep keel sump on my 27.... when i installed the whale gusher nylon valve in the line about 4 inches above pump,,,,the pump worked a couple of times and little water came back into the bilge from the line, however, after testing the pump with a bucket a few times i found that the pump would sometimes just run and run continuously with no reduction in the water level and the water level was well above the pump..when i took the check valve out this did not occur...my first thought was that the pump did not have enough power to force the valve open due to the weight of the water on the other side...is this an airlock and if so will the tiny hole in the line before the valve rectify this issue...i dont like the idea of all that water siphoning back ...it seems to me the pump will just cycle more often than neccessary

thanks jarod

 

[Al Emondi]

Think you got an airlock

Not only may the pump run more than it shoud, it may not acutually shut off. Check valve or no check valve - I don't know - two schools of thought. I don't use them and my run to the outside from the bildge pump is un-obstructed so there is no back pressure to form a air lock. I have never tried the small hole trick in the hose. I suppose if the hole is above the impellers of the pump it should work as this releaves the back pressure. Simple and inexpensive enough to try I suppose.

 

[Sailsteve]

Jarod,

Are you sure that you wired the battery connection properly to the pump? It runs with a DC motor that if you reverse the polarity it will run backwards. Very little water can be pumped out if it runs backwards.

Steve

 

[Jarod]

Hi Steve

I think its wired correctly as it drains the bilge quickly when it runs...just when it had the check valve in ....it would run and run without draining any water

 

[maggie-k]

Hi Jarod if the check valve you are using is the spring/diaphram type you will need to develop enough pressure to overcome the force of the spring to open the valve as well you will have to overcome the head pressure of the water in the hose above the valve . A flapper type check valve uses gravity not spring pressure to close and requires very litte pressure to open. Bilge pumps are low pressure pumps so it is likely there is not enough pressure output to open the check valve you have with the head of water behind it try a flapper type valve, I use one on a 500gpm pump with no problem.

 

[clohman]

I replaced my 20-year-old scupper drain hoses last season and am glad I did. However, be prepared for some serious grunt work pulling them through the false deck just aft of the engine. After a lot of frustration, I finally located and cut the original wire-tie that was binding the single hose (beyond the Y connection). After sacrificing some of my forearm, I was able to fish the new hose (attached to the old) through. This was an out of the water project. The only thing good that came from the agony was that by the time I succeeded, my wife had completely bottom painted the hull!