Water Witch 101 Failure after Seven Years

[Christian Williams]

The Water Witch is a solid state replacement for a float switch.

Mine worked reliably, but failed this week. It engaged the pump on manual (three-way switch), but was dead on "auto," the switch setting that starts the pump when water level rises to the WW.

Seven years is a good run, but since these things are all there is between us and a bilge flood, I think they ought to be changed out on a schedule. They're cheap ($60).

My wiring was fine and the new switch uses the old wiring.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Oof! I had better check out mine.

I wonder what would make them fail? I went with it because I figured it would be near indestructible, but I guess not. Certainly those Rule float switches were anything but indestructible. I don't know how many years I've had my WW but it has been quite some time.

 

[Christian Williams]

Same question. There was little corrosion and the unit's integral wiring looks normal. I was skeptical, but tested one against the other and there seemed no question that the obvious was persuasive. WW guarantees for five years, so maybe that says something. Or not.

 

[KS Dave]

Excellent review! Thanks, Christian. I'm looking to move away from my current auto pump with the built-in float switch and this is just what I was looking at.

 

[bsangs]

Christian, can I ask why you chose this WW option over a traditional float switch? I have a Rule pump with a float switch wired to it that's been going strong for seven years now - between me and the previous owner - and keep a replacement onboard just in case. Is there a significant benefit to the WW instead of the float switch? Just curious.

 

[Christian Williams]

Given the keel bolts, a WW fits better into the bilge sump. Also, no moving parts. But either works.

 

[Bolo]

There seems to be two WW models, 101 (like the one in Christian's boat) and 217 which has a few extra features. https://defender.com/en_us/water-witch-bilge-pump-switch-217

The 217 model, according to the description on the Defender site "activates pump 6 - 8 seconds after water touches lower sensor (delay eliminates pump stutter)" AND "Switch continues to run pump an additional 15 seconds to clear discharge hose." 7-year limited warranty at $62.99 and it looks different than the 101 model. Found it when I was looking the WW up on the Defender site cause I too am interested in changing out the old float switch.

 

[Christian Williams]

The 101 also has the 8-second delay. I doubt any pump can clear a discharge hose on a keel sailboat, so run-back is probably inevitable. My lift ("head") is only three feet (to the remote diaphragm pump with its integral check valves) but there's always some runback no matter how long I operate the pump after bilge is dry.

 

[peaman]

I was looking the WW up on the Defender site cause I too am interested in changing out the old float switch.

I replaced the float switch in both bilge and shower sump with a WW model 230. The float switches were sticking and took too much space in the very small bilges. In order to mount the switch at the best height in the bilge, I mounted it on a piece of acrylic sheet which can be vertically adjusted (see photo).

 

[Kenneth K]

I like the Aqualarm switches. The narrow cylindrical shape fits well in the bilges. It has both an interior, mechanical float and electronic delay/warning circuitry.

Water witches advertise that they don't always work in fresh water, so they aren't a good choice for the "mast" bilge.

 

[bsangs]

Water witches advertise that they don't always work in fresh water, so they aren't a good choice for the "mast" bilge.

I noticed that caveat with the Water Witch, and considering it's mast water that primarily fills my bilge, doesn't seem like an optimal solution in my situation, should I decide to look for other options from my current setup. Strange that fresh water wouldn't trigger it, but there's obviously some science involved that's well above my pay grade.

 

[Christian Williams]

But of course it does work on rain water, given typical bilge impurities I guess. I have no salt water leaks.

And when you test it with hose water, it works.

 

[bsangs]

But of course it does work on rain water, given typical bilge impurities I guess. I have no salt water leaks.

And when you test it with hose water, it works.

Huh. Wonder why they include the fresh water language warning?

 

[Kenneth K]

Huh. Wonder why they include the fresh water language warning?

They say that lake water has enough impurities to trigger the switch but if I remember, they recommend adding salt if it's pure rain water. Who wants to have to do that?

 

[Christian Williams]

I consider these things worthy of permanent suspicion. My recent bilge flood, which was the demise of my aging floorboards, was result of a failed butt connector -- one in the wet-ish bilge hidden from easy view. Out of sight is not optimal.

I now leave the bilge covers off when leaving the boat, so when I arrive I have no choice but to note how the pump did. And reminds me to mop up the film of rainwater, which otherwise evaporates into glop and stain.

The Water Witch gets mixed reviews, not for failing to run on rainwater but mostly for glop or corrosion on the surface--a film of grease affects performance, apparently. My bilge happens to be clean at the moment (no more rotted bits of plywood or stained water). But old oil might be a factor in choice. WW won't operate with an oil spill. And I guess if it did, the USCG might come calling.

Ken's Aqualarm looks like a good alternative, as a traditional float switch, especially since it will handle anything that makes the float rise. And if you can eyeball it easily, potential clogging easily fixed.

Three Water Witches have worked fine for me over ten years, and make a neat install. But trust? Jury remains out on them all.
I've also become a fan of a cage strainer on the visible pickup tube. Obvious in view, easy to clean out when observed dirty.

 

[driftless]

Big fan of the switch I installed in my main bilge - similar cylinder design as the aqualarm. Very well reviewed on cruiser forums.

https://www.ultratef-gel.com/ultra-bilge-pumpswitches/

Too big for the shower bilge though so just replaced the Rule there with same old, but vastly improved the wiring.

Not gonna trust a water witch in the Great Lakes. Don't know what the actual conductivity is, but man is our water clear in Lake Michigan. Thanks to the invasive mussels