Recently the outlet pipe of the lone 24 year old bilge pump aboard Sparklemuffin broke completely off. Better at the dock than halfway to Hawaii, eh? ‘Cuz “if anything is gonna happen, it’s gonna happen out there” as they say.
The bilge pump system is super critical for any boat. One of a sailor’s (many) worst nightmares is going below to find the floorboards swimming in ankle-deep water. A well-designed and reliable bilge pump system makes a big difference to quality of sleep.
It was on my list to do something with the bilge pump system, in particular, adding a secondary high-capacity backup/emergency pump. Welp, guess it’s time to accelerate those plans and redo the whole lot – pumps, hoses, electrical – everything!
Schematics
Parts List
Primary Bilge Pump
- Whale Gulper 320 Bilge Pump 8A ($181)
- 12ft of 3/4″ I.D. Trident Marine Series 147 Extra Heavy-Duty Bilge Hose ($29)
- 12ft of 1″ I.D. Trident Marine Series 147 Extra Heavy-Duty Bilge Hose ($38)
- Crimp ‘N Seal Step-Down Butt Splice, 16-14 AWG x 12-10 AWG, Qty 25 ($38)
Secondary Bilge Pump
- Rule 13A 3700 Gold Series Non-Automatic Submersible 12 VDC Bilge Pump 15.5A ($251)
- 2x Ultra Safety Systems Pump Switch Mini UPS-06-12 V Float Switch Bilge Pump Switch ($291)
- Blue Sea Systems Dual MRBF 30 to 300A Terminal Fuse Block ($29)
- Blue Sea Systems ST Blade Fuse Block 8 Circuit Common Source & Cover ($38)
- Blue Sea Systems 30A MRBF Terminal Fuses ($14 each)
- Blue Sea Systems 300A MRBF Terminal Fuses ($15 each)
- 2x Scandvik 316 SS Premium Solid Band Hose Clamps, Size 80, 4 – 5.5” ($30)
Not Yet Ordered
- Bilge pump switch panels
- Bilge Pump 3-Way Switch Panel, Two Pumps
- Pump Counter with 3-Way Switch Panel, Two Pumps ($159)
- 2x Bilge Pump 3-Way Switch Panel
- Ring connectors?
- Alarms
- 80mm x 80mm Silver Tone Corner Brace Joint Right Angle Bracket 5 Pcs ($13)
- Wire
- 10 AWG, red, 30 ft
- 10 AWG, brown, 30 ft
- 10 AWG, black, 10 ft
- 6 AWG, red, 30 ft
- 6 AWG, brown, 20 ft
- 6 AWG, black, 10 ft
- 20ft of 1.5″ I.D. Trident Marine Series 147 Extra Heavy-Duty Bilge Hose ($122)
- Vetus ASD38V Anti Siphon Device with valve, 38 mm, 5” wide x 4.25” tall ($67)
- WHALE PUMPS Y-Connector, 1.5 inch
- Crimper
- Crimp connectors
- 6 AWG to 14 AWG???
- ATC fuses
- 25 A
- 10 A