Reply With QuoteThere's cheap and there's good, probably of the off the shelf, Rule and Johnson are the most common, and do last quite a while.
I’ve never had to buy one before, they have always outlasted me.
Anyway, I now have to replace the bilge pump in my new shape Seafarer V-Sea. The old pump was a Johnson pump.
What I’m asking are bilge pumps, bilge pumps or are there good and bad.
Recommendations please
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There's cheap and there's good, probably of the off the shelf, Rule and Johnson are the most common, and do last quite a while.
Big fan of Rule pumps, Johnson not so much. Avoid anything that has a built in electronic float switch from any manufacturer too IMO
Ditto.....Originally Posted by scottar
The built-in float thing is certainly contentious. I fitted one of the Rule 1100gph models with it. It has been fine for over 2 years and near 600 hours on the mootor, plus a couple of months left in the water moored. Correct me if I am wrong, but they run on the principle of actually starting on a regular basis, and, if water flow is detected, keep running. Rather than just looking for a level to get them off. I fitted one due to the total lack of space at the transom--the drain area is literally only 150mm or so wide. Not full width , and needing to be shared with a B175M ( THAT was a tight fit) and water intake on dual port pump for washdown/ livewell. If a conventional pump was fitted, it would need to be a smaller one, if i wanted a conventional setup with external switch. And I need an auto setup, boat is left in the water for long periods.
So, due to their design, timer vs plain switch, they need to be turned OFF when the boat is out of the water. People mosly forget to do this, IMO. It's just part of my shutdown list when I pull the boat out. Because I do camp out at times, I carry a spare large pump with 2 metres of hose and an andersen connector, whch can go into any number of power sources, if I am remote, nowhere near a trailer, and just need to get excess water out. With a transom this deep , the old dinghy dodge of leaning over the back to unscrew the bung and plane it out is impossible, without getting into the water yourself. Having it reverse fitted would be possible, then you can't drain it out from outside.
Current opinion on THT is that Johnson now beats Rule for reliability. . " shrugs"
That's right Ranmar - They rely on current sensing - draw more current under load and thus keep running and will flatten a battery if they aren't turned off even with no water in the bilge eventually. I have seen a couple fail and simply run continuously - the assumption being either the motor is drawing a bit more current or the current sensing has malfunctioned. They were replaced without issue but it's just a muck around. If it's the only way you can make it fit though, there's not to many other options. If it stays reliable, all well and good. If not I would be investigating a small float switch and relay.
Not that I can give you an update on how it went,,, But I went with a rule pump with separate float switch.
Plenty of models out there, but consensus seemed to be Rule was a good option brand...
They don't seem to make things like they use too.... was involved in a discussion recently, that the old marine radio brand GME, was not to be touched now and the only reliable brand out there is Icon...my old GME lasted 20 odd years, things must have changed....
Col
Hey Shakey i bought a bait tank and had it professionally installed one time the installer is still around and pops up for a recomendation often he mentioned the johnson pumps are not a good pump as that is what came with my kit
I have read those Rule pumps can operate out of water for hours and still not fail
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We've probably all seen pics of them melted--"Look, I just avoided a fire" and i reckon this is how it happens, mostly. Mine can sometimes be prone to running on, particularly if you have been up on the plane--you pull up and this thing is frantically sucking on foam. You wonder how long it has been going on. A quick off/on stops it. I'll probably replace with something else, and get a non-mechanical level switch to control it. Expensive things, but so are boats.
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