How to mount electric bilge pump "on a stick"

[Rachel]

I'd like to mount an electric bilge pump in the deep keel sump on my Alberg.

I know that people often mount them "on a stick," such as an aluminum or fiberglass angle, and I have a handy plywood bulkhead to mount the upper end of said "stick" on. A straight piece of angle will land the pump right where I want it in the sump. So far so good.

But how do you mount the pump itself to "the stick"? They all look so round and full of little projectiles that would not lend themselves to wanting to be mounted. Do you just use hose clamps even if it's not perfect? Or? I see little plastic brackets in the WM catalog, but they would be for mounting to a bulkhead right down where the pump sits not on the end of a stick.

(This pump will be a smaller-capacity bilge pump, not a big "crash" pump, by the way.)

Also, what are some ways you all mount a float switch? The bottom of the sump is the bottom of the keel, and although it's not thin, I don't really relish the idea of drilling into it for screws. Does that go on a stick too somehow?

I've been on boats that had bilge pumps, obviously, but I've never actually mounted (an electric) one.

Thanks,

Rachel

[Tim]

What about using a remotely-located impeller or diaphragm pump above the bilge in a convenient location, with just a switch and the suction hose end in the depths? This arrangement has many positives, especially that the pump and wiring stay high and dry and clean, and minimal backflow when the pump stops. These pumps do cost substantially more than the typical centrifugal bilge pump.

This is what I would do if I had the deep bilge situation. In this case, I'd mount a float switch to a removable leg for ease of installation and removal, with a heavy bronze strainer on the end of the suction hose to hold it down where it needs to be.

If you're going to use the typical inexpensive centrifugal pump, make the stick in an "L" shape, with the bottom leg wide enough and long enough for you to secure the pump and the float switch directly to the bottom leg, not the vertical top leg. You only need a couple screws to hold the pump base on the leg, and float switches often come with a little plastic bracket that snaps into one side of the pump base--or you can screw it in place separately. Then the whole arrangement can be easily hauled out for replacement when it fails.

[Ric in Richmond]

I mounted all of my BP and switch to a piece of poly (cutting board) with a retrieval line.

I was going to do the stick thing and never got around to it since the set up works great.

[Chris Campbell]

Weatherbird has a deep bilge also and I adapted an idea I got from a magazine (Good Old Boat - or Sail, possibly) - I made a mounting board with shelves out of HDPE and attached two pumps (and later a float switch, after breaking the outlet nipple off of two of the Rulematics). The idea was that I'd be able to take the board up easily to clear clogs in the pump intakes - which turned out to be only partly true since I never fitted detachment points for the hoses, which meant the board wasn't very easy to pick up. But it certainly did hold the pumps down in the bilge neatly, and provided for a small pump to do the daily pumping chores and a big pump for the "Holy Mackerel" times that none of us ever want to experience.

http://www.lecomteowners.com/components ... min=&hit=1

http://www.lecomteowners.com/components ... min=&hit=1

No idea why I don't have any completed pictures of that job, but at least it gives the idea.

[cmartin]

I mounted mine to a bracket with a stainless hose clamp.

[MikeD]

My electric bilge pump is attached to a narrow board wrapped in lead. I have a line attached to either end so I can retrieve it without yanking on the hose and adjust it fore or aft to level it. Works OK.

[Rachel]

Thanks to all for the info - very helpful. Couple of follow-up questions so far:

Ric: How did you actually attach the pump to the board?

Mike D: Wrapped in... lead?

Rachel

[MikeD]

I guess that is kind of a strange statement. It's a "thinnish" sheet that simply bends around the board. The boat came with it.

[Quetzalsailor]

Back when Chris had his NE 38, he and I batted this question around. I began by 'simply' retrieving the pump with a boathook, which of course was awful. I then tied a retrieve line to it which at least made it possible. I have since relocated the throughhulls and associated hoses which made a nasty job merely inconvenient. What remains on the deep keel is the pickup and hose for the Gusher, the Rule 2000 and its hose, the fuel fill and vent hoses pass over and various wire bundles and engine and refrigerator hoses pass over but less in the way. The killer for the obvious idea of a pull stick is that the Rules' hose is 1 1/4" id and is quite stiff; it has enough length to drop down alongside the prop log where it's wire-tied, swoop down and turn aft, dodge the Gushers' pickup box, and arrive at the Rule. When I lift the Rule, I have to force a bight in the hose, by using my third arm as I pull the retrieve line and feed the power wires up.

As Chris and I discussed, the only way we came up with to deal with the hose would be to bring it up the retrieve stick and arrange a quick disconnect with a PVC union. To make matters somewhat more annoying, the old Rule died and the new one has a shape which defies mounting and tying to its' retrieve line; it is far happier flopping over and jamming rather than docile-ly lifting or dropping. Additionally, it's now sold with three conductors which are not protected within a sleeve and they're too short.

The new Rule has a base which doubles as a strainer. They imagined that the installer would screw it down and the pump itself would be snapped on and off the base. Folks with stiff hoses in never-never land and deep keels are ill served.

I think it would be no great project to arrange a retrieve stick with a yoke which goes a long way toward locating the pump and the whole fastened to the pump with a honkin' hose clamp. Rather like the way a strainer bowl is mounted. The issue would be to arrange the yoke and clamp so that the pump's plastic shell was not unduly deformed.

Hard to imagine that a lead strap is good enough: stretchy, deformy. Weight's in the right place, though.

[Rachel]

I asked a friend (in person) the same question today, so I'll add this idea to the pile: He takes flat aluminum bar stock and bends a "foot" into the bottom with a vise, then mounts the pump and float switch to that foot. Then the upper part of the bar is mounted to the bulkhead.

That also doesn't totally solve the "how to lift up pump with stiff hoses attached" issue, but I was more concerned about how to mount the pump so it would stay in place, and now with all these ideas, I'm sure I can come up with something.

Thanks all,

Rachel

[Chris Campbell]

I only found this yesterday:
http://www.banjocorp.com/products/selca ... &MainCat=3, but it looks like they might make good disconnects for the stiff hose at the top of the bilge. to make removal more reasonable, especially those 90 degree couplings...

[Ric in Richmond]

Thanks to all for the info - very helpful. Couple of follow-up questions so far:

Ric: How did you actually attach the pump to the board?


Rachel

I used SS machine screws to attach the pump.

I used longer screws to elevate the switch above the board by about 2 inches.

The board was cut to be just wide enough to nestle snugly in the bilge.

The hand pump actually sucks the bilge near dry. The electric one will not dry the bilge completely.

I am SO READY TO GO SAILING!!!!