On occasion when the bilge fills up, the pump comes on but yet does not
pump any water. When this occurs, I manually move the float (which is a
separate unit) up and down a few times and the pump begins to work
normally. Today, after washing the boat I could not get the pump working
even though the pump was running, no matter how many times I started it
with the float mechanism.

Question, does it sound like the pump or float is bad? Or could it be
something I'm not figuring?

Thanks,
Mr Ranger

Pull the pump and remove the crap from the impeller. If you can hear the
pump running then it is not the switch. If the pump is running and no water
is pumping, then either the pump is not deep enough in the water (Higher
than the switch) or crap is in the pump.

"Mr Ranger" wrote in message
. 170.82...
On occasion when the bilge fills up, the pump comes on but yet does not
pump any water. When this occurs, I manually move the float (which is a
separate unit) up and down a few times and the pump begins to work
normally. Today, after washing the boat I could not get the pump working
even though the pump was running, no matter how many times I started it
with the float mechanism.

Question, does it sound like the pump or float is bad? Or could it be
something I'm not figuring?

Thanks,
Mr Ranger

I have had problems with the Rule type bilge pumps becoming 'air bound'.
This seems to be the result of the swith being set to low and thus the pump
runs until the water lever too low on the impeller cage, sucking in air..
The next time the level raises there is air trapped inside the impellor cage
and the impellor has trouble getting an intial suction.

I have three bilge sumps and I have discovered this problem in two of them..
I am going to have to raise the float level to over come this 'air bound'
problem.


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

"Steve" wrote in message
...


I have three bilge sumps and I have discovered this problem in two of
them..
I am going to have to raise the float level to over come this 'air bound'
problem.


Nonsense. Put the children down there with modified detergent jugs and tell
them to start a bucket brigade, or no dinner. Too many damned contraptions
these days. Shiver me timbers.....arghhhhh

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 20:04:24 +0000, Calif Bill wrote:

Pull the pump and remove the crap from the impeller. If you can hear the
pump running then it is not the switch.

Not nessecelery.

I just replaced the (15-yr-old) Rule switch on Far Cove because the pump
wouldn't pump when turned on by the float switch, but ran fine in
"manual". New float switch, everything runs fine. I didn't check, but I'm
guessing the switch had some resistance when "on" so the pump didn't get
full voltage.

I'd say do as he says and clean the impeller. If that doesn't fix it,
replace the switch.

Lloyd Sumpter
"Far Cove" Catalina 36