320DA bilge pumps – anyone replaced them?

[Alex F]

Hey guys,

I tried searching but found nothing helpful. I’ll be doing more testing, but I may have to replace my bilge pumps. So far I was able to find my way to most of the items that I had to service, but bilge pumps got me scratching my head as a can’t find a way to get close enough to be able to replace either pump. Did anyone have done it successfully as a DIY?

 

[skolbe]

Fortunately - I have not had to replace them - but when thinking about how to get to them - I think you will have to be tall and have long arms and basically hang upside down. When looking at the rear pump - it appears once you get back there you can get to it behind the generator.

 

[fwebster]

More likely than not, your problem isn't the bilge pump but is either the wiring or the float switch. The wire connections are made with butt splices and they will get corroded over time. About the only way to diagnose this is to cut the splices out and check for voltage before and after the splice, which is how you are going to fix it anyway.

Once the connections are loose and you can follow the voltage, its a simple matter to determine if the float switch or the pump itself is bad.

As far as changing the pumps out, it is an easy process as long as you use the same pump that is in the boat. The pump snaps into the base so all you do is depress the keepers and pull the pump out, clip the wires, splice in the new pump and stick in into the base.

I can't help you with the reach............maybe borrow a long arm double jointed monkey?

 

[HUMPH]

Why do you think you need to replace them?

 

[Alex F]

Why do you think you need to replace them?

While winterizing I always run antifreeze through the pumps preventing left over raw water in the pockets freezing and possibly damaging the pumps. So, as I recall the pump #2 was working but didn't pump out any antifreeze. So, I always had it in the back of my head to re-test and change if need to both pumps before I splash the boat.

 

[HUMPH]

Maybe open a seacock and see if you sink or the pump comes on? :lol:

All you should really need to do is lift the float and it should run. If it doesn't look into it farther...

 

[Alex F]

All you should really need to do is lift the float and it should run. If it doesn't look into it farther...

Sorry man, but this is a recipe for false confidence. :smt009 Hearing a sound from the pump is only 50% or less, the main thing is for the pump actually get that water out. There’re too many cases when people hear pumps running (shower pumps for the most part) but it doesn’t do much. I had this last year as well while testing my shower pump. So, it was replaced.

 

[fwebster]

If the pump is running the proper speed but won't remove water, it is either air bound or has some trash in the impeller housing. Rule pumps are virtually idiot proof......they either run or not and there are very few reasons they won't pump if they are running.

A possible cause of your problem is as I said in the earlier post. If you have corroded connections you may be only passing 9-10 volts to the pump which will cause its speed to be slow and it will not function properly.

Any bit of trash then can get thru the bottom grate holes can clog up the impeller outlet and cause the pump to fail to pump even though it runs.

Rule pumps will air lock. To clear it, cycle the pump on with the float switch until it reaches full speed, then release the float switch and let the water run back into the impeller housing, then try again.

 

[Alex F]

Frank,

I totally hear your point. At first I'll put the bilge plug in (the boat is still on hard) and will add fresh water to the proper level to activate both pumps (starting with the #1 pump). I hope that it works fine. Then, I'll test #2 pump (the one that I'm concerned about).

If I have to clean it that means I have to get all the way to the bottom. So, if I can get so low (so far I could only touch the pump, but not the clips), then I'll get the old one out and new one will go in (already bought the spare one).

The wiring which you've mentioned before is the least of the problem b/c I’ve notice that SR had left plenty of wire to pull the pump up and reconnect the new one.

I wander if bilge cleaner can desolve some stuff that can be creating a blockage (nothing visually is blocking them, so getting under those grills would be the only way to check).

 

[Alex F]

Just a quick update, after performing the test both pumps and float switches are in working order. I was really releaved with this finding as I had lots of other projects for the boat this spring and was working hard to get them accumplished.

Thanks to all for your input.

 

[rondds]

Alex, FYI, when I bought this boat the hi-water pump didn't work - this was discovered on survey. The other two fortunately did work. Only one of my pumps is accessible and that's the stern one, just forward of the garboard drain. This has needed two float switch replacements.

This past winter, with the exhaust systems out of both engines, I was finally able to access and remove the hi-water and the forward pump from btwn the engines and take them home for testing and cleaning. As Frank said, even in my old-arse SR, they unclip from their bases easily. I replaced one float switch which was quirky and cleaned and re-crimped all connections. Also, as Frank stated, one wire to the hi-water pump was corroded off it's crimp.

I feel better knowing it is now working. I'm aware when any of the pumps are on via the systems monitor on the bridge. Matter of fact, that's what first tipped me off that I busted a hose clamp on the way to Atlantic City last summer. Aft pump tripped on when it normally wouldn't.

Something else I noticed - the shower sump is also represented on the systems monitor. I was up there playing with the GPS one evening while the wife showered and the light kept coming on.

Glad your stuff is working OK. Mine is gonna have to keep working until my manifolds need to be done again, in another 15 years or so!

 

[skolbe]

I had a little water in my bilge yesterday, the water pump on my generator drips when running, plan to replace this fall. Well yesterday, when leaving the area where we were anchored - the bilge pump light came on but wouldn't turn off. Opened the hatch everything was fine. Was only a few miles from the dock. By the time I got back to the dock - the light was off - but the bilge pump would not turn on. The bilge was way too hot to go into. So let it cool off. Any thoughts. Started looking into it and there is no fuse for the pump. I am assuming it is the float or something caught in the pump itself. Not sure why the pump will not turn on.

 

[fwebster]

The float switch has shorted out. This usually happens when the butt splices from the factory get submerged and then corrode.

Go to the pump that doesn't work and cut loose all the wire ties so you can follow the wires. Find the float switch wires and follow them to the butt splices going to the 2 pump wires. Cut those splices out and check for voltage between the hot and ground, then check for continuety thru the float switch in both closed and open positions. If the switch is open in both raised and lowered positions, then replace it.....but 90% of the time, all you need to do is cut the wires back a little way, strip them and reconnect with new butt splices.

 

[skolbe]

Thanks, that is what I figured was that is something with the float switch.

 

[Alex F]

Skolbe,

How do you test your pumps for operation? I know that those bilge pumps are almost impossible to reach, so what I do is to tape a flat small sized screwdriver to a stick (retractible boat brush is a good choise) and use the screwdriver to turn the float switch manually. I use this method all the time and it works like a charm. Try it before cutting wires, this way you know you're manually forcing the switch. If the pump doesn't activate you'll have two posisble issues, bad switch or bad pump. At this point you're on to the next step wich is cutting the wires.

 

[rondds]

I'll reach down with a boathook and pull the switch up to check function. My aft pump switch would get stuck frequently and I've now replaced it twice. This second one seems to be working well. Don't cheap out on replacement switches, esp if they're a beeotch to get at. Not a job you want to have to do over.

 

[skolbe]

In the past, I can lay across the engines and reach the little test turn switch on the float. Without studying it - I think - I would have to remove exhaust hoses to replace the float switch and/or bilge pump.

 

[fwebster]

Guys..............y'all really need bigger boats!

 

[rondds]

damn straight!

 

[rondds]

Alex
The only way for me to get to my hi-water pump was when the exhaust system was off - that is, manifolds and elbows. I was able to stand side-ways btwn the engines and reach down to get to the pump and switch. The forward pump is maybe reachable with the exhaust system in place but I serviced both this winter when everything was off. You may have the same problem. Either that or you're going to need one of these...