Bilge Pump Question 2002 260 Sundancer

[SpenRay]

Hi All,

My 2002 260 Sundancer developed a loud humming under the stairs to the cabin. Upon further investigation it appears to be the bilge pump. If I hit the red button it stops... It seems to do this quite frequently. Is this normal, or am I correct to hit the red button and will I need some sort of service done...

Look forward to any advise.

 

[JimG]

Not sure what red button your referring to, but the bilge pump will hum a little when its pumping water. When not pumping water, it will be silent. If it constantly cycles, and pumps water, then you have water coming in from somewhere.

 

[Lazy Daze]

It looks like you tried to post pictures, but they aren't showing up for me. Are they showing up for you?

Like Jim mentioned, what red button are you referring to? From your area of the description you are talking about, it doesn't sound like anything that was stock.

Now, are you referring to the pump inside the sump box or a pump outside of the box? Also, like Jim asked, is it pumping water when it's making that sound? I would imagine that you would have checked for that, but...

 

[Little Ducky]

If you haven't given your bilge area a good cleaning the pump could be slimed up and not pumping very efficiently.

If the Red Button is like a twist knob your bilge pump might have an internal float and twisting the knob is a manual over ride to get it to come on. They can get slimed up as well and stick on or off.

Pictures always help so I'm just guessing.

 

[SpenRay]

Sorry that the images did not show up the first time. I have re inserted below, and circled the red switch, and area under the stairs.

Apologies, as this is the first boat I have ever purchased. I am a bit new to figuring everything out.

Hope the images show up this time.

JimG: it seems to happen after the restroom is used, but not always. The boat was parked for about an hour yesterday and continued to make the hum noise until i hit the red button..

Lazy Daze: it is possible it is not stock.. I am the second owner. It doesn't appear to be pumping anything, just running...

Little Ducky: my understanding was it was cleaned before the sale. The red button is a push button. I am not sure if the button is sticking as it always stops when I hit it...

I was referring to this as a bilge pump, as that is what the red button says on it... I could be wrong on exactly what it is.

 

[Lazy Daze]

OK, that is a bilge pump, yes. However, in terms of what we typically refer to this one as, it is the "sump" - the box under the steps that various things drain to and then it pumps overboard. Depending on the model year and where the boat was built, different things can drain to it. You'll definitely have the head drain going there... by "after the restroom is used"... do mean a shower? That's the only thing that would drain there from the head. FYI, you're on a boat... it's called a head

I still don't know what red button you are referring to, though.

You still need to clarify if it's filling with water.

 

[JimG]

Is the red button on the dash or breaker panel?
Not sure if that is the stock part but your boat would have come with this shower sump. It's intended to pump the shower water over board. It should not run unless there is water in the box. Carefully remove the lid and clean it out. Like ducky said there will be a test nob on the side of the float.

 

[MattB92]

Looks like your shower sump. Your shower drain and possibly your head sink flows into this sump box. Once it reaches a certain level the float switch is activated and the pump begins to pump the water overboard (or possibly into your holding tank like my set-up used to be - check on that)

There will always be a little bit of water in this box

 

[MattB92]

Red button he may be referring to is the actual pump. Then there is a button on the side that you can manually push to activate the pump

 

[SpenRay]

Glad the other images showed up. The red button I am referring to is in the clear box. I have zoomed in and inserted below.

Lazy Daze: It's appears to happen sometimes after the vacuflush toiled and sink is used. Since I have purchased no one has taken a shower in it yet. I did not notice it filling with water. It sounds like it is just running. Hope you are able to see the image of the red button for clarification.

JimG: The red button is in a clear plastic box under the stairs. I tried to get a closeup image and insert. so unscrew the plastic top and clean.

MattB92: That is an interesting thought that the bathroom sink would drain into there. I always wash my hands in the kitchenette sink, as I like the extra head room. The humming sound seems to only happen when guests use the restroom, and probably wash in the bathroom sink. I just assumed it went out the side of the boat like the kitchenette sink.

 

[MattB92]

Yea that red button you are referring to is actually the pump itself. Run the water in your head sink or down the head drain (shower drain). You should see some water flowing into this box and pumping out once it gets around 3/4 full

 

[Lazy Daze]

Are you talking about the the thing that says "bilge pump" on it? That's not a button - it's just the bilge pump.

In my 260DA, the head sink drainged directly overboard since it was high enough above the waterline. This is easy to verify - look under the sink or overboard. Flushing the toilet has nothing to do with that sump pump.

Open the box up and observe better. It is not normal that the pump should come on by itself without the float lifting up... and it also not normal that touching the pump causes it to go off. The only explanation (unless there's more to this that you haven't figure out, yet) is that something is flaky and in need of replacement.