Electric bilge pump

[033Shalom]

Has anyone installed an electric bilge pump in addition to the manual pump? If so, is it possible or desirable to link the two outlet pipes together so the water pumps out the same hole in the transom? Or is it preferable to drill an new hole in the hull somewhere else?

Many thanks.

[Mitch]

I have an excellent bilge pump 'down the hole' in the sump, it has an automatic switch and can also be worked manually via a switch. The two outlets do, I think, join together at a 'Y' piece but if I recall there has to be a one-way valve in each line before the Y piece (I will check next time I have the hatch open, its chaotic in there at the moment).
The major problem with the pump is that the sump is so deep you cannot access the pump in situ - I just pull everything out via the outlet pipe.
The pictures show a temporary repair when the new pump went in, the original connections were crimped butt joints that were simply taped up. The later finished job included a waterproof junction box, more liquid insulation and some self-amalgamating tape to finalise the whole package.
(The one way valve can be seen in the line of the hose.)

[40ursa_minor]

Ursa Minor has an electric bilge pump mounted on a removable stick to allow servicing. When I bought Ursa Minor both electric and and the manual pump were plumbed to the same exit in a botched manner with no non return valve. There was a spare outlet point on the hull which had been abandoned for some reason so I took the simple solution of splitting the pumps to separate outlets. The only downside is the electric outlet discharges port side so could hit the dock. I should have had them connected the other way round with the electric going over the transom but it works.

[033Shalom]

Thanks for the info. Once way valve and a Y piece seems to be the popular route!

[blueprintbill]

It is possible to tie into your manual bilge pump transom outlet with your electric bilge pump. However you should be cognizant of the possibility of a tall following sea backing up and flooding your bilge with water. Be sure the bilge pump piping loops high to the top of the inside of the transom before dropping to the y connection with the manual pumps pipe connection thru the transom.
It’s a tall order to be pumping water from the bottom of the bilge to the top of the transom, so a bigger pump adequate to the task should be employed.

[091Duloe]

Just for the record. I have electric and manual which join with a Y just before exit to transom. And yes they loop high.

[008Circe]

I installed an electric Rule bilge pump for Circe. The round top of the Rule pump fit nicely inside of a length of PVC pipe that extends to the bottom of the bilge. I cut a notch in the top of the PVC pipe and bolted it to a cross flloor support beam under the bilge access floor panel. I did install a new thru hull fitting in the transom for the bilge hose exit instead of integrating it with the hose for the manual pump. I mounted the pump float switch to the PVC pipe about 1 foot up the pipe. I did this because with the high lift up into the cockpit locker for the hose enough water would flow back into the bilge to cause constant recycling. Using a check valve in the hose at that time was not recommended because of risk of obstruction. The float switch is high enough to activate the pump if lots of water comes into the bilge but doesn't activate with just a few inches of water at the bottom of the bilge. I also have a manual switch for the pump that I use to pump out water below the level of the float switch.