Bilge Pump Timer

[CRIMAR30]

Does anyone know if the new (2007) 170 DC's have a timer on the bilge pump that comes on every few minutes? I was having problems with the automatic side of my bilge pump, took care of that, now have heard that it should come on every few minutes on it's own, should it?

[PileDriver]

Nope, it has a switch in it that senses the water level and will turn on only when needed.

[CRIMAR30]

Are you sure about that? That's the answer I was hoping for, but I know that I've read in other posts about timers, maybe only on other models besides the 170 DC's. Thanks for the quick reply!

[Mud Runner]

Most pumps use a float switch to turn the pump on but some of the new ones use an electronic circuit to sense the presence of water and you should hear them turn on for a second. Floats can get gunked up and stick either in the off position or worse in the on position and kill the battery. Rule has both. The electronic model is described by Rule as:

Rule's completely submersible, fully automatic bilge pumps eliminate the need for external float switches. These pumps turn on every 2-1/2 minutes for about one second to sense for water; if water is present the pump will run until all water is removed, then it will return to the sensing mode.

Hope this answers your question.

[Thfireman]

My pump seems to fall in line with what Mud Runner says. If I am in a quiet place i can hear the pump come on for a a second or so then shut off. I have to assume they are using the same pump in all there boats. I could be wrong.

[CRIMAR30]

After a little research, I found that my bilge pump is an "automated", not a "fully automatic" Rule bilge pump. The "automated" ones do not cycle every 2-1/2 minutes, and only come on when water is present to lift the float switch. It's the "fully automatic" ones that cycle every 2-1/2 minutes. Thanks for all the information.