New Bilge Pump for 210CC

[Codfish]

In earlier threads I have discussed problems with the Rule Matic 1100 bilge pump. The internal float switch has a bad tendancy to stick, inside the housing, and it then fails to activate the pump when the water rises. This occurs when bilge is clean. Some of us 210CC owners have discovered this problem when we first step into our boats after it has sat overnight or longer. The jarring of the first step is enough to dislodge the switch float and the bilge begins to run. I don't know how many models of Triumph have this same pump but a lot of 210s do.

There are two problems here really. The first is the sticky float switch and the second is where does all the water come from when it isn't raining and there are no waves washing over the transom. It happened to me one night, the bilge was entirely flooded. This happened when I left the live well pump on. (My bad.) I believe the well overflowed,(overflow was not clogged) filled the bilge and when the float switch stuck, the bilge flooded until the battery went dead from running the bait pump. I returned to find the water level in the bilge at the underside of the rear deck. The actual cause of the flooding cannot be confirmed via the testing I have done. The bottom line is, if you make this modification to your bilge, as I will describe in this thread, you shouldn't have to worry about the bilge flooding ever again as long as your battery holds up.

I purchased a "Water Witch" electronic bilge switch from a local boat supply store. I got the Model 217 which is rated for up to 10 amp pumps ($38). I also bought a Rule 1000gph standard pump($32). It runs at about 5 amps. This is the cheap model that has to be told to run by an external switch, either manual or auto. I used the 1000 gph because it closely matched the old pump in volumn capability, had the same discharge hose size and easily fit in the same space the old pump did. I mounted the new pump on the same base plate riser in the bottom of the bilge and even used one of the same screw holes from the old base. The outflow hose mounted easily. I mounted the new switch to the vertical surface of the bilge cavity, in front of the large drain hose through hulll fitting. (See photos in Codfish Gallery under "New Bilge Pump/Switch".) This switch was top rated by "Powerboat Reports" in the electronic category. It has a seven year warranty.

Tricky part was the wiring. Be sure to follow the wiring diagram carefully if you install this switch. I simply cut the three wires leading to the old pump. The black is the ground, the middle solid brown is the manual hot and the brown w/white stripe is the auto hot. I utilized the original plug and made the cut/splice a few inchs from the factory plug. Once wired correctly, it works like a charm. (Yes I did it wrong the first time. Got confused due to wire colors.) No moving parts to jam up. It "feels" the water, waits to be sure it is steady water contact for about 8 seconds and then activates the pump. Once water goes down, pump continues to run for about 14 seconds to be sure the outflow hose is purged. Then it waits for the next high water episode. I love it. Now if I could just figure out why the boat fills with water, hum. Hard to trouble shoot much when you can't put the boat in the water.

Codfish