Bilge Pump Thru Hulls

[sndog]

As you can see by my previous post, I have a rather large amount of bilge pumps going into my boat, 10 bilge, 6 AC, 2 sumps. That means a lot of holes need to be added, and I would like to know if there is any way to avoid this. I thought about combining some, but that seems to cause issues. Any one have any thoughts, or ideas on this?

Thank you in advance as always.

 

[Comodave]

Formula didn’t like to have a lot of through hulls above the waterline so they have custom bronze through hulls that combine 4 hoses and then exit out 1 large fitting. They run most drains to the shower sump and then pump it along with other pumps to the large through hull. If you are interested in pursuing this send me a PM and I can ask Formula about the fitting.

 

[C lectric]

where is your previous post? I for one am not going to go searching all over the place to find it.
Give a link at least so we can quickly find it or you materially cut down on replies.

 

[porman]

thru hulls

Mainship used a couple of drain boxes on the inside of the hull, each with several hoses going in the top and one oval thru hull to the outside, above the waterline. Sorry, no picture of the outside.

 

[jgwinks]

I'm currently working on reducing the number of through hulls in my boat too. Short of some elaborate valving arrangement, I don't think there's a way to combine bilge pumps together or with any other drain, they'll just back flow through each other to the bilge. I am combining sink drains and deck drain scuppers though. Low volume drains like AC condensate run to a shower sump works well, mine came from the factory with that setup.

 

[porman]

One of my drain boxes has three bilge pumps going to it. With the hoses entering through the top they can't flow back into a different pump.

 

[Ritser]

The way to do it is with ONE heavy duty pump that is connected with rigid piping to the area's and bilges where you would 'normally' have seperate bilgepumps. You need water alarms in these places and on evere connection a valve. In case of an alarm, u-you open the valve for that area ande make sure that all other valves are closed. Every pipe has a raw filter on teh suction site. This set up has ONE through hull opening. As 'reserve', I have a heavy duty portable deckwash pump...

 

[rslifkin]

The way to do it is with ONE heavy duty pump that is connected with rigid piping to the area's and bilges where you would 'normally' have seperate bilgepumps. You need water alarms in these places and on evere connection a valve. In case of an alarm, u-you open the valve for that area ande make sure that all other valves are closed. Every pipe has a raw filter on teh suction site. This set up has ONE through hull opening. As 'reserve', I have a heavy duty portable deckwash pump...

In my mind, that's fine for a backup emergency pump, but not for the first or second line of defense. The primary pumps as well as the first set of high water pumps (unless the primary pumps are already large) should be fully automatic and not require any valve selection or other manual intervention.

 

[Comodave]

In my mind, that's fine for a backup emergency pump, but not for the first or second line of defense. The primary pumps as well as the first set of high water pumps (unless the primary pumps are already large) should be fully automatic and not require any valve selection or other manual intervention.

Yup.

 

[Solstice1981]

Thru Hulls

As you can see by my previous post, I have a rather large amount of bilge pumps going into my boat, 10 bilge, 6 AC, 2 sumps. That means a lot of holes need to be added, and I would like to know if there is any way to avoid this. I thought about combining some, but that seems to cause issues. Any one have any thoughts, or ideas on this?

Thank you in advance as always.

I avoid putting hole in my hull below the waterline. I would consider a high quality manifold plumbed via 1 above the waterline bronze thruhull for non essentials such as shower drains, sink drains, fridges and AC pumps. For the important ones that keep the boat afloat like your bilges I have 1 above the water line bronze thru hull dedicated to each zone with very high quality pump, float switch with a spare pump of reach in inventory.

Avoid check valves and manifolds in any of the bilge pump plumbing!

Good Luck

Wade Cordy
Grand Alaskan 60
M/V Synergy

 

[Ritser]

In my mind, that's fine for a backup emergency pump, but not for the first or second line of defense. The primary pumps as well as the first set of high water pumps (unless the primary pumps are already large) should be fully automatic and not require any valve selection or other manual intervention.

You are absolutally correct. In fact that is the way it is installed on our present boat. The system I reffered too was on aour previous boat (Kuster 42).

I still have a heavy duty portable deckwash pump as back up.
Greetings ex Antwerp - Belgium

 

[Old Sea Dog]

I too am curious where the " previous post" is. Also curious as to size of vessel.

 

[SteveK]

I too am curious where the " previous post" is. Also curious as to size of vessel.

Here is SNdog previous post in a different thread. There are none in this thread, but plenty in the linked.
just click on the user name for a dropdown, click on find all posts.

 

[SeaDogAK]

Just a thought, but what about having a pump draining a higher, smaller area into the lowest point, and then a large pump there draining through a through hull?

 

[Nepidae]

Bilge pump thru hulls

Your best solution could be something called a sea chest.

You can google that and get an idea.

What you exchange for multiple small holes is 1 bigger 1. This was used in the past and has phased out of existence in todays boat building.

Good luck with your 10 bilge pumps and can I ask why so many?