Has Water Witch resolved their concerns?

[HeadedToTexas]

There hasn't been many mentions of Water Witch in the last few years and among the few citations here are observations that they had some issues to fix. What were those issues? Is fresh water in a bilge conductive enough to close the switch contacts? Oil fouling on the sensors is a maintenance issue that should be resolved by cleaning them regularly, and that's no different than maintaining float switches. Seems like no moving parts is best when it comes to bilge pump switches. If they work, that is.

I am facing a bilge pump breaker and control switch project, and I suspect that could easily expand to include the switches that control my 3 pumps. Anyone have good experiences with Water Witch?

 

[wfleenor]

I've had 6 on my boat for around 7 years without failure.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

That's encouraging. Everything needs routine maintenance, but maintaining conductivity switches with no moving parts is way easier than float switches. What am I missing?

 

[jleonard]

I had one for many years and it worked fine.

 

[psneeld]

That's encouraging. Everything needs routine maintenance, but maintaining conductivity switches with no moving parts is way easier than float switches. What am I missing?

They can get coated with slime/bilge goo and not work.

I have had both water witch and Johnson electronic switches fail prematurely...especially in shower sumps for some odd readson.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Did they fail, or did they just need cleaning? The organic and fouling load in the shower sump is extreme and at least in my boat, far worse than the bilge. I can imagine the shower sump being a difficult application for conductivity sensor type level switches.

 

[psneeld]

The need cleaning as often as they sit in scum...and yes they fail...but not as often or as dpectacularly as some float switches.

 

[DDW]

I have two, the forward one failed at about 3 years old (not fouled, just quit working). Called Water Witch and they sent a replacement free. No failures since (another 8 years).

 

[HeadedToTexas]

What do you do for testing and cleaning, DDW? Is it any more than you would do for float switches?