Bubbling Bilge Pump???

[txarmydude]

My bilge pump is now functioning as it should in the electrical department. I replaced a bad breaker and it came back to life. There is a little water in my hull; it is not a whole lot. There is not enough water to engage the float switch, which DOES work BTW. But when I turn the bilge pump on, no water is pumped out of the holes in the sides. I can hear a bubbling sound, like when you blow through a straw into a glass of water.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe the bilge pump is clogged up. Any other ideas???

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Bubbling Bilge Pump???

Maybe its wired backwards. If you get the wires backwards, it will be blowing instead of sucking. Spins the motor backwards.

 

[bouttime007]

Re: Bubbling Bilge Pump???

Or maybe the outlet hose isnt fitting tight?

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bubbling Bilge Pump???

The 3 things that immediately come to mind are

1) wired backward

2) not enough water

3) clog in the discharge line

To decipher if it's one of the three, start from the outside. Try to blow (or used compressed air) thru the overflow tube from the bilge pump. The do get clogged with crap and bug condos. If air flows freely, move on the to the next item.

Put in the drain plug and add 6-10" of water. If there is not enough water to prime the pump, it will just spin and throw a little water up the discharge tube with it just flowing down and back thru the pump, causing a gurgling sound. If there is plenty of water and the pump still doesn't discharge overboard, the remove the hose from the top of the pump and see if it's moving water. Place you finger over the discharge port. Feel suction? Change the wiring on the pump, it's backward. No suction or water discharge? Replace the pump as the impeller is shot.