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02-15-2022, 02:49 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Ottawa, Canada
Vessel Name: GYPSY
Vessel Model: Mariner 37 PH aka Helmsman 38
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 194
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Float switch failure again - piece of junk
RULE-A-MATIC plus float switch failed again. Made in China. Installed 2016 but less than 3 years of real-time, summertime operation in a relatively dry bilge. Fresh water boat. This float switch is what is keeping you from possibly sinking! Anyone suggest a better brand? These things are not cheap.
I cut it open to see inside and the contacts are steel and the spring is rusty. Looks like a bad factory seal. Guess the days of mercury switches are gone. See picture.
Barrie
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02-15-2022, 03:23 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Vallejo, California
Vessel Name: Mahalo Moi
Vessel Model: 1986 Grand Banks 42 Classic
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,093
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Barrie
RULE-A-MATIC plus float switch failed again. Made in China. Installed 2016 but less than 3 years of real-time, summertime operation in a relatively dry bilge. Fresh water boat. This float switch is what is keeping you from possibly sinking! Anyone suggest a better brand? These things are not cheap.
I cut it open to see inside and the contacts are steel and the spring is rusty. Looks like a bad factory seal. Guess the days of mercury switches are gone. See picture.
Barrie
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I've always used a Rule pump with separate float switch. I don't trust the switch and pump combination.
__________________
Ray
"Mahalo Moi"
1986 GB-42 Classic
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑβΕ
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02-15-2022, 09:42 PM
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#3
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Guru
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,181
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Ultra bilge pump switches are considered to be the most reliable in the industry. I bought 3 years ago and that had zero problems. I will no longer will by rule products
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02-15-2022, 09:43 PM
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#4
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Guru
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,181
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An ultra films pump switch will not fail you. They are expensive but well worth the money. My experience with the roll switches has been they fail in the on position and then the bilge pump runs with no water and burns up
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02-16-2022, 07:53 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
City: Hobe Sound
Vessel Name: Kumatage
Vessel Model: Grnd Bnks 46 cl
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 229
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Quote:
Originally Posted by motion30
Ultra bilge pump switches are considered to be the most reliable in the industry. I bought 3 years ago and that had zero problems. I will no longer will by rule products
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Agreed! Rule products, no bueno'.
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02-16-2022, 08:58 AM
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#6
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Guru
City: Gulf Islands, BC Canada
Vessel Name: Sea Sanctuary
Vessel Model: Bayliner 4588
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 5,017
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Bilge Guard.
electronic bilge pump switch that will not pump oil or fuel, just water.
__________________
SteveK
You only need one working engine. That is why I have two.
Sea Sanctuary-new to me 1992 Bayliner 4588
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02-16-2022, 09:21 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Vessel Model: Currently Boatless
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 397
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Gypsy,
I'm just wondering if you ever use products with any Bleach in them in the area where this float switch lives? The reason I ask is that I had similar issues with float switches until I started to completely eliminate bleach and products that contain bleach that come in contact with the float switch. My shower sump(s) have been very reliable since I made the change to "Clean Potties" instead of all the other products.
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02-16-2022, 12:18 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
City: New Orleans
Vessel Name: Stella
Vessel Model: Seaton 56
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 272
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We have 2 Ultra switches in the main bilge, no problems after 8 years. Just replaced 2 pumps with failed float switches in our lazerette. Used Water Witch switches. Had to adjust the mounting height but working well so far. They have built in delay so they don’t activate due to sloshing and will run for 15 seconds after low level activates to help empty bilge.
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02-16-2022, 02:56 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: NARBONNE
Vessel Name: 'Snow Mouse.'
Vessel Model: BROOM FLYBRIDGE 42.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,733
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I buy them from Ebay, although they are made in China for bilge and 2 shower compartments.
Average cost for 750 GPM auto pump with simpler wiring down in the bilge area, 18€, about 15£ delivered.
Never had one fail since they replaced the Rule pumps,
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02-16-2022, 03:34 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: League City, TX
Vessel Name: Pelago
Vessel Model: Wellcraft 3300 Coastal
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,069
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DCDC
We have 2 Ultra switches in the main bilge, no problems after 8 years. Just replaced 2 pumps with failed float switches in our lazerette. Used Water Witch switches. Had to adjust the mounting height but working well so far. They have built in delay so they don’t activate due to sloshing and will run for 15 seconds after low level activates to help empty bilge.
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Absolutely, Ultra Senior and/or Junior switches. Also, I'm now buying Rule Gold series bilge pumps which have been completely reliable as well.
__________________
Larry
M/V Pelago
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02-17-2022, 09:49 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
City: Toronto
Vessel Name: Bermuda Belle
Vessel Model: Marine Trader 36 Sedan
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 393
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Bilge switch failure has me worried too.
Has anyone ever tried wiring switches in parallel in order to have redundant switches if one fails? Wouldn't be hard to do.
Periodic testing to make sure both switches are working would be easy too
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02-17-2022, 10:03 AM
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#12
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Guru
City: Gulf Islands, BC Canada
Vessel Name: Sea Sanctuary
Vessel Model: Bayliner 4588
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 5,017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Max1
Bilge switch failure has me worried too.
Has anyone ever tried wiring switches in parallel in order to have redundant switches if one fails? Wouldn't be hard to do.
Periodic testing to make sure both switches are working would be easy too
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Why?
Each bilge pump should have a switch direct bypassing the float automatic switch. Failure is often the float switch, not the direct switch seldom used. If wired parallel the cause of a failure may affect more than one.
__________________
SteveK
You only need one working engine. That is why I have two.
Sea Sanctuary-new to me 1992 Bayliner 4588
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02-17-2022, 10:29 AM
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#13
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Guru
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,181
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[QUOTE=Max1;1078591]Bilge switch failure has me worried too.
Has anyone ever tried wiring switches in parallel in order to have redundant switches if one fails? Wouldn't be hard to do.
Periodic testing to make sure both switches are working would be easy too[/
three of my failures have been the switch in the on position which burns up the bilge pump itself I don't think switches in parallel would have help this situation
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02-21-2022, 01:04 PM
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#14
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Guru
City: Sandusky Bay
Vessel Name: Escape
Vessel Model: Mariner 37
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,429
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Our Mariner 37 has separate float switches on our three bilge pumps. They need routine cleaning, but seem reliable.
__________________
Escape
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02-21-2022, 02:30 PM
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#15
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Guru
City: Jupiter, Florida
Vessel Name: Black Eyed Susan
Vessel Model: Grand Banks 42' Classic
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,644
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Anyone have experience with "Water Witch" bilge pumps switches? I have two of them someone gave me but I"ve never installed them.
__________________
Hal
BLACK EYED SUSAN
Grand Banks 42 Classic
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02-21-2022, 03:44 PM
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#16
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Guru
City: Sandusky Bay
Vessel Name: Escape
Vessel Model: Mariner 37
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,429
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The Water Witch seems to have developed a poor reputation, though I can not understand why nor find any current evidence of problems. I suspect their product was perceived or even sold as requiring no maintenance. If you never clean the contacts and they become coated with bilge scunge, oil or bacterial slime, then you have a maintenance problem, not a defective product.
I have no connection to Water Witch, but I would sure like them to work for my boat when I eventually replace the float switches.
__________________
Escape
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02-21-2022, 04:09 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
City: Ottawa, Canada
Vessel Name: GYPSY
Vessel Model: Mariner 37 PH aka Helmsman 38
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 194
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Thanks all for your response. To be clear it was the float switch that failed not the pump. No bleach, just water. But these switches are suppose to be sealed.
Can't get the suggested other switches in Canada. Any links appreciated.
Think i will go with old faithful from the cottage. LOL
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02-21-2022, 04:19 PM
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#18
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Veteran Member
City: Spicer
Vessel Name: Rozinante
Vessel Model: Taswell 43
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 65
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FWIW...We use 3 water witch switches in our system. We have a deep bilge, so I mounted the primary pump on the bottom of a PVC "L". then attached that pumps output to the 2nd PVC"L", and attached the water witch switch to that "L". I added a 3rd "L", with a backup pump and a dedicated water witch switch, and then a Johnson Hi Water alarm higher up that tree. All 3 "L"s are zip-tied together, along with the wires, and the discharge hoses attach to the top of the respective "L". I pull the system out 1/year to clean, and have had no issues/problems for the past 8 or 9 years. I also added a Bilge Pump counter (by Water Witch!) to the primary(bottom) pump. Makes it easy to monitor how many times the pump runs. I'm a fan of the Water Witch switch...will never buy another float sw again! But you do need to keep them a little clean(an oil coating will not let them work normally, from my experience).
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02-21-2022, 04:40 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
City: Maumelle, AR
Vessel Name: Missing Link
Vessel Model: 1986 Albin 34 Family Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 112
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I have seen just about every switch made. I use Ultra.
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02-21-2022, 05:04 PM
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#20
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Guru
City: Jupiter, Florida
Vessel Name: Black Eyed Susan
Vessel Model: Grand Banks 42' Classic
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,644
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boatcrazy
FWIW...We use 3 water witch switches in our system. We have a deep bilge, so I mounted the primary pump on the bottom of a PVC "L". then attached that pumps output to the 2nd PVC"L", and attached the water witch switch to that "L". I added a 3rd "L", with a backup pump and a dedicated water witch switch, and then a Johnson Hi Water alarm higher up that tree. All 3 "L"s are zip-tied together, along with the wires, and the discharge hoses attach to the top of the respective "L". I pull the system out 1/year to clean, and have had no issues/problems for the past 8 or 9 years. I also added a Bilge Pump counter (by Water Witch!) to the primary(bottom) pump. Makes it easy to monitor how many times the pump runs. I'm a fan of the Water Witch switch...will never buy another float sw again! But you do need to keep them a little clean(an oil coating will not let them work normally, from my experience).
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Do you happen to have any pics of that setup? I'm struggling with understanding!
__________________
Hal
BLACK EYED SUSAN
Grand Banks 42 Classic
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