Best bilge pump float switch?

MV Content said:

I awoke at 3am, to a struggling bilge pump. It normally squirts out a few pints or so, in a second or two. It was taking a long time to do so now.

I had a look, and found that the hose clip had come apart, completely corroded. So the Ultra switch was riding up with the water, and occasionally tripping....now I wonder who put that in!! Blush. View attachment 68474

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Looks like a low grade clamp; and it should be installed above the trip point of the switch.

Thanks, all, for input. I've ordered an Ultra Senior. Believe I've figured out the alarm sounder is NOT included, so I ordered one of those, too.

(We actually already have a high water alarm in that bilge; one of the Safe-T-Alert sensors that came with the boat. OTOH, I reckon more is maybe better, when it comes to alert warnings. The Ultra sounder seems inordinately expensive, given the activation switch is incorporated into the Senior float switch, though. OTOH, it'll be a matched pair, I guess. Debating whether I might want to eventually change my aft bilge switch to a Senior, too, so I can easily have an alarm back there as well.)

Hadn't originally realized Tef-Gel/Ultra is in South Florida. I'm assuming that'll impact shipment dates...

In case it'll help anyone else shopping on these, and since navigation on their website isn't all that perfectly-intuitive, here are some relevant links:
TEF-GEL - Ultra safety systems - Home page
TEF-GEL - Ultra safety systems - Home page
TEF-GEL - Ultra safety systems - Home page
TEF-GEL - Ultra safety systems - Home page
TEF-GEL - Ultra safety systems - Home page

The wiring video compliments the pumpswitch wiring diagram:

-Chris

MV Content said:

Have a look at their site, either the Junior or Senior products. You'll see that as the water rises, it raises a piston inside a tube..... this ensures that no crap can get in the way, as can happen with a flipper. Also, it can't stick in the ON position.

I swapped my rules out two years back, and the Ultras haven't missed a beat.

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I really like my Johnson Ultima. The redundant pump and alarm hasn't activated since I installed the Ultima; over a year.

I had Ultras on my old boat, latex 22 year when I sold it with no problems. New owner still has them.

Installed the Ultra Safety Systems Senior pumpswitch (UPS-01) along with their surface mount High Water Alarm (A-201-S) last Thursday. Conceptually an easy enough installation, although slightly hampered by reach and access in this case. And stuffing 12-gauge boat wire into pre-installed USS 16-14 gauge butt connectors took some finesse.

The switch looks like worth the money. The noisemaker seems overpriced (given the activation mechanism comes from the switch), but maybe it's gold-plated inside or something. OTOH, it's a "matched set" (so to speak) and it was an easy way to add a redundant and pumpswitch-driven high water alarm to complement our existing system.

-Chris

IMHO you installed the best.

BTW, I typically found Hamilton Marine in particular, or Depco to have the best price on the Ultras.

Now you tell me.



But that'll help for subsequent installs, either when the other two float switches start to go... or preemptively if I decide to do that. Interesting that the Depco link leads to an alternate identity for the USS/RG guy, and that he sells the alarms for about $35 less via that identity. The switches are only about $5 less that way, though... whereas Hamilton has the switches for about $30 less. Not to worry, not huge buck$$ (although the alarm price still seems higher that reasonable just for a noisemaker), useful to know, thanks.

-Chris

I was curious about the Tefgel high water alarm so looked at their online brochure. Does the one you have use two nine volt batteries for power? If so it is better yet since it does not rely on the DC electrical system to alarm. It is alerting high water even if your batteries are dead.

ranger42c said:

Installed the Ultra Safety Systems Senior pumpswitch (UPS-01) along with their surface mount High Water Alarm (A-201-S) last Thursday. Conceptually an easy enough installation, although slightly hampered by reach and access in this case. And stuffing 12-gauge boat wire into pre-installed USS 16-14 gauge butt connectors took some finesse.

The switch looks like worth the money. The noisemaker seems overpriced (given the activation mechanism comes from the switch), but maybe it's gold-plated inside or something. OTOH, it's a "matched set" (so to speak) and it was an easy way to add a redundant and pumpswitch-driven high water alarm to complement our existing system.

-Chris

Click to expand...

bglad said:

I was curious about the Tefgel high water alarm so looked at their online brochure. Does the one you have use two nine volt batteries for power? If so it is better yet since it does not rely on the DC electrical system to alarm. It is alerting high water even if your batteries are dead.

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Yes, it's an 18V surface mount alarm, with two 9V batteries, and a test/mute/on switch.

Yes, useful that it's independent of the boat battery system.

Looks to me like about $20 worth of hardware, not much different than something like a battery-operated CO detector or smoke alarm. OK, maybe $30.

Best price I've seen so far (now) is $135, from that tip above to check Depco. I hadn't found any links like that when I was searching for retailers earlier <sigh>... so got it direct from RG Products (the Tef-gel and USS guy)... and paid $170 plus a little for shipping. Still looks like about $20 worth of hardware. OK, maybe $30.

I'm guessing any $20 (OK, $30) battery-operated alarm with two wires ought to work equally well.

Unless there's some internal gold plating or something similar that I can't see...

-Chris