Bilge pump Question

[todda]

So, I have a '99 SN. Question is this: when you push the dash bilge pump switch, obviously the indicator light next to the switch comes on...but does this light pull enough energy to drain your battery, say, if you wish to leave the boat in the water overnight? I wouldn't think so... but any advice would help. Thanks!

Todd

[Andrew]

RE: Bilge pump Question

no, u should be perfectly fine OVERNIGHT, or for even a week probably. but eventually (after a good amount of time) it could drain ur batt.

to be honest, ur bilge pump will drain the batt. far faster than the little light

[DRAGON88]

RE: Bilge pump Question

The little LED light should be really low current draw, I'm guessing that it'd take many many weeks for that little light to drain the boat battery, however the bilge pump scanning for water every 15 minutes could drain a battery in a number of days.

If you're leaving your boat in overnight, the bilge pump isn't really necessary, we used to leave the 99 Sport in the water for a month or two. I would just flip the switch on when I got in the boat every weekend. Worked fine, usually the bilge pump wouldn't really spit out much anyways. If your boat is leaking a large amount it might be time to take a look at the packing gland.

If you really want to leave the bilge pump on overnight, granted your battery is still healthy, I don't think you'd have any problems whatsoever turning the boat over the next morning.

[NigelC]

RE: Bilge pump Question

I leave my boat afloat in the summer months. I ski every weekend and one night a week. I leave the ingition breaker and the bilge pump breaker on. This means the clock is also continuously running.
The only time I have experienced the battery running flat is at the end of the season (october) when the air and water temperature drops. The battery efficiency drops off in cooler temperatures.
As dragon suggests. Make sure the packing gland is not leaking. The occassional drip is fine but anything faster should be cured by adjusting the gland.
Also, when the boat is running. Make sure the alternator is charging the battery up. Mine reads 13.5V with the engine running. This will help ensure that anything taken from the battery should be recharged OK by normal running.

[mgswed]

RE: Bilge pump Question

The light will go off once the water is low enough in the bilge. You probably have some called a ditch witch in there or something similar. Once the water level is low enough it shuts everything off including the light. Thats at least what happens on my 94. Also there should be two switches on your panel I'm guessing. One is the manual and the other is automatic. I leave the automatic on all the time and never had a problem. -MG

[NigelC]

RE: Bilge pump Question

I believe the pump in MG's '94 works via a float switch. The one in the '99 is fully automatic and samples water presence every 15 seconds or so. The '99 model will only have the one breaker switch.

[skijones]

I have a 99 SNOB that is left if the water for months at a time, with the bilge on auto, and have never had a battery problem. If you are concerned, put a solar charger on it.

I am usually out on mine a couple of times a week, but it has gone 2 weeks in a row with no problems.

[todda]

Thanks for the input everyone, you have confirmed what I thought. And yep DRAGON, the next morning, I flipped the switch on and there wasn't a drop in there. We had some pretty severe T-storms blow through, so I was at first more concerned with rain water coming in, but my cover served well.

Todd