Redundant Bilge Pump & Alarm System

/ shellerina
Our aft bilge pump (one of three) switch recently failed which caused some problems.

This “automatic” bilge pump is being installed as a redundant aft bilge pump system, and a separate Water Witch alarm system will alarm us if both pumps failed and the sensor gets wet.

The main engine starter is one of the vulnerable and critical components that gets wet if this system fails! SO: “Redundancy is the best policy”.

The salon mounted part of the alarm system.

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Rather than adding a thru-hull fitting, I plumbed it to the port scupper.
Closer look
The business end. New pump lower right of pic next to the S/S propeller shaft. Generator aft on lower left of this pic. Strainer for generator cooling water looks “green”. One of our two fresh water tanks is seen along the whole top of this pic.

The older bilge pump is still there but is out of frame to the right (forward) of the new redundant system. The older pump works, but a new float switch is the next project for this part of the boat, along with re-packing the stuffing box with new packing material. The float switch can be done anytime, but the stuffing box will involve a “short haul” … (meaning a brief haul out of the water for a few hours. ). Scheduled for Dec 27 at nearby Huckins yard.

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