It rained last night, bilge pump killed my battery

[scooper77515]

I usually keep it in a garage, but this weekend, I need to fix a couple things and left it out on the driveway for easier access.

Well, it rained last night, first time in weeks, and very hard. When I came out this morning, I could hear the bilge pump running, but just barely, so I unplugged it and tried the lanyard, and it was dead.

Have the charger on it as we speak.

Is there any way to prevent this from happening in the future?

I keep the rear bailers unplugged (not sure if that is the correct term for the screw-in plugs at the bottom back of the hull for draining the bilge). So even if the bilge pump does not work, it will still get only a couple inches deep before it drains out the back.

Anything else I can do?

 

[robin savell lloyd]

You may want to keep the bilge pump off when the drain plugs are out. :cheers:

 

[Lee]

You may want to keep the bilge pump off when the drain plugs are out. :cheers:

On my boat the bilge pump is always on automatic with the master off.The only way to eliminate it turning on would be to install a switch (close to the master,up as high as poss.)in the bilge wire,or direct to the master.But that also defeats the purpose of it bailing the engine compartment when left unattended.
My suggestion would be to keep the boat covered with the plugs out:cheers:

 

[scooper77515]

Mine is on all the time.

Today I bought a taller 5th wheel (or whatever that wheel is up by the tongue for lifting the tongue). It holds the front of the boat up higher even on my sloped driveway.

I have to park the boat facing down-slope, so with the old one all the way up, the boat was pretty much just level. With the new one, it goes up another 6-8" so the boat has a good tilt to force the water backwards.

 

[JPX]

And the charger is hooked up with the battery disconnected from the boat, right?

 

[seadoosnipe]

Water sensor?...

Scott, I have made a thread on this problem before, as I had the same problem last year.

The water sensor is an integral part of the bilge pump. It is designed to come on after water has grounded the terminals for 10 seconds. Then, when it goes dry, it turns off in 30 seconds. The problem is, Seadoo attached these components level with each other in the hull, so that when the bilge pump losses suction, the water sensor is still wet.

The plug connection is also a source of power, since the 12 volt DC corrods the wires and they ground together.

I eleminated my plug switch and hard wired them, using shrink wrap for water proofing. Removed the water sensor, tested it in a bowl of water. Dip it in the water, wait 10 seconds, it comes on. Remove it and after 30 seconds, it should go off.

If this works out o.k., re-install the sensor a couple inches higher above the pump at the hull. Mine works great now. When the pump comes on and removes the water, when the water sensor is dry of water, the pump runs an additional 30 seconds to finish removing the water.

I haven't had a problem since...............:cheers: