Can A Bilge Pump Burn Out?

Author : Efrain E. Silva

This can be a hit - or - miss instance and question, which might make it harder to answer, but I will tell you all I know, friend. I am an open book ready to share my pages with you. Read on….

First of all, the very first essential wisdom nugget of gold I wish to share is the fact that, if you’ve left the bilge pump on for a few hours, for example, but it can still turn back on and does not back any weird or unusual sorts of noises ( other than what it makes when you normally turn it on every time ) , then you are good. It has not burned out and there is really nothing to get frantic about. You can breathe. But just try to avoid leaving it on every single time as it can wear its life out faster, and you want to be able to get the most from it, right?

Certain bilge pumps have been known to over - heat, take too much stress and simply die. So that is why running them on dry, or leaving them that way, I should rather say, is not the ideal choice when you can so avoid it….in many cases, like I said, nothing may happen. OR, the bilge pump may over - heat, burn out and / or die. It can just short - fuse, and the whole thing will be no good at that point, most of the time. So why would anyone want that to happen, and to have to get back in the car and drive to get a new bilge pump? It’s the little things that can help you truly prevent these occurrences from happening….little details like taking two seconds to turn that bilge pump off and not leave it running dry. It all counts. As does every move we make, as responsible owners of fine boats & boat products.

What you may not know, as well, is this fact —- your pump’s motor houses, or works alongside, an armature shaft ; this mentioned armature shaft has a seal. And every time that you run the bilge pump out, that seal tends to go dry ( hence the term running it dry, as I mentioned already ) . AND the more that this seal gets exposed and ruined, the more vulnerable that your motor, all in all, becomes, to incoming water. Water can get right in it, at some point, and damage it. Not great!

Now you’d have to buy a whole new motor, and that is the costliest replacement part on a motor boat. It is better to be wise and prevent all of this, and not even risk the chance of getting your bilge pump burnt out or short - fused by just turning it off when not using it. Be smart. I know you’re smart.

With that said, share these findings with someone else. And hopefully you can help make their day. MAYBE someone else in your social circle also needs to read this and start turning their bilge pump OFF after each use. Who knows?