How Often Should You Run Your Bilge Pump?

Author : Efrain E. Silva

Now, as for when it automatically comes on, we are looking at any time between 20 and 30 minutes ( just enough time to make a quick afternoon snack, right? Now I’m hungry to just even think about it ) . In other words, it pumps out like every half - hour, give or take about 10 minutes or less. But it can also depend on some other things like how empty or not empty your ballast might be as well as your fuel tank, all in all. Or you can think of it as 10 drops per minute, another way to look at it ( that is, given the fact that the current draft continues to drip in the way it usually should and has no issues at all when doing so ).

Your bilge pump ought to actively ‘run’ in the sense that it checks for water like every couple of minutes or so. However, on that note, keep in mind that nothing should be actually physically coming right out of the bilge except for in very few instances — such as when you’ve been going along in some rough water or even when you have been under heavy rain for a while. These are like the only two real instances that I can think of and based off of what other people have said as well. Try this….

Try using your garden hose to fill up your bilge and as you do so, carefully watch to see where exactly any water might be coming out of the hull itself. That is just something helpful I know that gives you a more clear idea of what to look for here. In addition to that, your issue might even be just a drain plug that is a little off or loose - fitting. In many cases, many have said that has been all, and they have been able to easily notice it and take quick action there.

AND just as a side - reference note, if you are one of those people reading this who is asking, “Huh? What in the heck is a bilge pump and what is this guy even talking about?” A bilge pump, in the simplest terms I can think of, is just a pump ( hence its name ) that removes any bilge water out of your boat. It’s like a water pump, if you want to just think of it that way. And all kinds of marine motor boats use it. Now, some fuel lies in the bilge, in certain boats, so if it’s an electric bilge pump, then it is designed to accommodate this and not even be able to create or give off a single spark ( can you imagine the whole thing going up in flames, if the manufacturer were to overlook this simple element? Oh, my, thank God it’s not so ) .

So there we have it, guys and ladies. I thank you for reading. And have a very pleasant rest of the day.