This is kind of an alert and question at the same time. I was on my boat several weeks ago and faintly heard
something in the aft cabin. Tracing the sound, it was the bilge pimp, just running and running. Without really thinking about it
I dug out the spare and went to work, Not going to sit around with NO pump! Before I unsnapped the pump from the housing
I disconnected the hose and when I did I noticed that it was moving water with no problem. Well this gave me the thought that
I needed to check the line out of the boat. Under the hatch in the aft head there it was, a nice brass one-way valve.
I popped the hose off of the valve, pushed on the flap and it broke free. I reassembled the system and it has worked fine.
Turns out the most bilge pumps can move water, but are not capable of generating pressure, so if the valve sticks the pump
can do all it can do but there is a good chance the it will not push past a stuck one-way valve.
I do not like what is there, but there is a good volume of water that slides back to the bilge without the valve,
so I am wondering what others are doing.
Caution and Thanks,
George Fogel
Sail On
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