Bilge pump counter install

[Megabyte]

This is part one of a project that I should have done long ago.

Back when I bought my boat, it had a single 1500 gph bilge pump in her, but I wanted a little more security.
So... I replaced the single 1500 gph pump with a pair of 2000 gph pumps, and at the same time I installed a set of solid state MSC 'float switches'.

The solid state switches that I selected had no moving parts, no mercury, and should have lasted pretty much forever... or so I thought.

One day as I was cleaning the boat, I did a soap and water fill-and-flush of the bilge, because I like to keep the under deck as clean as the topsides.
As the water hose was running in the bilge, I noticed that the bilge discharge was coming out of the backup pumps through-hull. :shock:
That's not good...

So after cleaning up, I got out a test light and discovered that one of those 'lifetime' solid state switches had failed on the primary bilge pump. :evil:
I wasn't too happy about that.

After doing a bit of research, I discovered the WaterWitch company, and bought three of their 101 solid state switches to replace the three MSC switches on my boat.
http://www.waterwitchinc.com/new/SiteEl ... tches.html
The moral of the story is that if I had not noticed the backup pump was operating while doing maintenance, how would I have known that the 'lifetime' solid state switch had failed?

That experience... is the reason for this project.
WaterWitch makes a number of monitoring devices that will tell you when a pump is operating, or when (and how many times) it has operated in a given time frame.

For my project, I selected a pair of WaterWitch BC100 bilge counters.
http://www.waterwitchinc.com/new/SiteEl ... oduct.html
With these, I will know exactly how many times a pump has cycled, and which one it was that activated.
If I'd had these back when the MSC solid state switch failed, I'd have known it right away.

I decided to install the counters in the stbd side transom hatch.
The hatch is made of starboard, so it should be easy to work.

Measure... measure... then drill the pilot holes.

The counters require a 2 1/16" hole, so I used a 2" hole saw, then shaved the hole to fit using a wood rasp.

Once everything was fitted, it was time to square up the counters and secure them with ss screws.
Yes, that is sweat on the transom door. Tough to work looking down with sweat dripping onto your glasses.

Easy.

I did not wire the counters today as it was WAY too hot, but that will be done soon in an update to this thread.
Until then... stay cool.

 

[Bryan 2530]

Nice touch with the 5 gallon bucket to catch the chips!! :mrgreen:

 

[Megabyte]

Nice touch with the 5 gallon bucket to catch the chips!! :mrgreen:

And a shop vac!

 

[Megabyte]

Still too hot to wire these puppies up. Need to wait for a cloudy day or cooler weather. That might put this project on the back burner...
In the mean time I started assembling the items I would need for the wiring project.

The BC100 counters have three posts on the back, so instead of using spade terminals, I decided to use ring terminals.
Of course, that means I need to go buy ring terminals.

Need to take inventory so I only have to make one trip to the store.

 

[warthog5]

That looks nice Kev.

The counters require a 2 1/16" hole, so I used a 2" hole saw, then shaved the hole to fit using a wood rasp.

All the 2in gauges actually need a 2 1/16in hole. Let me tell ya...It sure makes things go Sooooooo much easier with the 2 1/16th holesaw rather than a 2in holesaw. It can actually save you a easy half hour on install, depending how thick and what material your going thru.

 

[Megabyte]

Good information to know Bobby.
Since the panel was starboard and not fiberglass, the curved wood rasp made final fitting pretty painless.

Just got back from the store and got my supplies.
Will spend some time in the man cave making up harnesses and hoping for a weather break later this week to get them wired up.

 

[Megabyte]

OK... Couldn't stand to leave this project unfinished, so I got everything together and went for it.
Temp and humidity was on the rise, but cloud cover rolled in mid-project and saved me from totally baking to a crisp, so here it is...

3 connections per counter. Simple.

Could not source any tan wire of the proper size locally, so I had to substitute white for that leg.
Ring connecters with glue/shrink sleeves were mechanically crimped, then shrink sealed.

Everything was wired, then the cabling was zip tied and secured with zip-ties and SS screws (that part not shown).

All cabling was cut free from their zip ties, and the proper connections made.
Photos of this part would be pretty boring, but all connections were crimped, sealed, and given a coat of liquid electrical tape to seal everything up.

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NOTE: I have mentioned it before, but will do again here.
NO NOT, under any circumstances, allow old zip ties, zip tie trimmings, or any manner of wire or wire stripping to remain in the bilge during a project of this type.
Pilots call this sort of thing on an airfield FOD (foreign object damage), and on a boat... it can sink your boat!
Once piece of plastic zip tie can disable your bilge pump, and you won't even know it.
BoatUS reports that more boats sink at the dock, then underway, so don't let FOD ruin your day!


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Power hooked up, and the counters are polling...

I need to do a bilge flush and clean so I can make sure the counters are working, but this was enough for today.
I think I lost 10 pounds in sweat on the deck today.

 

[Megabyte]

Update...

Went back down to the boat and did a test of the primary pump.
The counter now reads 001.

Sweet! 8)

 

[Bryan 2530]

Nice job, that modification is super cool!!

FYI, up here in New England we are on the other side of the bubble now, temp has been mid 80's with low humidity all week. Beautiful weather, we have been in Montauk for the last few days.

Great project as always!!!!