For Want of a Ground and Two Screws

I guess the proverb reads "For want of a nail, the kingdom was lost."  Our bilge pump and switch problems turned out to be minor, but crucial, pieces of the whole system.

Our old bilge pump automatic switch, out of the bilge

The pump switch, an Ultra PumpSwitch JR, was not working at all.  Which meant that our electric bilge pump would not go on if the water level started to rise.  We found this out after deliberately filling the bilge with water from a garden hose.

After a couple of days of dinking around with it, testing the leads, trying to figure out why it's not working, my eagle-eyed partner noticed - "Deb, what's that black ground line connected to?"  Aha - we had lost our ground!  It had been connected to a strip of copper, which is all disintegrating under our floorboards.

It was an easy fix, once we located the problem - find another spot to ground the leads for the pump switch.  We re-installed a new switch - and voila! - it works!

For Want of a Nail

For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the message was lost. For want of a message the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
 

New PumpSwitch - now installed in the bilge


 

Down in the lazarette, where our bilge pumps live

Our electric bilge pump

Next, we turned our attention to the pumps.  Why is neither the manual pump or the electric pump drawing out any water?  Unfortunately, both pumps live way down in the lazarette, under the cockpit, which Larry calls our "basement".  The problem here turned out to be two missing screws in the manual pump - causing an air pocket to prevent the necessary suction for the pumps to work.  Why were both pumps not working?  Because they share a common "Y" outflow.  This took some time to diagnose.  So now we have put two new, larger screws in the pump and are waiting for the goop bedding the screws to cure.  Maybe we will have this fixed too!

Ugly rust - unrelated but it must be addressed

As we dig deeper into the far reaches of the boat, we find all kinds of other problems or potential problems.  This electric junction box is filled with rust.  It leads to our stern light, a navigation light used while underway.  A jiggle might have caused it to go out - and cause us to be unlit underway.  So - fix up this too, while we are in the neighborhood.

Late afternoon at Kokomo Beach

Lest the reader think we spend all of our time working, here's a view from Kokomo Beach, where I spent a lovely day with some friends a couple of weeks ago.

Onward!