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Post by cayoloco on Mar 13, 2018 13:57:34 GMT
Ever since I have bought my DS43, the bilge pump runs a minimum of every 30 minutes, with or without the air conditioning running. It pumps out no more than a pint or two of water, but it's constant; every 30 minutes or less. I have tried to find a leak or from hoses leading to, drains or the keel but nothing. There is no leaks from thru hull fittings, no streams of water or stains from streams of water anywhere leading to the sump. I even thought that the bilge pump was just leaking it back thru the hose so I pumped it out and held the hose vertical yet the sump slowly filled up. Is it possible that water is coming in from the sump itself? Has anyone ever dealt with this kind of annoyance? |
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Post by alenka on Mar 13, 2018 16:21:22 GMT
I looked at a good many 43DS' on my search and never came across one with the problem you have.
If you are running the Air-Con then I would expect the type of pump activity you talk of. Many installations simply let the condensate run into the bilge. You say it happens when the AC is not running which sounds to me as though you have a leak.
I would start at the stern gland and place some paper kitchen roll under it - see how wet it gets.
I assume you have a small mesh guard around the bilge? Standard for a 43DS. I would also dry this area off and place paper towel all around... See which bit gets damp/wet first then at least you will know if it is coming from the bow or stern. You then have a starting area to narrow down your search.
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Post by debenbar on Mar 13, 2018 16:30:47 GMT
Sorry to hear about your problem, I don't think I can help but I will follow the answers to your post with interest. The only odd things we have had put water in the sump are leakage of rainwater running down the mast ingressing via the plastic hatches by which you access the furler mechanism, cured with a bit of tape, and water expelled from the boiler due to expansion or due to the boiler drain being left open and then running the engine up during the winter, oddly the circulation of hot engine coolant through the boiler always produces several extra litres of water via the open boiler drain rather than by just opening the drain with the tank cold. From your post the problem seems to be continuous and so hard to explain, someone on this forum has probably had the same issue - good luck. Is it fresh or salt water?
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Post by vasko on Mar 13, 2018 17:38:10 GMT
the water is definitely coming from somewhere :
1. identify is it salt or fresh
2. start searching from where - if salty and you do not run engine and all sea cocks are closed - it is a BIG WORRIES and need to be found ASAP
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Post by Syrah on Mar 13, 2018 20:58:38 GMT
I have had exactly this issue. The hoses from the bilge into the pump (on the starboard side behind the settee on a 42ds), and out of the pump to discharge, both have plugin connections to the pump. If they are not plugged in tightly the pump pulls the water up into the line, the pump stops, air gets into the line at the plug, and the hose drains back into the bilge sump. Then it all starts over again.
In my case the hoses were all in very good condition. I only noticed the loose plug at the last moment. Since fixing it my bilge pump rarely comes on. It was a very simple fix, just hard to see.
Good luck. Wayne
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Post by debenbar on Mar 13, 2018 21:21:48 GMT
Sounds good to me. If I ever get this problem I will know where to start looking. What a useful forum this is. Some feedback from the OP would be useful in due course.
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Post by Syrah on Mar 13, 2018 21:23:38 GMT
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Post by drd on Mar 13, 2018 23:36:33 GMT
I have had exactly this issue. The hoses from the bilge into the pump (on the starboard side behind the settee on a 42ds), and out of the pump to discharge, both have plugin connections to the pump. If they are not plugged in tightly the pump pulls the water up into the line, the pump stops, air gets into the line at the plug, and the hose drains back into the bilge sump. Then it all starts over again. In my case the hoses were all in very good condition. I only noticed the loose plug at the last moment. Since fixing it my bilge pump rarely comes on. It was a very simple fix, just hard to see. Good luck. Wayne I had the same problem. Fixed and now the pump rarely starts. |
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Post by alenka on Mar 26, 2018 7:12:41 GMT
Hi Cayoloco,
Did you ever find the source of your problem?
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Post by pj on Mar 30, 2018 3:56:14 GMT
Hi Cayoloco, You may have solved your problem, but if not:
1) As Vasko says- identify whether the water is fresh or salt.
2) If it's fresh, check whether it's cold or warm. If warm (or hot) it could be the release valve on your hot water cylinder . This should be activated on a regular basis, but they do fail.
3) If it's salt then you need to trace the source. First check whether the sump is filling from a dripping hose and, if it is, it could be the bilge pump hose running back- this can be alleviated with a one way valve. If there is salt water in the bilge proper another source is from the anti- siphon valve for the engine (or generator if you have one)- if this valve is not operating you will get a salt water discharge from a tube at the rear of the engine and this will track track through to the bilge over time.
4) If none of the above apply a painstaking search is required.
Good Luck
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Post by Spritz on Mar 30, 2018 6:59:42 GMT
If water is salt pay attention to the sail drive. Some Jeanneau, Beneteau and Grand Soleil have a poor amount of fibres around the hole for the sail drive, after few years a very small amount of water comes in. Another possibility is if when you lift the boat the bands come too near the sail drive and apply pressure there cracking the fiberglass near the saildrive
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Post by saltymetals on Dec 2, 2019 16:20:19 GMT
Cayoloco, i had exactly the same problem with my 2004 43 ds. Because it is so regular it is going to be a permanent prblm, not something that happens just when it is raining for example. Maybe you solved yr problem already since your post was last year.
In case air was feeding back down the tube allowing a backflow of water I tried tightening the clips on the pipes around the pump which on my boat is located about 1 m above the sump , under the chart table. No improvement. Possibly it is correct that the pump needs to come out and be cleaned but meanwhile i just added a non-return valve at the end of the tube which goes into the bilge. Some would say this is a risky thing to do because you might be reducing the flow rate that the pump can achieve but for the time being it has solved my problem until i can get around to cleaning/replacing the pump.
Andrew
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