Live bait pump

[Pickles]

I’d appreciate feedback from raiders who have found a reliable bait / bilge pump. 

Ive installed Johnson, Rule and Chinese copy of the previous model Rule ( round base- not new oval shape) and had all fail.

What are suggestions on a good quality pump- don’t really care about price, I want reliability

thanks

[dunc333]

rule have been good for me do you use the strainer

 

[Ah Me Ting]

On my last boat (Stessco Squire 385) I installed a Rule bilge pump and never had any problems. 

I used it a lot when out tubing as both the wash over the back and pulling the tube back in held water between tide and cover) would add unwanted weight. 

Coped a few waves over the nose crossing bars in the Tweed Coast.

In 7 years it never missed a beat.

I flushed it out after every trip and had quality marine tinned wiring.

Installed a Rule in the new boat, and again quality marine tinned wiring. It too is getting a flush after each trip.

[antonywardle]

Is it worth considering putting a desk wash pump in, instead, and then you can plumb it to be both a desk wash and a live bait tank pump?

 

[Ah Me Ting]

34 minutes ago, antonywardle said:

Is it worth considering putting a desk wash pump in, instead, and then you can plumb it to be both a desk wash and a live bait tank pump?

 

If you have the space to store the deck wash hose, I think that could work.

Need to work out how to plumb it so you can keep water flowing through the live bait tank. Maybe? a simple water flow switch to direct water to either deck wash outlet or the live bait tank.

I'm still considering the addition of a deck wash hose / pump into our new boat. Being able to wash off fish gunk and bait from gunnels, hands and even the floor would be handy at times. Just not sure where to store the deck wash hose. I'd look to combine the deck wash and live bait tank pumps / plumbing.

Another 'project' for the new boat. Might wait for more bad weather.

[61 crusher]

53 minutes ago, Ah Me Ting said:

Just not sure where to store the deck wash hose. I'd look to combine the deck wash and live bait tank pumps / plumbing.

I think I’ve seen a couple available from whit something or BLA Bla that have housings that hold the coiled hose & nozzle that could probably be placed in the gunnel shelf at the transom end or you could try googling deck wash hoses 

[Captain Spanner]

You might have been unlucky and sucked up some loose braid/balloon/plastic/weed that has burnt out the motor. Also, if your pickup for the pump sucks air at any stage and gets an air gap in it then it will be running dry and can burn out relatively quickly, especially a cheap one. This can happen if your intake comes out of the water or is subject to bubbles and turbulence when you are driving from spot to spot and are on the plane and leave the pump running. This happens to us. I have to turn the pump off before i drive any speed over a few knots and turn it on when i slow down. Otherwise my pump sucks are and i have to re-prime the line by pouring/forcing water down the line from the bait tank end of the hose. Some pumps are designed to cut-out when they sense they are running dry and then wont turn on for quite a while afterwards, i guess until they cool down. I have had this happen several times and replaced the pump because i thought it was dead, but when i tested it (a few days later when i had bought the new pump) it worked fine. I find Rule pumps to be the best alround for reliability. 

I had a pump for about 6 years that i used heaps, i had to replace it and sucked a piece of balloon into the new pump first trip and killed it. I replaced that pump and sucked a piece of braid (not mine) first trip and cooked that one. Third time lucky ran for many years without incident.

Edited April 26, 2019 by Captain Spanner