on 12/9/00 3:01 PM, Richard Quarles at rquarles@coastalnet.com wrote:

Hi Rick,
Check the archives - this was discussed in great detail some time ago -
parts numbers, hook-up, etc. Maybe someone else remembers roughly when.

--
HNick&Sherri
Small Wonder (Camano Troll)
HYY, Galesville, MD

Another possibility, rather than an hour meter, is to use an event counter.
Every time the bilge pump comes on the event counter goes up one count.
With a very slow drip leak, you probably pump out about the same amount
every time the pump cycles -- 1 gallon for example.  Checking the event
counter daily or weekly or whatever gives you an idea whether things are
going normally or something is getting worse.

One can frequently find used hour meters or event counters and such at
electronic junk (e.g. surplus) stores for very little money.

Bill

Richard Quarles wrote:

wmartin@tampabay.rr.com writes:

Thanks for the ideas discussed here. I have just such a situation
(slow shaft packing leak) and have to hire a tiny contortionist every
time I need the gland tightened because I am too big to get near the
d...n thing. So to have an idea whether things are getting worse is
quite important to me. I shall look for such a counter. Right now I
try to keep count manually, but that's not exactly a very reliable
method - senility  and all  :-)

George of Scaramouche

Generally speaking, when a bilge pump is triggered by the height of the
water at the float switch, it will run for a set amount of time, every
time, until the float switch cuts it off due to the absence of
sufficient water height. Time a couple of pump events (add your own
water until the pump activates). You can get a good idea of the time by
just keeping track of the number of events!

I can send you the directions for an event counter that counts every
time your bilge pump operates if you'll email me privately. Also, the
directions can be found in the TWL archives - about two years ago and
again about 8 months ago in an email from me; the subject would have the
words "bilge pump" included.

Richard Quarles wrote:

--
Bob McLeran                              rmcleran@ix.netcom.com
M/V "Sanderling"                        Docked at Point Patience Marina
Hailing port: Wianno MA                      Solomons, MD
Hampton 35 Trawler

rmcleran@ix.netcom.com writes:

Bob, could I please also have a copy. Much appreciate.

George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario, Canada

Try Digi-Key. There are several timers that go down to fractions of
seconds. They cost in the $50 to $100 range, generally. I've been
looking at the same thing. A timer is better than a counter, because if
the pump starts running longer per cycle, you know water is building up.
Actually, both a counter and a timer will tell you all you want to know.
Russ

_