Float Switch

[tjr818]

Our bilge pump has a built in float switch, but I want to add a secondary "high water" switch for a second pump and an alarm. I am looking for recommendations for a Bilge Pump Float Switch that will, hopefully, remain dry all of its life. It will sit on the high ledge of the bilge a foot or so above the normal water level in the lower part of the bilge.
Any suggestions

[bottomscraper]

The "Water Witch" electronic switches model 217 & 230 work well and have no moving parts. The only down side is the constant 0.006 amps draw even when the pump is not running. We don't even notice it. We have one of these on our lower pump:
https://www.waterwitchinc.com/new/SiteE ... ducts.html

Groco makes a pneumatic switch which keeps the electrical part far from the water and seems like a good idea. I haven't tried one:
http://www.groco.net/SVC-MAN-07/Sec3/pdfs/AS-100.pdf

Our second higher pump uses an "Aqualarm" switch which has a float contained in a plastic tube. It is similar to this one but I believe ours is an older model:
http://aqualarm.net/bilge-alarms-switch ... p-204.html


Ultra Safety Systems also has a similar switch with a float contained in a plastic tube:
http://www.tefgel.com/contain.php?param ... itch_infor

Wema makes a similar design with a stainless steel tube, again never tried one (specs are a bit thin on this):
http://www.wemausa.com/switches/bilge_p ... tml#switch

[Maine_Buzzard]

Strongly negative opinions on the Rule float switch. Three failed in four years, all from internal switch corrosion. Should have know better when putting the third one in, it was a push to get launched that year.

I'm now using a Water Witch 230 and will invert it over the winter so the disks are hanging down. It runs the pump a very long time, until the water wicks away from the "bridge" running diagonally between the electrodes.

[jen1722terry]

Hey BottomScraper, thanks so much for the well-researched post. Sorry to be so late in the acknowledgement. I copied it into my "Boat Stuff" file and will make good use of it as I plan the replacement of our Rule Super switch.

Good work, and thanks again for sharing.

Jenn and Terry