2016 RZX bilge pump question

[ericatp]

2016 RZX I have noticed that I carry around a lot of water in the boat that the Bilge does not remove in the stock location. In fact if I take a wave over the bow the bulge won’t remove enough water to clear the front area under the front now seats. I don’t take the boat off the lake so draining it on the trailer is not a good option.

I’ve considered moving the bulge from the stock right rear location to behind the gas tank but maybe I’m missing something basic. I wanted to reach out to the forum for advice.

Thank you.

Eric.

[chpthril]

Is the auto bilge working?

Rather then move a bilge, we have added a 2nd pump in the space between the v-drive and fuel tank, in parallel with the existing pump.

[gumby]

With some type of check valves? Assuming you are using the same dump port?

[chpthril]

Some already have check valves in them already, but even then, when running together, it really doesnt matter.

[ericatp]

The 2nd pump sounds like a good idea. Yes the auto seems to work but I probably have 30 gallons of water in the bottom of the boat that can’t be removed when the boat is level. It sits up under the gas tank and toward the front of the boat. The pump is in the very rear right.

I don’t really like the placement. It seems like I have a lot of water moving around. I will probably look into the 2nd pump idea.

Thanks !

Eric

[KoolAid]

Run a second bilge pump like the 18's.

[bsreid]

Wait... is there not two bulge pumps on the rzx?

[ericatp]

Wait... is there not two bulge pumps on the rzx?

Not that I know of.

Eric.

[KoolAid]

Wait... is there not two bulge pumps on the rzx?

2018 and up. '16-'17 didn't but they can be added.

[bsreid]

Not even an automatic one? I thought that was standard

[chpthril]

The stock one should be auto.

[KoolAid]

The one pump is auto and switched. It sits at the rear of the boat.

[Z3 LKG]

I've got a '17 RZX3 and am amazed how much water it holds before the bilge turns on. We purchased one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Lanchez-225GP...electric+drill

When we get back to the lift we attach a hose to one end and pump the water out of the bilge.

[ericatp]

I've got a '17 RZX3 and am amazed how much water it holds before the bilge turns on. We purchased one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Lanchez-225GP...electric+drill

When we get back to the lift we attach a hose to one end and pump the water out of the bilge.

Ya it’s crazy how much water is normally down there. My bow won’t even drain. I’m going to install a 2nd pump in a better location.

[IDBoating]

If you plumb two bilge pumps in parallel, they'll work as long as neither pump stops. But if one fails, it offers no backpressure to the other pump simply flowing the bilge water backwards through the volute and back into your bilge.

My personal preference is an entirely separate second bilge pump, where "separate" means "separate electrical AND plumbing" (e.g. its own outlet thruhull). That way you gain the benefits of a second bilge pump where you want it (usually at the lowest point), and you ALSO get a full backup in case your first bilge pump fails for any reason (fuse, circuit breaker, motor dies, filter clogs, plumbing has a problem, whatever). You can add a switch somewhere at the helm to control it, or take advantage of an uncommitted "ACC" switch if one is available.

An alternative, if you want to share a single thruhull, is a check valve between each pump's outlet and its (usually) Y connection to the shared thruhull. This prevents either pump from using the other one as a path back into your bilge, and thus the water only has one place to go - overboard - even if only one pump is working.

YMMV.