Auto Bilge?

[bbqed]

Does the 21V have an auto bilge?
I am assuming it is automatic but I am finding that it doesn't clear enough water out. There always seems to be 1" deep amount of water from the fuel tank back.

When I turn on the bilge manually, it pumps some out...although not much before it runs dry.

Is there a port that might be clogged? or does the bilge only automatically come on when theres' alot of water onboard?

I have installed an additional water intake & perfect pass paddle wheel....& I usually moore my boat.....so I just want to know that the bilge is working incase something leaks. Although I'm pretty sure nothing will.

[tratty]

I have an 04 22V limited and I have the same concerns as you. I was not getting any water in the bilge during the first 30 hours. Since my break in service was performed, I now get water in the bilge, but only while the boat is under power. My boat accumulates about the same amount of water as it sounds like yours is accumulating.

Usually I trailer the boat so its not a big deal. However, I spent last week on Lake Norris Tennessee with the boat in the water the whole time. When tied up to the dock overnight, the water level in the bilge did not increase. After running for a little while more water would be in the bilge, leading me to believe that I have a leak in the cooling system somewhere or the force of the prop wash is forcing water in through the rudder stuffing box. I have inspected for obvious leaks around the water intake and cooling hoses while under power. No obvious place where water is coming. I have also had my dealership inspect it and they claim they cannot find a water leak.

I presume that the bilge pump has an automatic float in it that will trigger the pump to come on if the bilge receives enough water. However, my bilge pump has never come on automatically. I don't know if that's because there was not enough water in the bilge or the automatic switch is not operating properly. Usually once a day I would manually turn on the pump and pump out as much water as I could. It would pump a steady stream of water for about 3 for 4 minutes. I estimate it was pumping out approximately 5 - 7 gallons of water. Sometimes, I would plow the boat to get more water at the bilge pump to pump out even more water, but it never got completely dry.

I am interested to hear if other tige owners have similar experiences and/or any theories on what may be the cause of the water leak.

[JASON739]

AUTO BILGE

TRATTY,

SHAFT PACKING HAS TO DRIP ABOUT ONCE EVERY FOUR SECONDS MINIMUM. OTHERWISE THE PACKING WOULD BURN UP AND NOT SEAL. THE BILGE HAS A FLOAT SWITCH THAT WILL ACTIVATE AT CERTAIN WATER LEVELS. IF YOU DON'T HAVE WATER IN THE BOAT THEN WORRY.

[Domsz06]

Thanks for the info. That helped me out as well.

Dom

[bbqed]

good post!!!
makes sense.

[Tige M.D.]

in order for the auto bilge to turn on, first the water needs to be deep enough to cause the float to raise high enough to trip the switch, approx the height of the top of the pump. It is designed to save the boat when you are not there not to keep the bilge bone dry.

[drgibson]

I found out early this summer that the hot wire to my pump, had come loose at one of the butt joints. This was preventing the pump from running in auto mode but not manually. Now that I have redone all the connections, I will grab the pump, pop it loose from the base and flip it over every so often. It should take off and run until I turn it back over and pop it back on the base. That way I know my auto mode is working. It is not a good feeling to see 10" of water in your boat when you thought you had a automatic bilge. Been there, done that with my previous boat and don't intend to let that happen to my Tige.

Someone mentioned being able to pump manually although their auto hadn't kicked on, that's normal in my boat. The float switch doesn't kick on until there is about 2-3" of water in the bilge and then shuts off whent there is about 2" of water left, but the pump will pump out until there is about 1" of water left if you turn it on manually. I hope that makes sense.

[blr]

Just a note. In my 22ir the auto bildge seemed to be broken as well, After talking to my dealer, they said that sometimes the capet shavings, etc get clogged in the pump and stop it from working. That night I pulled the pump apart and sure enough there was a bunch of "gook" cloged in there. I just pulled all the stuff out, cleaned it up real good and put it back and never had another problem.

[drgibson]

Yep, I rarely get the opportunity to leave my boat in the water overnight, but when I do, I always check the operation of the auto-bilge. Once was enough for me. I don't think I have ever done this on my Tige, but after the big flood I had in my old I/O, I would occansionally run the garden hose into the bilge while the boat was in the driveway just to be sure it really worked. Never assume.