Keep Your Boat High And Dry With A 12-Volt Sump Pump
If you have a larger boat or yacht you know that one of the continual challenges you face is keeping the interior dry. Many larger boats are subject to leaking, and this water can collect at the bottom of your hull. It is always a good practice to install a 12-volt sump pump. With a sump pump continually operating, this excess water can be flushed out. The reason you want a sump pump that can be operated with a 12-volt power supply is that you can connect it up to a battery. That way, if the primary power source for your sump pump goes out, you will still be able to use the battery backup.
A good example of the kind of equipment that I'm talking about here would be the Jabsco 18660-0121. I found this item priced at just under $155. Manufactured by Jabsco, this 12 volt sump pump has a self-priming motor -- and it is powerful enough to lift water up to 4 feet. This pump is able to move out your excess water at a zippy 380 gallons per hour.
But what if your existing 12 volt sump pump breaks down? It's always good to have a backup system. A good one that I can recommend is the Little Giant SPBS-12, 12 Volt DC Sump Pump Back-Up System. This backup system includes a 12 volt sump pump, a controller/charger/alarm device (which monitors the power level of the battery and charges it automatically when necessary), power cord, float switch, mounting bracket and clamps, check valve -- and especially useful: a battery box. Prices for this item start around $300.
On the other hand, if you need an "always-on" system -- and one that is very powerful too -- then you might want to take a look at a bilge pump, manufactured by Rule Industries. This is a very powerful sump pump, capable of operating at 500 gallons per minute. This 12 volt sump pump utilizes digital technology to turn on the bilge pump every few minutes to check for the presence of water, then shuts down automatically if no water is detected. This 12 volt sump pump is corrosion-proof and is completely submersible. A great general-purpose 12 volt sump pump is currently being manufactured by Whale Gulper. The Whale Gulper 220 Diaphragm Pump can be used in many different situations -- and not just in a boat. A unit like this can even be used around the home, for pumping water out of a damp basement, for example. This is a true 12 volt sump pump, with a 300 gallon per minute pumping rate. It is able to lift water up to 10 feet high! And the special design on this 12 volt sump pump allows it to run dry for periods of time without any damage to it whatsoever.
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