Bilge pump back flows. How do I stop it?

[Mr. Crusader 83]

When my boat is up on shore, the water flows back through the bilge pump outlet. How do I stop it? Does someone make a check valve? Where can I find one?

[73kona455]

is the outlet below the waterline?

[R.A.D.man]

If you run the hose up above the water line then back down to the outlet, it should quit siphoning back on you.

[Mr. Crusader 83]

it is not when the boat sits in the water. but when you have it up on shore, or if someone is sitting on the engine cover it goes below the water.

[Mr. Crusader 83]

If you run the hose up above the water line then back down to the outlet, it should quit siphoning back on you.
so if i say zip tie it up to some of the wires under the back, that are up at deck hieght it will stop doing this? When the boat is stopped in the water the outlet is about 2in above the water. When its on shore, the outlet is about 2in under water

[YeLLowBoaT]

As long as the hose is above the water line you will be fine.

[Mr. Crusader 83]

Thanks guys. I have had a leak for a while. Tried filling the boat with water and not a drop came out. so hopefully this will work.

[moneysucker]

Just put an auto bilge on it and call it a day or you can try a back check device for PVC pipe at Home depot. you will be out $5

[FOURQ]

mine does it too and thats what i did and it works fine
Just put an auto bilge on it and call it a day

[Squirtcha?]

All good advice. I put a loop in my bilge line and it works like a p trap. Also installed an auto bilge pump by Rule. It has some ciruitry in that tells it to come on every 2 minutes. If it senses water (resistance), it'll bilge until it's dry then stop. Then goes back to checking every 2 minutes. Much better than old flipper type float switch deal. $35.00 from West Marine or similar.

[G-Body]

Putting a loop in the hose above the water level will only work if the hose empties out. If the bilge pump triggers while someone is on the back and the outlet is below the water line the pump will empty the water but then the hose will act like a siphon hose emptying a swimming pool and fill the boat back up........guess how I figured that one out.

[sleekcrafter]

loop it, find some sort of anti-siphon valve, this sould do the trick.

[bp]

maybe you could install a j-drain over your bulkhead fitting?
http://www.rexmar.com/page157.html

[Wicked Performance Boats]

Just move your bilge pump overboard discharge outlet higher on the transom or swap hoses with another one higher up. Budlight

[Moose]

I use a check valve like this and it works great.
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?operator=searchProductBySubCat&segment=Pumps+%26+Plumbing&family=Valves&subcat=Check+and+Foot+Valves
Moose

[infotraker]

I run Rule pumps fron West Marine. I think I got plastic backflow valves from them.

[maxwedge]

The anti backflow valve may be worth it's weight in gold someday. I was told that lot of the boats that sank in the LOTO dock collapse a few weeks ago only sank because the weight on top of pushed them down below the level of the bilge pump fittings, at which point water came back in through them, especially after the batterys are too dead to run the pumps. Lots of those boats didn't sink until several days after the inital roof collapse.
I plan to install them on my boat after hearing that.

[echo]

Thanks Moose

[Blown Income]

Anti backflow valves, loops in the hose and all that stuff is great, but an auto bilge and an Optima blue top saves mine every time, these old race hulls just leak

[shirkey4750]

Go to Lowes or Home Depot and get the PVC check with the ball in it, it mounts vertical and the weight of the water keeps the ball seated and when the pumps kicks on their is little resistence to the outflow of the pump. Used one for years in different jet boats.