Bilge pump for a PH or sump pump?

serpentine5

Member
Has anyone ever used a boat bilge pump in place of a power head or sump pump? Wally-World has a 500GPH bilge pump for $9.99. Which to me is a lot of GPH for the dollar. The only thing is I gotts get a sepparate power sorce for it, and connect them together. What do ya think?
 

kingzfan

Member
To quote the movie Tales from the Crypt - Demon Night..."If it makes you feel good, DO IT". Honest if it works the same and cost less...Go for it
 

shep

Member
only one little worry about this...how long is a bilge pump designed to run constant? I have had a couple to burn up in my boat and they don't get alot of use. I try to aviod getting the top of the boat wet. For some odd reason everywhere it goes this little rain storm follows me. On average I would say they last maybe 2 years on the boat. Just a thought.
 

serpentine5

Member
The bilge is an "Attwood" brand, model V500. It has a 3 year warranty So if it dies soon, I just take it back and get a new one. I dont know. Was a good idea when I thought of it.
 

jarvis

Member
My main concern would be if there is any metal parts to it. Also 500 gph is alot for one power head. It will be a pretty harsh current coming out of it. Placement for it is going to be tricky. I have 2 400gph and 2 528gph powerheads channeled behind the rock work in my 150gal, but there no way I use them for direct current with my soft and LPS corals. For the current over the entire tank I use a full lenth spray bar that I am pleased with. I do use a 528gph on my 20 gallon in a kinda poor mans closed loop circulation settup.
 

marvida

Member
Once upon a time I worked for a large boat manufacturer & have some experience with bilge pumps. The little electric pumps by Attwood or Mayfair & several others were not designed to operate full time. The failure rate is quite high. There are metal parts in the pumps, they are a fairly high grade of stainless & I have never seen any corrosion in these pumps, even in saltwater. This is not to say that there is no leaching, just no evidence of any. The main problem you might encounter is that the motors burn out & they are not designed to lift very high.
Ken
 

albertbill21

New Member
Has anyone ever used a boat bilge pump in place of a power head or sump pump? Wally-World has a 500GPH bilge pump for $9.99. Which to me is a lot of GPH for the dollar. The only thing is I gotts get a sepparate power sorce for it, and connect them together. What do ya think?
kindly express specificication of a good sump pump.
thanks
 
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