Bilge?

MiamiAG

Hi,

Anyone with a 290ec tell me what this outlet is? I turn on what I think is the bilge switch on the helm and water will continue to run. If it’s a bilge, I would think it would stop after a while.

its the top left hole.

Thanks,

Art

Aqua_Aura

A/C,sink drain,shower bilge, mid bilge. Not sure what that exact one is but I believe the list I gave is the 4 of them. Does it not stop ever? I think the mid bilge is auto only possibly and the shower is also auto. 

skennelly

If it's anything like a 270 the helm switch activates both the aft cabin bilge and the stern bilge.

It should stop eventually or you have a leak letting in a lot of water somewhere.

I would look at that bilge and make sure you don't have a leak asap

Aqua_Aura

Just a thought. I notice your AC is running in this photo. The intake for the AC is in the mid bilge, maybe the hose has a leak?

rasbury

Yep it should not run like that...see if it's your mid or the transom where the water is and track it down- not good! Could be very minor problem causing it but the fact that the water is there is not a minor issue!

MiamiAG

The curious thing is that it works fine when I don’t turn bilge it functions normally. Once or twice a day it runs and spits water out. However, if I flip the switch it runs and trickles water like the picture.

aero3113

It sounds like you have water coming into the boat and the auto function is kicking on. When you flip the switch the water isn’t high enough to give good flow.

skennelly

@MiamiAG - It should not that often.  In my opinion you have a leak somewhere and it's significant.

Pat310

Can you tell if its salt water or fresh?

MiamiAG

Good question. Not sure how I’m going to test but will find a way

Ian

I’d be keeping the hatch open while there and watching it and looking for water coming in. 

skennelly

If it's a leaking thru hull sometimes it can be hard to see.  A trick I have used in the past is sprinkle baby powder in the bilge and if there's a leak you will see a water trail in the powder.  Good for detecting trickles.  A trickle would be enough to cause your issue.

Aqua_Aura

The only thing that would be coming into the mid bilge is the thru hulls for AC or the toilet. There is nothing else around there I can think of. My rear bilge was doing this and it was a trickle of water coming in from a bad drive bellow. 

rasbury

And the shower sump...doesn't happen when someone is in the shower?

Aqua_Aura

Well that would only be if the shower is running. I'm just thinking of water intrusion areas. Also the shower drains into it's own "tank" or bilge and then gets pumped out from its own bilge pump. 

rasbury

Is there not the pump to get it to the holding tank right there...a sump pump?

Aqua_Aura

Shower pumps out overboard from what I remember. Only thing going to the holding tank is the toilet. Two pumps in the mid bilge. One for the shower overboard and one for any other water overboard. 

Now I'm starting to wonder where the door track drain is. It may be one of those 4 holes on the side and maybe the shower and mid bilge pump share a drain hole on the side. 

rasbury

Should be a little box that turns on auto as it fills with water?

Aqua_Aura

rasbury said:

Should be a little box that turns on auto as it fills with water?

Yes. 

rasbury

It has a seal..made of plastic and clamps..not leaking around that?

MiamiAG

Thanks guys. I will check the box for the shower to make sure it isn’t spilling. However, we don’t have the shower on much so I don’t think it’s the shower. More likely is a leaking thru hull for AC or toilet or one of the hoses there.

Like I said in another post, there is also a small gap on the floor that lets water come into the mid bilge from forward on the ship. If it’s that, then I have no idea where it would be coming from as it can be anywhere forward.

Another thing I noticed is that if I run her around for a bit and then hit the switch when I dock, no water comes out. Also, I can confirm that the water does stop after about 2-3 minutes of the trickle pictured above.

rasbury

It is amazing how many places these boats can have a leak. Hoses, through hulls...bellows...and so much around the transom you cant even see.. good luck, feel your pain!

skennelly

@MiamiAG - I replaced my thru hulls for AC and head a few years ago.  I had the exact same issue as you.  Small trickle leak you couldn't see just by looking coming from a thru hull and it was enough to make the bilge run once a day at least.  The baby powder trick I mentioned helped a lot.

MiamiAG

Thanks. I will be trying that.

rasbury

Water is hard to see as a trickle...

MiamiAG

Update - So I had to replace my AC with a brand new unit (MarineAir with dehumidifier function 9000 BTU). The tech told me the condensation from the unit runs into the shower box in the mid bilge. When he got there, that box was full and spilling over.

It seems the bilge pump in the box is on its last legs. He tapped it and it began running. So, he cleaned it out and it is still working.

We will see if this was the mysterious bilge issue. Who knows! Too many places to leak on these boats!

At least my AC works!

Art

Handymans342

Good thing RVs don’t leak like boats LOL

Aqua_Aura

They do....only it's the roofs that leak. 😆

bella-vita

I have had campers where water was leaking in around windows and roof. Lol

Handymans342

bella-vita said:

I have had campers where water was leaking in around windows and roof. Lol

That’s because it wasn’t a Rinker RV. Lol

rasbury

Oh, isn't that what I suggested above?