That's waaaaaay to much to think about, Ben <g>! Besides, given the size of our boats compared to Norm's, I'm sure you couldn't fit a milk jug float into your bilge as I certainly couldn't!
S Steve Weinstein S/V CAPTIVA 1997 Hunter 376, Hull #376 Sailing out of Oyster Bay, NY All outgoing mail protected by VIPRE A/V -----Original Message----- From: Ben Okopnik Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 12:04 AM To: liveaboard@liveaboardonline.com Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] How often do you clean your shower sump... On Thu, Apr 12, 2012 at 10:09:39PM -0400, SteveW wrote: > > As always, Ben, you come through with the correct cold logic! (LOL!!!) It's that engineering/security mindset. Have to forcibly switch it off for stuff like flirting with cute girls, etc. :) > I realize it's probably totally impractical and for myself, I'd stick a > check valve onto the line 6" downstream from the outflow outlet on the > pump > and call it a day. > > But coming up with a practical innovative low cost run dry pump with > enough > pressure to 'clear' the line to the thru-hull would be an interesting > intillectual exercise for a "garage tinkerer". > > I'm one of those always looking for a completely dry (and sparkling > clean - > I'm talking eat off it clean) bilge. Haven’t found the boat that could > meet > that criteria yet. And I'm not going to spend the $$ to find a boat > "built > around" that kind of a bilge! Well, you could borrow part of Norm's excellent idea: use something like his milk-jug float to get the switch/whatever electronics you wanted to use well away from the water and the pump. The after-run circuit would be fairly simple: when the float switch closes, it not only powers the pump but also charges a capacitor through a resistor. When the switch opens, the voltage in the capacitor turns on a transistor (a MOSFET, I suppose) that sits across the switch contacts. Eventually - the delay depends on the resistor and the capacitor that were used - the cap discharges and unlatches the transistor. Let me know if you'd like me to send you a schematic. From the mechanical end of it, though, you'd still need to figure out how you're going to get to zero water in the bilge. Strum boxes won't do it; neither will a hose cut at an angle. You'll still need that "pocket" - but be aware that gruck will collect there and eventually plug up whatever pickup you're using. I think you might have to go with the Pareto Principle on this one. :) Ben -- OKOPNIK CONSULTING Custom Computing Solutions For Your Business Expert-led Training | Dynamic, vital websites | Custom programming 443-250-7895 http://okopnik.com http://twitter.com/okopnik _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list Liveaboard@liveaboardonline.com To adjust your membership settings over the web http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to liveaboard-j...@liveaboardonline.com To unsubscribe send an email to liveaboard-le...@liveaboardonline.com The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/liveaboard@liveaboardnow.org The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list Liveaboard@liveaboardonline.com To adjust your membership settings over the web http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to liveaboard-j...@liveaboardonline.com To unsubscribe send an email to liveaboard-le...@liveaboardonline.com The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/liveaboard@liveaboardnow.org The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html