8 low-cost bilge pumps compared Whale Supersub 500


PRICE £23.95 CONTACT www.whalepumps.com


Pump features: compact size and linear design for narrow bilges and for fi tment under sole boards in shallow bilges. The pump can be mounted horizontally or vertically. The outlet connector, which is not barbed, can be directed vertically or horizontally.


How secured: with two screws provided, either on base or vertical surface.


Access to strainer: the strainer can be quickly detached by releasing two clips and then sliding out from under the inlet diffuser. The impeller and motor cartridge can be unscrewed from the strainer unit and this gives good access to the impeller and pump body.


Bilge depth: takes bilge level to 14mm – the highest we tested – but Whale say that a modifi ed strainer head, due on the market soon, will reduce this to 8mm.


SUMMARY: An innovative design which offers a very low profi le for shallow or narrow bilges, and versatile delivery options.


Produced the highest static head with a good fl ow rate and better than


average effi ciency.


A different approach Whale Bilge IC


PRICE £260.80 CONTACT www.whalepumps.com


Whale offer a different, albeit expensive, approach with the Bilge IC pump which combines a Gulper high-capacity waste


pump with a remote strainer. The advantage of this system is that the pump can be placed away from the wet bilge. For a remote pump to work it has to be self-priming, hence the Gulper, which is a positive displacement pump.


The separate suction unit


comprises a strainer with intelligent control (IC) electronics which senses water and switches the pump on and off automatically. The unit also comprises a rubber, joker-type non-return valve and is connected to the pump with a 4m-long power and data cable. The strainer has 10mm


PBO bilge pumps test verdict


we include a 5m length of discharge pipe and a skin fi tting. Our skin fi tting restricts the delivery pipe diameter and typically reduces the fl ow rate by around 17%. Similarly, the addition of a low drag non- return valve affected the pumps’ performance by between 12.6% and 31.4%. Some manufacturers state


O


Make Model


Voltage


Flow rate quoted @ 0m head (lt/min) Flow rate quoted @ 1m head (lt/min)


Increase in fl ow at 13.6V (%)


ur fl ow rate fi gures differ from those of the manufacturers in that


performance at both zero and 1m head, and most quote at 12V although some also give values for 13.6V. Our fi gures show that if the supply voltage is increased to 13.6V the fl ow rates for the different pumps will increase by between 13% and 31%. Not surprisingly, the three


pumps using the highest current gave the highest static head and fl ow rates at 1m head, though the Whale Supersub stands out for best head without being the most


Attwood


31.54 25.43


12V fl ow rate (lt/min) measured @ 1m head* 14.6 19.1


Reduction in fl ow with non-return valve (%) -12.6 1.27


Current measured (A) at 12V*


Effi ciency : fl ow rate/power consumption (%) 15.7 1.99 9


12V max head (m) measured


Lowest water level for suction (mm) Dimensions: width x height (mm) Weight (g)


Hose outlet diameter (mm)


64 x 80 213 19


ECS 12


N/A N/A


18.1 21.7


-19.3 2.7


9.15 3.47 9


90 x 110 413 19


Tsunami T500 500 GPH L550 12


12 50 44


13.6 28.6


-21.5 1.95 9.6


2.01 10


70 x 112 339 19


power hungry. When it comes to pump effi ciency, measured as output work done per second divided by input electrical power, the Rule takes the lead followed closely by the Attwood Tsunami. The other pumps all do their


jobs competently: choice will depend on space, price and cleaning access. Those pumps that can be dismantled to access the impeller without having to disturb the discharge pipe – the Attwood Tsunami, Johnson 550,


Johnson Rule


31.5 22.7 14.8 20.4


-20.5 1.2


16.55 2.32 9


61 x 89 283 19


Shurfl o


500 GPH 500 12


12


31.53** 24.4** 11.5 31.3


-31.4 1.5


10.48 1.51 9


95 x 114 396 19


TMC


N/A N/A


22.2 27


-18.7 2.8


10.51 3.36 9


88 x 135 586 19


TMC 500 GPH, and both the Whale Orca and Supersub – will be easier to maintain. Another issue is the length of


supply cable. The norm seems to be 750mm and full marks go to the Whale Orca and Supersub with 1.03m and 1.96m lengths respectively. The Whale Supersub has the


advantage of a low overall height and fl exible delivery options, all at a moderate price and current consumption.


Whale


500 GPH Orca 500 12


12 32 28


13.1 26.7


-25.5 1.5


12.36 1.79 8


102 x 83 234 19


Whale


Supersub 500 12 32 25


21.8 13.3


-16.8 2.5


11.88 5.1 14


183Lx54Wx54H 257 19


Notes: *with 5m discharge hose and skin fi tting **at 13.6V Practical Boat Owner 551 August 2012 • www.pbo.co.uk 55


diameter holes which are the maximum size of debris the pump can handle. The strainer is secured by three screws into keyhole slots and can be removed for cleaning by slackening them off and sliding out the unit. On test the current consumed


averaged 5A (at 12V, requires 10A fuse) and the fl ow rate was 13.23 litres/min on a 1m lift/discharge.


Bilge_fjp.indd 55


05/07/2012 10:07


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