Rule bilge pump mortality analysis

[REBrueckner]

Does anyone have a source for small motor brushes?? How do you specify what you want?

I just took apart a big RULE brand bilge pump....I think a 2,000 GPH or maybe a 3,700 GPH variety. Since they seem to cost over $225 new, I figured I see why it was turning so slow...obviously not running well and the associated float switch was burned out....

I suspected severely worn brushes...and they sure were....right down to the connector wires embedded in them which were rubbing the commutator. No wonder it ran slow.

Really nice quality construction....big heavy permanent magnets and heavy armature wiring......as it should be for $225 or so. All 'rubber' seal gaskets were soft and good a new.

Had we replaced the new brushes,blown out the carbon dust, and saved the parts I left in the engine room, we could have had a perfectly good pump. An easy job for an owner, not so economical to pay to have it done


The armature was covered, and I mean covered, with brush carbon dust, but the shaft, bearings, armature and commutator were all like new. Shaft was absolutely smooth where it passed through the bearing on the open end....The wires leading to the pump just inside the cap attached to the motor had obviously overheated...the insulation was discolored and very stiff.

This pump of unknown age would have had plenty of life left with new brushes.

 

[Boatsb]

Why would you chance a boat sinking because you rebuilt an old pump that was never designed to be rebuilt.

Is the boat not worth the $200 .

 

[saltshaker]

Why would you chance a boat sinking because you rebuilt an old pump that was never designed to be rebuilt.

Is the boat not worth the $200 .

I think his point is the pump was otherwise well built and COULD easily be rebuilt. I wouldn't rebuild one either. In fact I discovered one Sat. that is weak due to a stuck switch. I'll be replacing it this week.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

A marine mechanic told me that their shop policy was not to repair broken parts but to replace, due to liability issues, this was way back in the late 60's

 

[rsmith]

By the time I was 12 I was the local exspurt on repairing the Lovette bilge pump. This was the only pump that was put in most pleasure boats in the day. It was a POS that made me a lot of $$$ when I was a boat washing dock rat. They were made in Summers point NJ and I would have the old man stop on his way to the shore to pick up parts.

 

[MikeP]

I have never opened up a Rule pump, having been very satisfied with their performance/longevity. I'm sure as the OP noted, they can be refurbished but I have only had one fail on our Hatteras since we've owned it - an original from 1980 - so it never really has occurred to me to do so.

Sadly, though I am impressed with Rule's pumps, I feel the opposite about their standard bilge pump switches which failed routinely for me. I have had good luck (so far) with their "super" switch at 1/3 more money.

 

[Boatsb]

By the time I was 12 I was the local exspurt on repairing the Lovette bilge pump. This was the only pump that was put in most pleasure boats in the day. It was a POS that made me a lot of $$$ when I was a boat washing dock rat. They were made in Summers point NJ and I would have the old man stop on his way to the shore to pick up parts.

I remember them too. Maybe not as fondly. Biggest issue was the size of them for smaller spaces they were not good. Then again so many were cleaned up and made to run again probably because they wore out faster in leaky wooden boats.

 

[captddis]

I fought many Lovetts too. They were called the Cadillac of pumps. The only real problem was the two O rings that ran the pump. 80% of the boats had them. Lovett was in business a few years ago, not sure if they still are.

 

[REBrueckner]

"Why would you chance a boat sinking because you rebuilt an old pump that was never designed to be rebuilt.

a false premise to start usually leads to a false conclusion.

Have your never changed brushes in an electric motor?

Replacing a light fixture when the bulb burns out or an anchor windlass
with worn brushes or a sea strainer with a corroded screen is one way to go.

But not the only way.

PS: If a wire is frayed, it, too, can be replaced....

 

[Boatsb]

"Why would you chance a boat sinking because you rebuilt an old pump that was never designed to be rebuilt.

a false premise to start usually leads to a false conclusion.

Have your never changed brushes in an electric motor?

Replacing a light fixture when the bulb burns out or an anchor windlass
with worn brushes or a sea strainer with a corroded screen is one way to go.

But not the only way.

PS: If a wire is frayed, it, too, can be replaced....

I have motors rebuilt all the time. New brushes and bearings along with any other wear parts. Just like a Detroit these motors are designed for it. A plastic bilge pump that wears out its brushes is probably at the end of its design life. It's also a sealed submersible motor that will fail if it leaks. I'd rather not be liable for a boat sinking when a pump fails. That's why that type of bilge pumps are replaced not repaired. Why so concerned with saving a pump or a few dollars? Did you buy a sailboat?

 

[krush]

You can replace the brushes, but I bet the bearings/bushing are shot. And of course the commutator is worn too.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I read the original post and I thought it was about wondering why the rest of the pump was made well and the brushes wore out prematurely. My guess is that the supplier sold them motors with some cheap parts in them. Or, maybe Rule make their own motors and bought cheap brushes- perhaps without knowing they did.

I have a jammed Rule 2000 pump on my workbench. I'm going to take it apart, but not to fix it. I'm curious as to why it jammed, and is there something I need to change to avoid it happening to the new one.

 

[bostonhatteras]

By the time I was 12 I was the local exspurt on repairing the Lovette bilge pump. This was the only pump that was put in most pleasure boats in the day. It was a POS that made me a lot of $$$ when I was a boat washing dock rat. They were made in Summers point NJ and I would have the old man stop on his way to the shore to pick up parts.

Didn't they only pump something like 500 gph? That one looks very clean compared to the ones I remember.

 

[bostonhatteras]

Does anyone have a source for small motor brushes?? How do you specify what you want?

I just took apart a big RULE brand bilge pump....I think a 2,000 GPH or maybe a 3,700 GPH variety. Since they seem to cost over $225 new, I figured I see why it was turning so slow...obviously not running well and the associated float switch was burned out....

I suspected severely worn brushes...and they sure were....right down to the connector wires embedded in them which were rubbing the commutator. No wonder it ran slow.

Really nice quality construction....big heavy permanent magnets and heavy armature wiring......as it should be for $225 or so. All 'rubber' seal gaskets were soft and good a new.

Had we replaced the new brushes,blown out the carbon dust, and saved the parts I left in the engine room, we could have had a perfectly good pump. An easy job for an owner, not so economical to pay to have it done


The armature was covered, and I mean covered, with brush carbon dust, but the shaft, bearings, armature and commutator were all like new. Shaft was absolutely smooth where it passed through the bearing on the open end....The wires leading to the pump just inside the cap attached to the motor had obviously overheated...the insulation was discolored and very stiff.

This pump of unknown age would have had plenty of life left with new brushes.

Ive replaced brushes in things such as shop vacs and various power tools. occasionally when the correct size brushes were not available, getting the most similar but larger brush let you resize it with fine grit paper but they never worked the same as the correct brush. not something to do on a critical component. I'd say rule pumps are quite durable. I found the aft bilge 3700 pump running dry after a week away from the boat. someone had pulled the switch on the bridge. still works just fine.