Hi folks, I use electric bilge pumps (Rule 500 or Attwood 500) in my boats. Power is supplied by 8 AA alkaline batteries (last for almost an hour of pumping, i.e a full season). Vulnerable parts are the battery holder (even condensation in the waterproof box causes it to corrode away), and the switch. Tried a lot of ways to solve the switch problem. One version was to glue a switch into the lid of the battery container (Nalgene bottle) and seal it with silicone. Pushing the switch through the silicone works. Now I found a different solution. On a german website http://www.faltboot.net/DIY/Lenzpumpe/lenzpumpe.html Rainer describes a switch made up from a REED relay and a second relay. The REED relay is closed by a magnet, the resulting current pulse switches the 2nd relay into its on position and pump runs. Another magnetic/current pulse on the REED relay turns the 2nd relay/pump off. I didn't bother with the second relay. I bought at Lee Valley a rare earth magnet (2 CAD) and a matching cup socket. Plan is to install the REED relay switch under the deck and the magnet cup on the outside on top of the relay's sweet spot. To close the switch, i.e. start the pump, the magnet (size of a quarter secured to the decklines with a bungee) goes into the cup. When the pump job is done, the magnet is pulled away from the cup and the pump stops. Works on the bench, and will go into the kayak sometime next week. I will post the results.... Ulli -- Ulli Hoeger Dept. Physiology and Biophysics Dalhousie University Halifax, B3H 4H7 Nova Scotia, Canada Phone: INT 902 494 2673 Fax: INT 902 494 1685 Phone 2: 902 488 1646 *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Aug 17 2003 - 12:15:20 PDT
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