Rule Pumps

[Mike Turk]

I floated this on another forum (should have come here first), but here goes. The original livewell / washdown pump on my CC was a Rule 700 GPH. Original pump lasted 2 seasons (went bad toward the end of the 2nd season). I replaced it with the exact same pump the following spring ('08), and now the pump has gone bad again. It has not completely quit, but it barely fills the livewell (not enough to keep bait alive). There is not even enough pressure to run the washdown. The pump is located in the bilge, and screws directly into the through hull / seacock. Is less than 2 years typical for this pump, or should I look at another brand?

[Sea Tow Ethan]

I would venture to guess that the problem is not with the brand of pump but with the particular application. Livewell pumps often have to handle particulate matter and other crud from the livewell and some types of pumps wear out quickly under that kind of abuse. Maybe switching to a different type of pump, such as a diaphragm pump, is the answer.

[kingair]

I would venture to guess that the problem is not with the brand of pump but with the particular application. Livewell pumps often have to handle particulate matter and other crud from the livewell and some types of pumps wear out quickly under that kind of abuse. Maybe switching to a different type of pump, such as a diaphragm pump, is the answer.

Here is my old setup. It is a livewell pump with a bypass port. The washdown is further down the line.

[Ludicrous]

Make sure the intake and seacock are not blocked or restricted in any way. Replace the livewell pump or test the one you have in a bucket. Operating in shallow water (tends to get sand and debris in the impeller) will do in a livewell pump.

2 years on one pump...not bad.

[Jocool]

I have had no end of trouble with Rule pumps. And I keep replacing them with Rule pumps, because Rule won't send me anything else under warranty! :504_shrugging:

The issues I have my pumps has been the motor housing cracking, therefore letting water into the motor itself. This has happened on 3 pumps now. One of them was even still in it's blister pack!

Now I have the newer version, so maybe this will be stronger.

[Mike Turk]

Thanks for the replies. I am not trying to turn this into a "bash rule pumps" thread - but I guess I opened that can of worms. Is 2 years really not that bad as far as these pumps go? I will check to make sure that nothing is blocking the seacock or intake. If not, I guess I will go by another pump.

[jfish]

I am pro but use a lot of Rule pumps. I have to keep 5 different boats going many of which have several pumps and Rule tends to run the show. Two years on a smaller pump is alittle short if I would say but not uncommon. The cracked housing is a first for me? You aren't by chance leaving water in the lines during freezing weather are you? I have seen them over heat and the tops swell but never had a housing crack and you have had two?

For what its worth I can offer this. As far as I can find Rule makes the best bildge pumps generally speaking. As far as wash down and etc... Surflow, waterdog, etc... tend to lead the pack. Where the biggest challenge comes is with float switches. That is where Rule missing the mark... Even the newly designed heavy duty switch has failed me once already. We go thru switches like crazy. Almost lost a boat last year due to a float switch that failed to float? There is a major design issue in their swtiched. Been using some of the non-moving switches and they seem to be working out ok. You would think they could make a depenable float switch, it's pretty basic technology I would think?

[knotreel]

go with kingairs set up or one like it. I hate washdown/livewell combo's. If you are anything more than occasionally using the livewell then get a dedicated pump for it. The small boat washdown pump is a diaphagm pump and in my opinion the constant flow needed for the live well is better served with a centrifugal pump. Most dedicated livewell pumps that I have seen are centrifugal and some have a tee built into their base so that you can connect you washdown to the intake side of the livewell pump thus sharing the same thru hull. Shurflow and Rule (and others) have a selection of these inexpensive little livewell pumps, I don't have a favorite but my Shureflow baitsentry mag drive is 9 years old an still pumping.

If you re-do your system and add a true live well pump, follow good plumbing rules including having all the hose leading from your pump to the livewell go up hill with no low spots, if not the may have prime problems which is the bane of centrifugal pumps. Use good hose like the stuff kingair has.