SV Panopevideo
Rule 4000 Bilge Pump Test - Part 2
29 July 2024 · 3 min · 3K views
What this video covers
The Rule 4000 bilge pump on Panope is tested under two voltage conditions to measure real-world flow rate.Watch A math error in the first test is corrected: the pump moved 2,220 gallons per hour (not 1,800) at 13.5 volts, filling a 5-gallon bucket in 8 seconds.0:46 The installation lifts water 4.5 feet through smooth 2-inch hose with no 90-degree elbows, only gentle sweeps, exiting through a ball valve and welded standpipe through the hull.1:16 For the low-voltage test, Steve Goodwin isolates the house bank and runs solely off a single Group 27 start battery already drawn down to 12.2 volts, then loads it further with a vacuum cleaner running through an inverter.1:54 Under that combined load, panel voltage drops to 11.6 volts.2:24 At that voltage the pump fills the same 5-gallon bucket in 10 seconds versus 8 seconds at full charge — a 25 percent reduction in flow rate.2:46 Splashback was negligible at low voltage but noticeable at high voltage, slightly affecting the high-voltage measurement.3:22 Voltage sag from a depleted battery meaningfully reduces Rule 4000 output but the pump remains functional.
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