Bilge pump systems

Abstract

A pump system comprises a bilge pump powered by an electric motor and a controller controlling the electric motor. The controller is configured to determine if the pump system is malfunctioning. In response to determining that the pump system is malfunctioning, the controller is configured to control the electric motor according to a predetermined routine configured to rectify the malfunction. A pump system comprises a first bilge pump including a first electric motor configured to power the first bilge pump and a first controller controlling the first electric motor and a second bilge pump including a second electric motor configured to power the second bilge pump and a second controller controlling the second electric motor. The first and second controllers are in signal communication with one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump system comprising:
 a first bilge pump including a first electric motor configured to power the first bilge pump and a first controller controlling the first electric motor, the first controller being located on or within a housing of the first bilge pump; and   a second bilge pump including a second electric motor configured to power the second bilge pump and a second controller controlling the second electric motor, the second controller being located on or within a housing of the second bilge pump;   wherein the first and second controllers are in signal communication with one another.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the first controller is configured to control the first electric motor in response to a command from the second controller. 
     
     
         3 . The pump system of  claim 2 , further comprising a water-level sensor connected to the second bilge pump and electrically connected to the second controller, wherein the second controller is configured to command the first controller to start or stop the first electric motor in response to the water-level sensor sensing the presence and/or absence of water. 
     
     
         4 . The pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the second controller is configured to determine if part of the pump system associated with the second bilge pump is malfunctioning, and in response to determining that part of the pump system associated with the second bilge pump is malfunctioning, the second controller is configured to control the second electric motor according to a predetermined routine configured to rectify the malfunction. 
     
     
         5 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the second controller is configured to command the first controller to start the first bilge pump in response to determining that part of the pump system associated with the second bilge pump is malfunctioning. 
     
     
         6 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined routine comprises at least one of the following: (a) stopping the second bilge pump and subsequently restarting the second bilge pump; and (b) operating the second bilge pump at a different flow rate than a flow rate at which the second bilge pump was operating when the second controller determined that part of the pump system associated with the second bilge pump was malfunctioning. 
     
     
         7 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the second controller is further configured to communicate details of the malfunction and whether the predetermined routine was able to rectify the malfunction to a display device. 
     
     
         8 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the malfunction is one of an air-locked state of a hose in fluid communication with the second bilge pump, a stalled state of the second electric motor, a blockage in the second bilge pump and/or the hose, and a blown fuse. 
     
     
         9 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second controllers is configured to determine when a component of at least one of the first and second bilge pumps, respectively, is nearing its end of life, and to communicate an alert to a display device in response to same. 
     
     
         10 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-level sensor in electrical communication with both the first and second controllers via a serial bus, wherein the first and second controllers are configured to control the first and second bilge pumps, respectively, in response to the water-level sensor sensing the presence and/or absence of water. 
     
     
         11 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-level sensor attached to or within a housing of the second bilge pump, configured to be actuated by a presence and/or absence of water, and in electrical communication with the second controller;
 wherein the first pump is located at a first elevation in the pump system;   wherein the second pump is located at a second elevation in the pump system that is higher than the first elevation; and   wherein the second controller is configured to command the first controller to turn on the first bilge pump for a predetermined period of time in response to the water-level sensor no longer detecting the presence of water.   
     
     
         12 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a serial bus providing the signal communication between the first and second controllers. 
     
     
         13 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-level sensor attached to or within a housing of the second bilge pump and in electrical communication with the second controller;
 wherein the second controller is configured to command the first controller to start the first electric motor in response to the water-level sensor sensing the presence of water and to stop the first electric motor in response to the water-level sensor sensing the absence of water.   
     
     
         14 . A pump system comprising:
 a first bilge pump including a first electric motor configured to power the first bilge pump and a first controller controlling the first electric motor; and   a second bilge pump including a second electric motor configured to power the second bilge pump and a second controller controlling the second electric motor;   wherein the first and second controllers are in signal communication with one another; and   wherein the first controller is configured to command the second controller to start and stop the second bilge pump.   
     
     
         15 . The pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the first controller is configured to command the second controller to start the second bilge pump in response to the first controller determining that part of the pump system associated with the first bilge pump is malfunctioning. 
     
     
         16 . The pump system of  claim 15 , further comprising a water-level sensor on the second bilge pump configured to be actuated by a presence and/or absence of water and in electrical communication with the second controller;
 wherein the first bilge pump is located at a first elevation in the pump system;   wherein the second bilge pump is located at a second elevation in the pump system that is higher than the first elevation;   wherein the first controller commands the second controller to start the second bilge pump directly in response to the first controller determining that part of the pump system associated with the first bilge pump is malfunctioning and thereafter the second bilge pump is configured to run until the water-level sensor no longer detects the presence of water.   
     
     
         17 . The pump system of  claim 15 , wherein the first controller is configured to control the first electric motor according to a predetermined routine configured to rectify the malfunction; and
 wherein the first controller is configured to command the second controller to start the second bilge pump in response to the first controller determining that part of the pump system associated with the first bilge pump is malfunctioning and the malfunction could not be rectified after running the predetermined routine.   
     
     
         18 . The pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the first controller is located on or in a housing of the first bilge pump and the second controller is located on or in a housing of the second bilge pump. 
     
     
         19 . The pump system of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second bilge pumps are at different locations within a bilge of a marine vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The pump system of  claim 14 , further comprising a water-level sensor attached to or within a housing of the first bilge pump;
 wherein the first controller is configured to command the second controller to start the second bilge pump in response to the water-level sensor sensing water.