BoatsExplained.com - Staying afloat without a float switch

Automatic bilge pumps are usually activated by a float switch, but the makers of the Bilge Buddy reckon they've got something better. Wifed up to the battery and pump, it's essentially a box with two metal prongs sticking out of the bottom. You install it in the bilge so their tips are just above the bottom of the boat - then, if the water level rises to the point where they're both immersed, the pump starts working.
The system apparently offers several advantages over a conventional float switch. It has no moving parts to jam, and won't be triggered by petrol, diesel or oil in the bilge - only water is a good enough conductor to complete the circuit between the two prongs. What's more, it's said to be completely sealed and waterproof, to operate without producing sparks, and to work at any angle.

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