The bilge pump is a critical part of any boat or other floating structure. It works by pumping any water that gets into the bottom of the boat or structure back out into the sea. The bilge pump is an integral part of keeping boats above the water since most boats and structures are not 100% watertight and a failed bilge pump could mean the sinking of the boat or floating structure.

Obviously, we want to keep our floating home above the water so the bilge pump is a very important aspect of the SeaPod. The bilge pump will be tied into the home automation system so that it not only runs automatically when needed but the statistics about the water levels, run time, and frequency can all be tracked and monitored.

This video here shows the pressure differential sensor that will tell the pump when to begin pumping. Using a sensor that measures the pressure differential will allow us to accurately measure how much water and how much air is currently in the bilge.

When the sensor sees that the pressure has changed in the chamber because there is too much water then the system will tell the bilge pump to activate and pump the water back into the ocean. This will keep the SeaPod above water and floating at the right depth.

The sensor will be mounted inside the bilge using a 3D printed mount that perfectly matches the walls of the round tank. We will use a marine-rated epoxy to make sure that everything stays in place for years to come. The cable will run to the main engineering room where it will be connected to the controller for the SeaPod home automation system.

These critical systems get a ton of research & development and testing because they are so important to maintain the safety of living in the SeaPod. We have some more updates about the bilge pump system coming soon so be sure to stay tuned!