Whale Supersub Smart 650 Bilge Pump (SS5212)

One really good automatic bilge pump

I've used one for over 5 years without any trouble at all and its still going strong, so when I needed another one I didn't hesitate to buy another exactly the same.
Its perfect for automatic bilge draining using a sensor instead of a float switch makes it far more reliable. its narrow construction means it can fit into tight spaces which was ideal for my needs..Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: pacermarine

Works, but not on my boat.

This pump is very efficient for it's size and seems to be well made. It has however, to my mind, been designed for yachts and 'V' bottomed boats and is just not up to the job on my narrow boat.
If the water's deep enough, it will move a lot of water very quickly and would virtually empty a 'V' shaped hull of water.
But on my narrow boat, which is flat bottomed, it stops pumping with in excess of an inch of water still rolling around the bilge. It's not enough that the pick up is in the water, it will only pump when the impeller is submerged and consequently is no better or possibly even worse than many vertical pumps.
Unfortunately no mention of this incompatibility with flat bottomed boats is made in the blurb.
Very disappointed with mine.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: stevetheboat

Not what I'd call reliable

I bought and fitted two of these small pumps because the two that came with my boat had both packed up. I have had to replace one of them once before. One of the most frustrating things about them is that they switch on when covered with water but they do not always suck. So the motor is whirring away but the water remains over them. Other times they work. The original pumps were installed by Ribcraft, a professional boat building company, and so I do not believe it is my poor installation that causes this problem.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: marinesceneuk

Disappointing performance

This pump promises a lot but the reality is very different. It leaves at least 1 inch of water in the boat, and can pump a maximum of only about 1 metre head. The plastic cradle is also very poor quality and could easily be cracked and broken. I will now buy a conventional bilge pump and stick with a separate float switch, which is what I had before and install the Whale Supersub pump as a back up. I wish I had not bought the Whale Supersub Pump and I recommend anyone else doesn't buy it.
Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: pacermarine

requires a fair depth to prime

The pump was well priced and well built. however i wanted to change my old pump for one that would pump drier as the bilge is fairly flat so 1" deep of water. purchased this unit s it claimed to pump down to 9mm. once it gets a suction it is quite effective but due to the raised pump it will not get a suction until there is abour 1 1/2" waterso already a bit deep and little better than the nomal whale vertical pump it replaced.
that said if you have no pump this would be a good unit to instal - just wouldnt recommend it as an improvementRead full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: marinesuperstore

Lets water get too high before switching on.

Unfortunately you do not discover till unpacked and used, that although it pumps out to a low level it does not start pumping until the water has reached over 2 inches. This makes it useless for my purposes but have fully unpacked and tried so do not feel I can return. Will try and sell on.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: marinesuperstore

Great pump good value

Easy to install and appears to be working fine. Comes with a no return valve so no need to get a separate one. Leaves a small bit of water behind but not much.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: marinesceneuk

Bilge pump

Quality item fits just right in awkward place easy to maintain 👍🏻🛥😉

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: pacermarine

Just what I needed.

I replaced another popular brand which had a float switch. This used to regularly go off even though there was only a little water in the bilge, because the float switch and the pump were opposing sides of the central bilge meaning the little bit of water was not pumped away. This sounded the bilge alarm whilst on the plane and was annoying. The 650 has no float switch and does not react to being splashed. If any water is pumped it goes through a one-way valve so isn't flowing back to be recycled over and over again.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: marinesceneuk

reliable ,strong and good quality.

excellent bilge pump I cant think how any could do without one . it is strong and reliable . its manual and automatic operation functions perfectly .