Auto bilge pump

[SteveH]

Mundane question for most I'm sure, but I've never owned an auto bilge pump until I acquired my current Skiff.

So, its a Rule 2000 with an externally housed float. The float housing has a red test button on top. Two wire pump. Two way dash switch. Can someone help with wiring options, or help with some bilge pump wisdon.

Dash switch off - test button doesn't work, Switch on, test button works. I quickly learned that there is no manaul "on" from the dash. I find this unnerving - just cause thats what I do in the tupperware boat. So, when I leave the skiff, its obvious I must remember to leave dash switch on.

Feels like my house sump - I trust it and let it do its thing, but I like to flick it on when the water is just below auto threshold and looks like it might sit for some time. This I could do by reaching down through the hole in the floor and press the switch if I really wanted.

Is this how it goes? Is there a way to wire it for off-auto-manual. Can you wire into a 3 way switch. Do I even need manual? I have no idea what the level of water required to trip the switch is, since its never had enough water in it.

Thanks, Steve

[mfine]

Mine are all set up with 3 wires. Not sure what to do with a built in switch and only 2 wires.

With a 3 wire, one is ground, one is hot, and the third is hot through the float switch. The float switch hot is always on and bypasses the dash switch AND the key. The dash switch controls the other hot. The float switch will then work even when the key is off and you are away from the boat. The manual switch on the dash is used when (not if) the float switch fails.

[farupp]

Steve, what you need is a three-way panel switch that has On, Off and Auto positions. On runs the pump manually when you hold the switch in that position, Off turns the pump and switch off (the pump won't run) and Auto runs the pump whenever the water in the bilge gets high enough to allow the float switch to make a connection and run the pump. A red light illuminates on the panel switch whenever the pump is running.

Here is a wiring diagram for the Rule pumps (two) and switches (two) I have on my Sea Skiff.

Frank

[Shabby Knot]

Oh how I wish you had asked this question last week. I have just finished re-wiring my bilge pump and float for a panel switch that has off-on-auto toggle switch. I thought it included a light to tell me the pump was on when in the auto setting. It turned out to be a breaker on the panel ! Now I have to do a light separately. Diagrams above are excellent.
Dave C.

[SteveH]

Thats great help, thank you. Add it to the list.

[tkhersom]

One final thought.

If your are using a battery switch make sure the power to the float or auto position on the dash switch bypasses the battery switch (direct to battery power) or the auto function won't work correctly.

The devil is in the details.

[JimF]

I don't think you can do what you want to do with this pump. If the pump has only 2 wires, one is the ground and the other is the hot that supplies power through the float switch and then to the pump when the switch is activated by high water. I don't see anyway to send power directly to the pump without a third wire. I would wire this pump directly to the battery with an in-line fuse. Another plan would be to move this pump to the rear of the boat where it could automatically remove any water that comes in while the boat is underway and the bow is lifted. Buy another 3-wire pump and dash switch to replace the old one and wire as indicated in the earlier diagram that comes with the pump.

[SteveH]

Thanks Jim,

Electrics are not my strong suit, but the diagram above and another reference I saw looks to suggest that a solution could be spliced into the existing wires to connect to a three way switch. Again, don't know if I'm seeing that right.

I like your suggestion - was thinking of a pump at the back and easiest for me would be to get a ready to go 3 way for up front.

Steve

[farupp]

Yes, Steve and Jim, you can wire your bilge pump with a three way switch as the above diagram shows. The small bilge pumps that I have seen and that we use in our boats have only two wires coming out of them. A ground wire and a power wire.

Here is the wiring diagram that came with one of my bilge pumps. It shows the circuit diagram for connecting the pump to a float switch and a three-way Manual On, Off, and Auto On panel switch.

Frank

[SteveH]

Great. Thanks Frank.

[mfine]

If there is a wire between the pump and switch you can tap into it can be done.

I personally question the off-auto-on switch. I much prefer the two way auto-on switch. That eliminates the stupid boater/guest/pet option of selecting the off position. That is just way too tempting for Mr. Murphy! If I want my pumps off, I pull the fuses (don't run both pumps off the same fuse, again per Mr. Murphy) or pull the battery cable. If the boat is in the water I want the pumps on or I want extreme deliberate action required to turn them off.

[jfrprops]

And to add: I still think those external float switches are trouble. I still use the old school Lovett pumps.
Clearly, as posted, make sure you are connecting this main bilge pump directly to the battery....do not run it through the battery on and off main switch.
John in Va.

[tkhersom]

And to add: I still think those external float switches are trouble. I still use the old school Lovett pumps.
Clearly, as posted, make sure you are connecting this main bilge pump directly to the battery....do not run it through the battery on and off main switch.
John in Va.

Hi John:
Interesting you should mention the Lovett pump. There was some feedback a few months ago about their quality dropping quite dramatically.
http://www.chris-craft.org/discussion/v ... 327#p48327
Are you still having good luck with them?

Troy in ME

[jfrprops]

yeah, that was MY POST! I was really down on them after many years of perfect service. They went to alum. wire and off shored some stuff, but I have used the copper harness they supplied at my request and have had no problem with the pumps since. I have half a dozen of them sitting around my shop.
I used to replace them every two years just as insurance. I don't know if they have reverted to the copper wiring harness or not.
But I am back on board in support of there reliability.
Thanks for pointing all this out.
John in Va.

[farupp]

If there is a wire between the pump and switch you can tap into it can be done.

I personally question the off-auto-on switch. I much prefer the two way auto-on switch. That eliminates the stupid boater/guest/pet option of selecting the off position. That is just way too tempting for Mr. Murphy! If I want my pumps off, I pull the fuses (don't run both pumps off the same fuse, again per Mr. Murphy) or pull the battery cable. If the boat is in the water I want the pumps on or I want extreme deliberate action required to turn them off.

I have been thinking about this and understand mfine's view, but I still feel comfortable with my three-way switches. The way they are set up, it is visually very obvious if the panel switch is in the "Off" position. I leave my switches in the "Auto" position all the time when the boat is in the water. When I leave the boat for any length of time (2 hours or more) and come back, I hold the switch in the "Manual" position as this is an easy way to insure the pumps are working. As the switch is spring loaded when in the manual position, it can't be left this was unless it is held there.

I use the Off position when I pull the boat out of the water and transport it on the trailer. That way, the pumps don't run every time I go over a bump and the float makes a connection. This to me is much easier than pulling a fuse or disconnecting the battery to turn the pump off, and then having to remember to put the fuse back in the next time the boat goes in the water. On the other hand, I have to remember to reset the panel switch to Auto when the boat goes back in the water.

So much to remember. I need a beer.

Frank

[mfine]

That is why I pull the battery cable. While I can still forget to reconnect it on launch, the silent response to turning the key is a pretty good reminder. I try to stupid proof what I can because we all have our moments, not to mention relatives.