Bilge pump switch question

Bri892001 wrote: Jeff, There may be a way to work with the pump you have. Mine is all in one with the internal float switch, so that's what I'm familiar with. Marc C was describing a way to accomplish the same thing with an external float. --You would have your constant hot wire (from wherever you decide to take it, you could use the existing) go through the float switch. --Your manual would go from the currently unused, switched power side or your dash switch. Maybe run a fresh wire for this. This wire would bypass the float on the pump side, and go directly to turning on the motor.

Yep, no point in changing pumps, I prefer external float switches anyway. I'll take a closer look at the wiring this weekend, thanks.

Since he has nothing to add, he's just busting my butt. Sometimes he should read and understand the entire reply instead of taking one sentence out of context.

mark c wrote: you have no fuse protection for that circuit,.

Sometimes it's best to read first posts in threads.

74Wind wrote: One wire goes to the fuse, the other up into the spaghetti. Thanks

74Wind wrote: ... So....how does one enable both all-the-time floatswitch power and pullswitch on-demand power?

I'm guessing this boat originally had a manual switch only bilge pump, and when they replaced it with automatic, they decided to override the switch.

Some automatic bilge pumps, mine included, have a separate positive for manual and a seperate positive for automatic.

You would feed the automatic post constant hot, and then, re-enable your switch, and use that wire to go to the manual post on the pump.

mark c wrote: Both wires on the line side (battery side) of the switch means the switch is bypassed and you have no fuse protection for that circuit, again assuming a 74 has the same push/pull circuit breaker switches my 87 has, and not a separate fuse and separate switch wired in series. If you have a fuse upstream then just the switch is bypassed and the pump will have power as long as the fuse is good, and theirs a battery in the boat.

Nope, no circuit breakers to my knowledge. 1 wire goes up a few inches to the back of the individual fuseholder for that switch; the other up into the spaghetti. There are a number of fuses accessed individually from the dash. And so it seems it has power and fuse protection but no pull-switch capability since it has apparently been bypassed(?). So....how does one enable both all-the-time floatswitch power and pullswitch on-demand power?

8122pbrainard wrote: Jeff, I'd say Brian has a good theory. Get the VOM out and check at the switch as well as the pump. In fact, you should have done that before even asking the question. With a question like "2 wires going to one tab" we can only guess.

Sorry, should have added pump is fine & activates properly when the float switch is lifted. Since it does so with the dash switch not pulled, the Brians theory must be correct. No pix available. Don't know how to link, just your basic off/on push-pull switch. Google Sea-dog 420390 if you'd like to see similar.

So...theory is by having both wires run to one "tab" it creates constant available power to pump. Can check fuse and VOM the contact wires Friday, but I'd guess either:

Since pump has power, the wires & fuse are good indicating a bad pull switch.

or:

If both wires attached to one tab the on-off functionality of the pullswitch has been compromised?

Hmmmm. So, are you talking about on the bilge switch at the dash, or at the pump side?

If you're talking about at the dash... it's possible someone made it so the bilge pump is always hot. If it's an auto bilge pump, this might be ok. Because, it would shut itself off on the pump side, and always be ready if the boat is moored, and someone doesn't pull out the switch.

Pics would help.

hotboat wrote: Slight turn ccw and the spring should pop it Out. They take the old cylinder type fuses

Thanks, thats what I figured, just checking.

Slight turn ccw and the spring should pop it Out. They take the old cylinder type fuses