Float switch for my bilge pump

the switch should be a three position switch with the middle being neutral, one position power all the time to the pump to turn on manually and then power thru the switch on one leg with power when unattended. the float is merely an on/off switch. some pumps have three wires and its been a while so there may be an inconsistancy in this post

good ground? i dont want to confuse you because im a little confused also. i would ohm the switch for continuity flowing thru it then put 12 volts to the pump and make sure that works. checking the switch in the up and down position.

Eric,

See my post to Pete.

Going outside and try everything. Thanks again, will let you know tonight.

scott

8122pbrainard wrote: Scott, Hot to the dash switch same as before. Then to the float switch same as before. Connect to ether wire on the float. Other wire on the float to the pump wire marked positive (hot). Other wire on the pump will be ground.

When you say "hot to the dash....do you mean the hot wire on the bilge pump or a separate hot wire? Do you mean for me to get a "hot" wire to the dash bilge pump switch somehow because I don't see one now.

Also, when you say "other wire on the float to the pump wire marked positive(hot),....is this the Hot wire you mentioned in the first sentence above?

I going to kill this beast yet.........just need a big enough weapon.

Is there only one switch? It looks to me like the float mode ( yellow) is wired to the hot leg of the switch and should always be on when the accessory switch is hot, the brown would be the manual mode and wired through the switch. The neutral would takes a seperate path to the negative bus. Warning, I am a fair amature electrition but no expert..

Scott,
Power comes off the hot feed under the dash, to the fuse and to the switch. Thats the purple wire.

Since you have two wires going to the bilge, you have both a "automatic" and "manual" mode of running the pump.

The yellow wire on the switch is hot all the time so it goes to the float switch and then from the float switch to the pump. This is the automatic mode.

The brown wire with the oversize yellow sta-con connector on the dash switch goes directly to the pump by passing the float switch. This is for the manual mode.


Scott, If you ever have any electrical problems in your home, call a electrician!!!!

Pete,

Heading to church now. Went out there and looked at the contact point behind the fuse link. See if I have this figured out or close:

There is a wire that goes from the AMP meter to the side of the fuse contact. A brown wire then goes from the fuse to the side of the bilge switch.

Are you saying my power is coming from the amp meter to the fuse then to the switch?

I will at it again about noon. Bought a cheap meter to see if I have power.

Will let you know what happens.

scott

8122pbrainard wrote: Scott, Power comes off the hot feed under the dash, to the fuse and to the switch. Thats the purple wire. Since you have two wires going to the bilge, you have both a "automatic" and "manual" mode of running the pump. The yellow wire on the switch is hot all the time so it goes to the float switch and then from the float switch to the pump. This is the automatic mode. The brown wire with the oversize yellow sta-con connector on the dash switch goes directly to the pump by passing the float switch. This is for the manual mode. Pete, One more comment and I will shut up. As stated above, do you mean I can rig it to either auto or manual but not both? Last year, I had it rigged whereby the switch could be in the off position and I am asleep at night and if enough water came in, the float switch would automatically come on and pump it out. Going outside to work on it. Supposed to be 92degrees today. scott Scott, If you ever have any electrical problems in your home, call a electrician!!!!

Thanks Pete but I am beginning to think I will never get this thing fixed.

I wired everything up like you said, got my tester out to check for power at each connection. All connections showed a light but when you pull the switch out, nothing happens. If you lift the float switch up, nothing happens. I even changed the wires from the bilge switch to the "misc" switch right beside it thinking the bilge switch went bad..........same thing, nothing. If you straight wire it from the battery bypassing the switch, it works. Its over my head, I will have to call somebody to try and come over to my house.

So, I then switched to putting the floor in. Easy right? Just put the exhaust in, connect all the hoses and screw the floor down. NOT!!! For the last two hours, I have been trying to get the exhaust hoses hooked up to the metal straight pipes and for some reason, nothing wants to bend like I need it to. One end of the straight pipe won't even go in to the exhaust hose..they are both 3" so I am stumped. Nothing lately has been anything close to easy and I am getting pretty sick of the whole thing

Don't know which direction to go now. Callaway gardens is looking like an impossibility. I am hating this project in the worst way now.

OverMyHead wrote: Scott, I hope its not this simple but the way you are wired you will only get power to both modes with the Ignition on or in the accesory position. If you want to have it run in auto all the time that lead would have to be hot wired to the battery

Dave,
Scott says the feed is off his amp meter so it should be hot all the time.

Scott,
Do you have a fax? I could draw you a picture and fax it to you. Sorry but I can't do it on the computer!!



Scott,
Lets' go back to the switch in the dash. Do you have power there??

no fax machine except at work tomorrow night but I don't know what the number is.........sorry.

scott

Pete,

Just found out that I cannot bring my boat anyway if I don't have a firm reservation and tickets. I think I read it correctly(see my post under the Master's topic).

Guess I am not in a hurry anymore, huh?

Dave,
Scott says the feed is off his amp meter so it should be hot all the time.

Pete, I quess a little knowlege can be dangerous, I assumed since my gauges go dead when the ignition goes off that there would be no power there. I also have a volt meter and not an amp guage, I know the volt meter in laymans term reads the avalable voltage in the system,( battery or alternator). What is amps reading? total draw?

Pete,

Here's a dumb question: The only ground I have been assuming is taking place is on the right terminal of the switch where that big connector is located. Otherwise, I don't have it grounded to anything. One of the guys above said to make sure I am grounded and I assumed I was. Maybe this has been the problem. Will try it out today.

Btw, if you know where I can buy a nylon half nut to go on the back side of my overflow valve on the stern of the boat, let me know. I cranked on mine too hard and broke it. It's like trying to buy low grade plutonium around here!!

Scott,
You are hopelessly electrically challenged!!! There isn't a ground on the switch - dash or float!!!!!! The ONLY ground you have is one of the wires on the pump. It needs to go to the engine block. The block is your ground. Remember your ground cable off the battery goes to the engine block. Do you see the little "earth" symbols in the wiring diagram above? Those are the ground connections.

What plactic nut on the transom?