Bilge Pump wiring
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38495
Printed Date: November-16-2024 at 5:47pm
Topic: Bilge Pump wiring
Posted By: Blamey
Subject: Bilge Pump wiring
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 6:36pm
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So I am planning on leaving my boat (1995 Sport Nautique) in a slip over the summer. Plan is mostly just for overnights on the weekend but I'd like to be able to leave the boat for up to a week if needed. I currently have a Rule pump and a Water Witch switch. I have tested both and they work but I want to make sure this is going to be an adequate setup for leaving the boat for that long. is this a safe setup for keeping the boat on a slip? The pump is setup with what I believe to be factory config, which is basically that the ignition breaker needs to be on for the pump, or anything else electrical, to work at all, Then there is a Manual Pump breaker to turn the pump on and an Automatic Pump breaker to turn the switch on. My issue with this is that turning the ignition on also turns the head unit on and I am worried that the stereo (even if it's in standby and not actually playing anything) will draw too much power if left on for the week. Should the head unit be rewired so it doesn't turn on with the ignition switch? Thoughts? ------------- 96 Super Sport Previously: 95 Sport Nautique, 1980 Ski Supreme |
Replies:
Posted By: 74Wind
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 6:57pm
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Someone correct me if wrong, but if your head unit has a removable face, detaching it shuts it totally down. Also, needless to say I'm sure, but make sure your stuffing box is properly adjusted. ------------- 1974 Southwind 18 1975 Century Mark II |
Posted By: spiralhelix
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 7:13pm
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I wired my stereo to one acc breaker and all my USB power outlets to the other acc breaker. If you don't have anything tied to those, that could be an option if you didn't want to detach the face. Another option would be to jump from the hot side the ignition breaker to the auto pump breaker to give it constant 12v regardless of the ig breaker. Not sure what the battery drain would be for a week with the auto pump indicator always being on. I'm guessing small, but i could be wrong. Spiral |
Posted By: Blamey
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 8:39pm
I do believe the stereo has a detachable face. So that would work for my situation. I'll double check the stuffing box ------------- 96 Super Sport Previously: 95 Sport Nautique, 1980 Ski Supreme |
74Wind wrote:Posted By: 74Wind
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 9:46pm
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Thinking further, mine has a detachable face, I assume it does not draw any power with face off, but can't say for sure. Different scenario, I rarely if ever put the face on....not to save power, but mostly just prefer the LPSL effect... ------------- 1974 Southwind 18 1975 Century Mark II |
Posted By: Blamey
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 11:38pm
------------- 96 Super Sport Previously: 95 Sport Nautique, 1980 Ski Supreme |
Posted By: bwinn
Date Posted: April-25-2016 at 11:54pm
Loud pipes save lives...... |
Posted By: DayTony
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 8:04am
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even if the head unit faceplate is removed it will still draw power, a small amount yes but the draw is there. most units have 2 power wires one is to save presets and always draws even on a car. not to mention any bad ground or connection in the old harness. gauges are going to have power too but probably wont read anything till engines on. except fuel. myself. if it were ME. I would not butcher whats there and leave it how it is. But i would also pick up another pump like a rule 750 auto(3 wire) and mount it right next to the other one and leave that sucker wired directly to the battery and run a manual switch to overide the auto switch up to the dash and have it clearly marked so any good samaritan walking by at the boat yard who happens to notice your freeboard is a little low can figure out what switch to turn on before he tries to find out the owner and call you up. you would be surprised how many people pick up on something like that when the only people walking by are also boat owners. ------------- 1988 Barefoot nautique-454 |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: April-26-2016 at 9:30am
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You always leave the bilge pump off for a day, a day when you'll be very close by, and get a sense of how much water it takes on when it's just sitting for a day. It shouldn't be too much, and if so, you'll be fine as long as you have a strong battery. A week really isn't that much time. Pay close attention to how your cover "tents" water. Make sure you have the poles setup high enough, and that the cover is taut. I use some old windshield washer fluid bottles filled with stones/sand and water, and use bungie them to my cover straps along the sides, to keep constant tension on the cover. The less water that gets in, the less your bilge pump will have to pump out. |