Span 24
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2009
- Messages
- 48
Sorry for the long post but i want to give a little background if only to help me feel less foolish. :redface:
Since I purchased my boat a month ago I have taken her out several times. I have had no problems with water in the bilge, never a drop. The bilge switch is a simple on/off rocker which lights up when on. When I switch it on I can hear the bilge running.
For the first few trips I would occasionally cycle the switch and look to the bilge drain to see if I had any water. Again, never a drop. Last weekend we washed the deck down with about a gallon of water while at the dock to clear sand off assuming that all of the water would simply drain from the deck scupper. Well, I forgot to remember that the ski locker drains into the bilge. Anyway, shortly after getting back underway I again cycled the bilge switch and this time I got water! WOO-HOO the bilge is working!! After a short panic before realizing where the water came from I felt quite good that the bilge would pump water.
Here is my inquiry; While searching for the source of the water I actually saw the bilge pump for the first time. What I was amazed to see was that it is an automatic pump, a Mayfair Johnson 750 GPM cartridge pump with an automatic switch. Can this be original equipment with only a two position switch? Every explaination of automatic bilge pump operation I have read here on the forums indicates that they work on a three position switch, on/off/auto. After reading up on the switch I find that it is a non-float type switch which operates automatically with 3" of water on the switch for 8 seconds.
Here is what I am assuming; the switch is always powered for automatic operation but can be manually operated with the two position switch. I know that the only way to test this is to fill the bilge with 4" of water with the battery on and the switch off. I will try this later this week.
Has anyone seen a pump wired like this or am I just foolish to think that it may work this way?
Perhaps the two-position switch is specific to this pump model?
Thanx in advance!
Michael
Since I purchased my boat a month ago I have taken her out several times. I have had no problems with water in the bilge, never a drop. The bilge switch is a simple on/off rocker which lights up when on. When I switch it on I can hear the bilge running.
For the first few trips I would occasionally cycle the switch and look to the bilge drain to see if I had any water. Again, never a drop. Last weekend we washed the deck down with about a gallon of water while at the dock to clear sand off assuming that all of the water would simply drain from the deck scupper. Well, I forgot to remember that the ski locker drains into the bilge. Anyway, shortly after getting back underway I again cycled the bilge switch and this time I got water! WOO-HOO the bilge is working!! After a short panic before realizing where the water came from I felt quite good that the bilge would pump water.
Here is my inquiry; While searching for the source of the water I actually saw the bilge pump for the first time. What I was amazed to see was that it is an automatic pump, a Mayfair Johnson 750 GPM cartridge pump with an automatic switch. Can this be original equipment with only a two position switch? Every explaination of automatic bilge pump operation I have read here on the forums indicates that they work on a three position switch, on/off/auto. After reading up on the switch I find that it is a non-float type switch which operates automatically with 3" of water on the switch for 8 seconds.
Here is what I am assuming; the switch is always powered for automatic operation but can be manually operated with the two position switch. I know that the only way to test this is to fill the bilge with 4" of water with the battery on and the switch off. I will try this later this week.
Has anyone seen a pump wired like this or am I just foolish to think that it may work this way?
Perhaps the two-position switch is specific to this pump model?Thanx in advance!
Michael
