Bilge pump turns on then off...

[ccarver80]

Never knew if my bilge pump worked or not so I decided to fill the boat a little with the garden hose and turn it on.... it turns on for 15 secs maybe and shuts off like it blew a fues... but I can't find any fues blown and if I leave it for like 5 min and try again it turns on again for a little bit and shuts off again....

 

[Alumarine]

Drain the water and see if it behaves the same.
You may have an auto sensing pump that is acting up or you may not have enough water in the bilge.
In any case an auto sensing pump should run constantly in the manual position.

 

[Silvertip]

Or the pump may be protected with an auto-reset circuit breaker that is too small for the electrical load or the pump is drawing too much current.

 

[ccarver80]

It runs constant with no water

 

[mike_i]

Since it turns on it's not a fuse issue, but it would be nice to know where the fuse is. Fill the bilge with more water and when the pump kicks on leave the hose running so the water level does not drop and let us know what the pump does.

 

[ajgraz]

Your auto switch may be powered straight from the battery. Check that connection at the battery, and the fuse and fuse holder it should have, for corrosion.

 

[gm280]

Twp things stand out to me. First you stated that it comes on and only runs for a few seconds and stops. And then you stated that if there is no water, it comes on and runs continuously. SO, it does sound like an auto reset breaker is somewhere and when the pump is actually pumping water, the load is greater then the auto reset breaker. So you have to trace the wires until you locate that breaker and clean or replace it and all the wire connections along the way. But that is only a wild guess not being there myself. JMHO

 

[Alumarine]

When it runs for 15 seconds does it pump water?

 

[ccarver80]

Yes it shoots water out good! I'm going to try and find the auto reset breaker tonight... my boats not fancy and doesn't have a timer or float on it... it's either on... or off... what gm said makes the best sense