Bilge Pump Upgrade

[lmannyr]

I'm upgrading my 2 bilge pumps located in the engine bay. They are 800GPH Rule. Each with a float switch. One has a switch at the helm.

I'm upgrading to 2 2000GPH Rule Pumps. I upgraded the discharge Thru-hulls. That was the easy part. I'm having trouble figure out what is normally done to upgrade the wiring. Currently, the factory wire is 16 GAUGE. I need to upgrade that to 14 GAUGE. The factory wiring is snaked in that wire loom tubing that is taped nice and neat. then different groups of wire within the loom is taped nice and neat too. It looks like a nightmare to remove the old wiring and snake in the new wire through the same.

When an upgrade like this is done, do people just run new wire and leave the old in place? Need some guidance on this last part.

Thank you.

Luis

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bilge Pump Upgrade

IMHO, I would leave the 16 gauge wire in place and wire your new pumps to that. In the event you have enough water coming in to kick the pump on, the 2000 GPH pump should dump it in no time flat. This wouldn't even run long enough for the wire to get warm. In the event you have enough water coming in that both pumps are running and not shutting off, you're probably gonna lose the boat anyway (4000 GPH is a LOT of water). Just make sure they are fused properly.

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: Bilge Pump Upgrade

IMHO, I would leave the 16 gauge wire in place and wire your new pumps to that. In the event you have enough water coming in to kick the pump on, the 2000 GPH pump should dump it in no time flat. This wouldn't even run long enough for the wire to get warm. In the event you have enough water coming in that both pumps are running and not shutting off, you're probably gonna lose the boat anyway (4000 GPH is a LOT of water). Just make sure they are fused properly.

Or just zip tie the new wire to the original loom.

 

[Gpayne]

Re: Bilge Pump Upgrade

One way to look at it, quality 16 gauge wire has a max rating of 20 amps for a short run. Depending on the wire length from your console to the bilge, I would figure a 15 amp load would be safe. Just figure out how many amps your new pumps will draw. Somewhere in the instructions should be a specification table with amp or wattage requirements. If all they list is watts, just divide the rated watts by the rated voltage, and it will give you the amperage load. Or, you could always use the existing 16 gauge wire to control a relay to turn on the pumps. Wiring in relays to control high-amperage devices is a piece of cake, and you can find universal 30 amp relays at any decent auto parts stores.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Bilge Pump Upgrade

I like the relay idea but don't like the idea of it possible igniting fumes in the engine bay being relay you know. Unless the relay is 100% sealed.

 

[Gpayne]

Re: Bilge Pump Upgrade

Good thought Imannyr, I hadn't considered that. Maybe he can mount them outside of the engine bay if it's convenient? Or, I'm sure someone does offer a sealed marine relay. Of course, if they're anything like other marine-specific products, I'd hate to see the price.