Bilge pump wiring and switch problem

[archristenso]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of replacing the bilge pump in my late father's boat. Mom wants it sold and there are a few things that need to be replaced. I replaced the original lit toggle switch with an identical switch (two position switch with three prongs power, ground, accessory).

With the switch on and using a voltmeter, I have 12+ volts on the circuit at the ends of the wire (and the switch is lit). As soon as I hook up the pump the pump doesn't run and the switch is no longer lit. If I disconnect the pump from the wires, everything goes back to the original state.

Any suggestions?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bilge pump wiring and switch problem

The pump motor is probably locked up. Connect it directly to the battery and see if it runsl If not, it must be replaced.

 

[Splat]

Re: Bilge pump wiring and switch problem

Where is the ground from the bildge pump running. It needs to run to the battery ground. Not to the ground on the switch.

Bill

 

[archristenso]

Re: Bilge pump wiring and switch problem

Silvertip, I apologize but I forgot to mention that the pump is new. Just took it out of the box yesterday. I did however, on your suggestion, hook it up to the battery just to make sure.

I'm not exactly sure where the ground for that pump runs too, but there is a grounding bolt very close by that I could ground it to.

Would having the ground and acc. wires on the switch mixed up cause this problem?

 

[flargin]

Re: Bilge pump wiring and switch problem

just to ensure we are all on the same page.

From fusebox or battery, you should have a positive line comming to the switch. this goes to the switch. If at this point you want to run a black wire from the switch to a local ground line (normally black -- look for a line common to all guages that is black, that will normally be ground.

If you already have a brown line from the old bilge, you may want to use this. Connect this brown line, or another appropriate line from the switch to the bilge.

take the black line off of the bilge and, adding more black wire, connect it to a local common negative point, or the battery itself.

There may be 3 wires coming off of the bilge, if it does you have an Autoswitch (+12v always), a switched +12v, and the black is the negative line. you will have to look at the instructions to ensure which wire is witch.

a couple of things which could be wrong. Your negative line is not connected correctly; the original line from switch to ground is shorted or broken, or you might have wired it backwards

 

[archristenso]

Re: Bilge pump wiring and switch problem

I haven't yet had the chance to follow all the wires back but Alumacraft sent the wiring schematic for this boat to me this morning. I'd upload but it's a 3 page PDF that's about 3x too large for me to attach it on here.