float switch to bilge pump

[danthern]

Hi Guys...I'm attempting to wire a auto switch to my bilge pump and am obviously doing something wrong as I keep blowing fuses. There is a white wire (?hot) and a black and green tied together coming off the bilge pump. Switch has 2 brown wires. When I tie one of each switch wire to the pump leads, fuses blow. What am I doing wrong?<br />Thanks!

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

I should note that the old switch hasn't worked since I've had the boat. (22.5 ft Cruiser).

 

[18rabbit]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

White, black, and green?!?!? Humm.<br />- What does the label on the pump say the rating for volts is?<br />- While you are looking at that pump label, get the make/model of the pump, too.<br />- Are you wiring the float switch in-line (not good) or coming off a 3-way bilge pump switch?

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

Thanks for your reply....The pump is a Jettison 1400 <br />Specs are: capacity straight 1400<br />Capacity 3 head 1200<br />Voltage 12V DC<br />Amperage 6.0<br />Thanks a ton!

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

I was attempting to wire inline to the pump, BTW

 

[CTD]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

you just cut the ground lead to the pump and hook each of the two wires from the auto switch to each of the ends.

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

You mean attach the switch wires to the ground lead only?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

Don’t snip or cut any wiring just yet. Your pump isn’t going anywhere without a gnd [-] and a pos [+].<br /><br />Your pump has 3 wires. One wire is gnd [-] and the other two are pos [+]. There are two [+] so that you can run one to a manual on/off switch at the helm and the other [+] to a float switch in the bilge. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find out what wire is for [-]. The other two will be [+] and you can use either one for your float switch. Historically, [-] is a black wire when used with DC voltage. If your pump is historical, having the black and green wires tied together will result in a direct short when you apply voltage to the white wire. The result will be an immediate death to one otherwise very good fuse.<br /><br />Separate the black and green wires, then apply voltage. If you have the pump out of the bilge, take it to your battery and touch the black wire to the [-] post and the white wire to the [+]. Should work. Do the same with the black [-] and the green wire [+]. Should also work. NOTE: if you have an internal short in your pump (i.e. the pump’s motor is dead), touching the wires to the battery can cause the pump to get real hot real fast and smoke will waft up. Otherwise, it will jump to life and the scare the crap out of you…which is what I suspect is going to happen. <br /><br />As far as the wiring installation goes there are plenty of other folks here that will help you once you’ve identified the [-] wire, tho I think it will become obvious to you. I would not install a bilge pump that is connected only to a float switch. I think of the manual on/off switch as absolutely necessary and the float switch as a luxury. Your pump is designed such that both a manual switch at the helm and a float switch in the bilge can be (and should be!) used.<br /><br />EDIT: I was concerned about the wire coloring because black (ungrounded), white (grounded) and green (grounding) are the standard colors used in AC circuitry. A lot of bilge pump manufacturers make many models of their bilge pumps available as either DC (battery) or AC (shore power) voltage. I think your pump is an older one that uses wire colors prior to the standard brown, brown & white, and black that is used for volts-DC bilge pumps today.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

I think that pump is made by Johnson/Mayfair. You should be able to find the instruction sheet here:<br /><br /> http://www.johnson-pump.com/

 

[18rabbit]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

I think it is, too.<br /><br /> http://www.johnson-pump.com/JPMarine/default.htm <br /><br />Click on [product by application] [bilge pumping] then at the bottom of the page in the Submersible Bilge Pumps section, click on [L1600-L2200]. Then on that webpage there is a link for a .pdf file with instructions. You might want to try the English section.

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

Thanks guys! Have instructions in hand, going to give it a whirl....I'll keep you posted

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

ok, heres the latest....pump directly to battery, black to ground, white to hot, the pump runs. Green to hot, black to ground, nothing...tried to wire the pump back to the existing pre-screwed-with-it wiring, I get nothing, fuse isn't blown....What the hell have I done?? BTW, have I said that this forum is a dumbass boaters best friend?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

We need to find which wire is [-] and the other two will be [+]. What you have is:<br /><br />Black [-] and white [+] pump runs.<br />Black [-] and green [+] pump doesn’t run.<br /><br />This suggests black and green are the same … the two [+]’s. White should be the [-]. This also explains why the black and green were joined as you mentioned in your original posting…if they are both [+] inputs.<br /><br />With the pump at the battery, try touching the:<br /><br />White [-] and green [+] … pump should run.<br />White [-] and black [+] … pump should run.<br /><br />If this works you can choose either the black or green as your [+] coming from your float switch, the white goes to ground [-]. As far as the pump not working after reinstalling it, if you wired it to the float switch it isn’t going to work until there is water in the bilge. You will need to lift up on the float to test the connection. Btw, you should be using something like a 10-amp fuse. With a 7.5-amp (or less) fuse, it can fry when the pump starts due to high inrush current. If you are using a regular old glass fuse (a.k.a. bus fuse) it is possible for the fuse to fry without it being visible.<br /><br />NOTE: when you are ‘touching’ the wires to the battery you are not holding them there…especially if the pump does not immediately responding.

 

[danthern]

Re: float switch to bilge pump

Thanks Rabbit....that all makes sense. I didn't have the switch wired when I tried to reconnect the pump, but maybe the fuse is bad and I can't see it. Just picked up a fresh supply of fuses today. I'll give it another go. Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted. <br />Thanks again!