bilge pump on automatic

terraplane · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:51 am Post subject: bilge pump on automatic

I keep my two bilge pumps on the automatic setting, and works fine..big rain yesterday...cabin floor wet...bilge pumps work on manual, but not on automatic. What do i check?
terraplane

terraplane

Re: my problem with bilge pumps...these are not the ones which constantly sense water and then pump. On the dash there is a rocker switch for manual, and automatic and off. One pump is in stern, one in regular spot midship, just behind cabin. Pumps work on manual, but not when on automatic ( put a hose in the well and filled it with water and pump does not come on). Seeking advice about what kind of problem this is and remedy.

Terraplane

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:08 pm Post subject:

Tom-

Is your bilge pump switch "hot" only when the battery power switch is "On", or all the time?

Joe.

terraplane · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:29 pm Post subject: bilge and automatic

Thanks for answering. I think it is hot all the time...I usually leave the battery switch on the "1" setting all the time since i'm on the boat everyday.
I went down today and let the hose run in the bilge area...no pumping. The manual pump out works fine.

terraplane/tom

Not For Hire · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:51 pm Post subject:

Tom, your boat should have the Rule pump(s) with the built in float switch. The factory went to these pumps sometime around 2003 instead of the pumps with an automatic timer. The pumps come on when water is two inches deep (I think, being away from the boat and manuals at the moment). Can you test to see if you can activate the float by submersing in a bucket or by raising the float manually in some fashion?

Regards,

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject:

Tom-

OK! Now we know where to go next!

Check to see if the terminal and wire going out of the switch are "hot" with a light bulb type continuity tester or voltmeter when the switch is in the automatic position. If they are then...

Go the pump and check that the incoming wire is hot there. Also, there could be a fuse in the line between the switch and the motor, so if there's no voltage at the motor, back up and check the wiring and possible fuse between the switch and the motor. The fuse and fuse holder are the most common source of trouble in these systems. Some corrosion can be cleaned out, sometimes it's necessary to replace the fuse, sometimes the fuse and the holder. Diaelectric grease can help seal out moisture and salt air that cause problems.

If the wire(S) to the motor(s) is hot then lift the float switch(es) manually to see if the motors come on. If theY don't either the switches are bad, the motors have problems, or the wire to the ground is bad.

The float switches can be external, or internal within the pump bodies. You'll have to raise the swithces and see if the power passes through them. Checking the emerging power may be difficult to do because the wires are shrouded.

If the pumps don't come on with the floats raised, I'd jump a wire to a good ground and then see if they come on, again with the floats up. However, if the pumps work on "Manual", the motors and the grounds should be OK, and the problem is back before the motor:

Switch...line...fuse....float...check 'em out in order!

If this doesn't do it, you'll have to remove the pumps and work on them on a bench where you can hot wire them directly and see what's going on inside.

Keep me posted on what you find out !

Joe.

ARBOMAN · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject: pump

Tom I had A similar problem with my pump in the cockpit worked fine on manuel but not on auto. I opened the pump and found the float had some trash keeping it from activating . Washed it and it worked fine. You can test the float by turning the pump upside down. Good luck

terraplane · Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:11 am Post subject: bilgepump problem

You guys are amazing...I'm off to the boat with my neighbor (who knows a wire from a ham sandwich...which i don't..remember...retired college professor?)...and with a copy of all the advice for the fix. Thanks so much for the help. Will post the results.

tom/terraplane

MOOSE · Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 9:59 am Post subject:

Tom, what did you learn? I'm curious; I have the same problem.
Al

ccflyer · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 1:41 pm Post subject:

If I could jump in with a similar issue --

This is my first week in the water with my CD. When I went to the slip today during a steady rain I found the cockpit filling with water. After locating the bilge pump I see it has three wires. One is capped off. The other two run up to the accessory panel.

Apparently, to get the pump to run on automatic I need to leave on both the house battery and the bilge pump switch.

I would have thought the bilge pump would be hot wired directly to the battery while the capped wire might go to the panel for a manual over ride?

I assume the wiring I'm seeing came that way from the factory. Am I missing something?

BTW this is a Rule 1100

Phil

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 1:53 pm Post subject:

Phil-

Everything you're saying makes perfect sense (except perhaps why it's wired the way it is).

I'd check out the wiring color code for the wires at the Rule/Jabsco website or look at the directions in a box for a new pump and wire the extra bypass to the battery accordingly.

It probably ought to be fused, and I'd personally add a switch to turn it off when the boat is in dry storage, like in a garage, for safety and convenience reasons.

Joe.

terraplane · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject: bilge on automatic

We couldn't quite figure it out. I take the boat in for 200hour service next week and hope t get it fixed there. I do remember that the original switch on the dash failed and this one is a replacement, so maybe that is the problem.
Electric on boats...sometimes i think a galley with ten oarsmen would be better.

terraplane

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject:

Tom-

Let us know what you find out!

Good luck!

Joe.

smittypaddler · Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:48 pm Post subject:

The dates on the replies on this topic are all from last May, so this is probably too little too late, but, I just had my bilge pump display the same symptoms; worked fine on manual, but the automatic setting stopped working. I inspected the pump and the wiring, and all looked OK, so I guessed it was the water level sensor, and bought a new pump. When I started removing the old pump, the wire for the automatic switch was pure green powder. I respliced that wire after cutting off the corroded ends, and it worked fine. I should've tested with a voltmeter before buying a pump, but I'm telling myself, "Great! Now I have a spare bilge pump in case the old one goes out!"

I'm guessing that, on the automatic setting, there's a constant flow of current to run the water-level sensor, and electrolysis turned my wire to power. The other two wires show very little corrosion. On my 6000-mile great loop trip, I had the switch on automatic almost constantly, for almost a year. My plan now is to periodically check the wires to the bilge pump. But what the heck; now I have a spare pump! :-)