Bilge pump switch

V

Van_Vader

New member
I've got a bilge pump issue I'm trying to solve. When you push the manual bilge button the pump runs, but when you go back to auto it will not shut off. I believe the issue is with the switch. The voltmeter shows no voltage going to the the manual side, but as soon as I test the manual and go back to auto the voltage stays on.
Does anyone know where I can find a switch that will match the other switches. I can't seem to find a brand on the switch.

Bilge_Switch.jpg
 
Most bilge pumps have two ways to turn them on. One will be a manual switch at the helm or console. The second way is a float or water sensing switch on the pump itself, or near by. The wiring for this switch goes directly from the battery or from a bus bar by the house battery.

What happens is when you put the switch on manual, then a column of water from the bilge pump fills the discharge hose. Most do not have a back flow valve. (Or if they have the valve, they often stick closed or open). When the pump tends to shut off, then this column of water often flows back down, and activates the pump switch again.--setting off a cyclic function of off and on sequences.

I would not turn off the automatic pump, because that may save your boat if there is a heavy rain etc.
 
I'd search for the float switch and see if it is gunked up or sticking for some other reason. Or if it's one of the style pumps that run every few minutes to see if it senses water, wait a few minutes in auto and see if it shuts off. If it is one of those styles, replace it with one that uses an internal or external float switch. Otherwise it will constantly be drawing power...
 
Ended up replacing the switch and the old rocker cover fit on the new switch, so it matches with the rest.

The bad news was the problem was not the switch. The problem ended up being the aft bilge pump had a electrical problem. When you switched it to manual it was feeding power through the manual on wire to the switch which the center bilge was also wired together on the post. Which was causing the mid bilge to run continuous. Replaced the back bilge and the problem went away.
 
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