bertram31.com

Just curious on about the source of battery power for bilge pumps. Obviously when operating through the float switch, this power should come from the hot battery bus as I made for each battery in my 31 Bahia Mar, or the hot pole on the battery switch with each battery powering a separate bilge pump. When turning on the bilge pumps from my panel on my Bertram, the batteries must be switched on which I believe to be the preferred method so a bilge pump is not inadvertently turned on for instance when putting the canvas cover over my instrument panel. On my 35 Contender, the bilge pumps operate from the switch on the instrument panel even if the batteries are switched off. I don't think it is necessary for them to be hot wired from the instrument panel switches and that is just setting up the potential for getting a dead battery where the float switch would then not be able to turn the pump on when needed, or even worse heating that same pump up to failure or burning the fuse. Should I change it to the way it is in my Bertram, or vice versa.

The bilge pump switches on my boat are hot all of the time. They also have an "off" position that I don't like. The float switch position stays switched while the manual position is only momentary. I think you have good logic to your wiring, but make sure the manual switch is a momentary one and you shouldn't have the problem you are worried about.

Craig-
My pumps are hot all the time with a two position switch with the options of automatic or manual on. I do have a breaker before the switches so I can kill the power if I need to.
I like this solution and encourage you to consider it.
Best,
Stephan

Mine are hot all the time, running through the way switch as set up by Bertram. It is manual/off/Auto. They are always on Auto unless some guest plays with them. I have an inline fuse to protect the line.