Bilge pump

[PeterPalmieri]

Thus far I can only find that my aft pump is not working. As you all know they don't call me mr fix it. But with the damage to boats and marinas I'm gonna have no choice but to diagnose and fix this. Any advice would be helpful.

I have the west marine switch auto/manual it has an indicator light and a fuse. The light doesn't come on and the fuse is not blown. Would that indicate that the pump may not have malfunctioned but he fuse popped at the battery. The pumps are hard wired to the battery. If that fuse didn't go can it be the switch itself.

The pump itself is behind the tank and under the rudder shelf it's accessible but not sure how easy it is to get my hands on it.

Any thoughts would be very helpful.

[Rawleigh]

Peter: How new is the float switch? They are always suspect. What kind of pump and switch is it? Does this switch have an oil sensor like some of the new ones? That would keep the pump from coming on if oil is present. Some of the one piece pump/switches have that nice feature. Had a friend's pile driving barge sink because of that.

Begin at the battery. Check the connections. Check for power at the pump connections. If none, next take a test light or multitester and check behind the West switch for power from the battery and then power from the switch to the pump. Then test at the pump switch. Just work your way down the circuit until the problem is isolated.

[PeterPalmieri]

Thanks, Last I was able to get to the boat was in the dark and I had to come to work today. I'll crawl around in the morning. Pump doesn't seem to be that old would a malfunction at the pump cause the light not to come on? I will check out the power side and see what I come up with.

[Stephan]

Pete-
Maybe try removing the pump from its base and seeing of there is any blockage and clean out the strainer?
I know the light should come on but just trying to do the easiest/cheapest stuff first...
Stephan

[Bruce]

If you have no indicator lite look at pump feed.
Even with a bad pump or float, unless its blowing fuses, the lite will come on if power is present. No lite, good fuses = no power.

A simple test light rather than a meter will help. Put the clip to ground and use the probe to follow the feed.

Nice thing about the 31, least needed pump is aft as water runs fwd.

[STraenkle]

Peter, I remember you saying that the battery was low after the storm, correct? That would lead me to believe the pump got stuck on and burned out, possibly over heating a wire to the pump. Use a multi meter to find the short as mentioned, but the culpit maybe the pump draining your battery. Run two wires to the pump directly and see if it turns on. Most pumps are just held down by a couple screws, undo the screws and pull out of the bilge to work on. Much easier, and the screw driver makes your hand longer. To put back in, tape the screw to the driver,

[PeterPalmieri]

We didn't get a ton of rain and as Bruce said most water ends up mid ship. The only time the aft pump comes on when the boat is on plane. So I'm surprised my battery was low and the pump went.

Appreciate all your advice.

[Peter]

What Bruce said.... but if there is no break in the positive wire from the battery then check the negative side. No light with pump switch set on manual= no circuit.

If it is a Rule switch the light is never on when on auto. Not even when the pump is running. When in auto the only way to tell if it is working right is to manually lift up the float switch and see if the pump runs.

My favorite troubleshooting tool for ELECTRICAl stuff (Not electronic stuff) is about ten or twelve feet of wire with alligator clips at each end. If you can't get alligator clips just use paper clips or something. Find a known-to-be-good source of 12 volts, and a known good ground. Like at a working cabin light, or gauge, or in the panel, or at the battery. Jumper out anything suspect and see if things happen. Warning though, sometimes what happens is things get really hot really fast, indicating a short....like glowing red in a single second or so.... Just be ready to yank your tester wire off if that starts to happen. But since it happens fast it's obvious its happening.

The float switches are always suspect. Fuses sometimes look good but aren't. Ground wires often go bad. Connections corrode. Most likely you don't have juice to the pump because of a broken circuit by one of those common reasons.

All switches, especially float switches, ALWAYS go on the positive side of the circuit. Negative wires should be unbroken by any switch. Straight to a common negative stud or buss, and from there to the negative side of the battery. No breaks. No switches. Float switches are notoriously wired into the wrong (negative) side when they should never be. " IF " this is the case the whole circuit is open even when the panel switch is in manual... no light, no curcuit, no pump.... unless the float switch is up. Check for this common mistake. Put the panel switch to manual and lift the float switch. If the light comes on and or the pump runs the float switch is probably wired in the negative side of the curcuit.

BUT that isn't why the float switch isn't supposed to be in the negative side. Negative should always be continuous for reasons mostly related to bonding and grounding. But that is another post for another day.

Peter

[gplume]

Peter-
One item i instaled recently...per brewsters recomendation from 2008 rendevous ..counters. Gives great insight on which pumps do whst. For me, with a full tank of fuel, its all back bilge pump. If i get below 2/3, then front is the primary pump. The data from the pump counter, broght this distribution to light.

[bob lico]

One twenty pounder ------- bam bilge works with PVC mount on float switch!

[PeterPalmieri]

Bob,

I'm not much for shooting bears and I don't want to rub it in but you missed out on one of the best days I've ever had fishing FI inlet last friday. The ocean was calm, there were bass and Albie blitzes on small bait we used deadly dicks and poppers to catch bass between 36-42 inches with Albies mixed in. Between the blitzes we jigged blues to 15lbs til are arms hurt. Finally called it quits because we were exhausted. I then embellished one of the recipes in Walters book and made a nice striper stuffed with crab meat fresh from Babylon fish and clam which was hit hard Monday night.

Now I'm afraid to think what it's like may take a trip on the little boat over the weekend to get a sense of how much debri is in the water. But more important after I fix the bilge pump tomorrow I have some friends who were hit pretty hard that need some help

Taking off Monday and Tuesday but don't want to commit to fishing just yet.

[bob lico]

i went to a extremely remote area in northern maine for a bear hunt. no tv,phone or any other communication but i had Sat phone.raining like hell and i could not track at all so i call home . wife in state of panic due to hurricane so i pack up and leave cannot go over bridges so went to cross sound ferry and made home on fumes! boat was put in best spot in marina at highest area roped off to concrete columns and eight foot cast iron fence. so i am out off water for season marina is totally wrecked with no docks ,and boats on top of each other .water was 26" higher then hurricane of 1938 so says Snapper inn restaurant next door. my house has auto diesel generator so all is good at home. huge three story victoria home next store blocked wind. i hot wire land gas diesel pumps at marina for fuel for machines to start removing boats ,docks and every thing else.
bilge pumps or what ever else on boat just call. the main body of bass should be outside inlet about now.