Bilge Auto float switch wiring

FishHog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Messages
144
my auto switch quit working, so I assumed it was the switch. Pulled it out and tested it, and its working fine. Manual switch to the bilge pump turns it on fine also.

the wiring has me a little confused. There is obvioulsy power to the pump which turns on and off with the manual switch, working fine. Float switch is pretty self explanatory, but obviously my problem lies with the other two wires. Can anyone explain where they are going and what the wiring diagram should look like?

I don't want to go by another switch just to get the diagram, but I can't trace the wires as I loose them at the back of the bilge.

Hope that makes sense.

thanks,

FishHog
 

burp

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2002
Messages
363
Re: Bilge Auto float switch wiring

Bilge wire is most likely a brown color wire with a yellow trace on it. For the bilge auto switch to work, it should have power to it at all times, even if the battery switch is turned off (if you have a battery switch). Look for an inline fuse holder coming off of or near one of the batteries. I suspect you will find it has a blown fuse, didn't get hooked back up or connected to the wrong battery post when the battery was reinstalled in the spring.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Re: Bilge Auto float switch wiring

If the pump has 3 wires and an internal float switch it will be wired like this:

pump.gif
 

FishHog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Messages
144
Re: Bilge Auto float switch wiring

Thanks for the info guys. Finally had a chance to dig into this and it turns out the switch operates fine, but a fuse was blown so I had no power to it. Now the problem is, when I replace the 1amp fuse I have power, as soon as I trip the switch, the fuse blows. So now I need to figure out why I'm blowing fuses. I tested with a 5amp fuse and it seems to be holding (just for a test), I assume the 1amp that was there, and has been there for at least 5 years that I have had the boat is the right size, so obviously I have another issue somewhere.

I hate electrical problems. Especially when all the wires are next to impossible to get to.

FishHog
 

burp

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 3, 2002
Messages
363
Re: Bilge Auto float switch wiring

A 1 amp fuse isn't much for a bilge pump. If the auto float & pump worked fine with a 5 amp fuse in it, I know what I would do. What size fuse is in the circuit for the manual switch? Look on the bilge pump as it may indicate the nominal current draw and what it should be fused for. My Mayfair bilge pump indicates nominal current draw of 2.5 amps and to fuse it with a 5 amp fuse.
 

Boatist

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 22, 2002
Messages
4,552
Re: Bilge Auto float switch wiring

At a Cabelas site they have a chart with different bilge pumps and their current draw.
Rule 360 GPH draws 2.1 amps
Rule 500 GPH draws 1.9 amps
Rule 1500GPH draws 4.8 amps.

On a saftey iteam like a bilge pump I would use a fuse twice the draw of the pump as long as your wireing is heavy enough.

Like on my boat the wire is 14 guage and can safely carry 15 amps but the fuse is 5 amps.

Another thing is you could also check the size of the fuse the manual switch uses and use the same size fuse or wire to use the same fuse.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=bilge+pimp&noImage=0
 

FishHog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Messages
144
Re: Bilge Auto float switch wiring

thanks alot guys. I'll check the other fuse size and match it.

FishHog
 
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