Float Switch and Bilge pump questions

[hostage]

So my bilge pump wouldn't work that well when I would run it sometimes. I would turn it on and nothing, other times it would come on the first time I turned the switch on. So I replaced the pump today.

I also noticed that the float switch wasn't working. I saw the switch I have installed has 3 wires going in: brown, black, and one with a stripe on it.

So I got a new switch and realized it has only two wires attached to it. Can I just just splice two of the wires that are coming from the boat to one of the switch wires? I am guessing that the 3rd wire my current float switch is just a splice.

Secondly I am concerned that someone or the factory didn't do the wireing properly. I cut all three wires for the float switch and to my surprise the manual override switch still worked on the console. I then stripped all the wires coming from the boat to the switch and it is reading zero voltage. I think the manufacture or last person who worked on it might have messed the wiring up. I am using this diagram:
http://forums.iboats.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=194124&d=1368732771

So I guess my two questions:
1) Can I splice two wires and use a 2 wire float switch?
2) Is the boat wired wrong and the current float switch could have worked all this time?


Thanks in advance,

Hostage

 

[Don S]

Re: Float Switch and Bilge pump questions

Never seen a float switch with 3 wires. So have no clue what you have. Or if it's oem or previous owner. Doen't even know what boat you have or what year it is. let alone how it was wired from the factory.

So I guess my two questions:
1) Can I splice two wires and use a 2 wire float switch?
2) Is the boat wired wrong and the current float switch could have worked all this time?

1. Yes, just like shown in the drawing.
2. Have no clue what you have, see above.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Float Switch and Bilge pump questions

Is it the switch or the pump that has 3 wires?

If the pump has 3 wires, it has a built-in float switch.

 

[hostage]

Re: Float Switch and Bilge pump questions

This is a moduler Johnson 500gpm pump with a Johnson 3 wire tower seperate float switch. I purchased a Johnson ball bearing switch that has two wires coming out of it.

I plugged the two wires that previously went into the pump into the new one. I stripped the wires that were going to float switch and there is no voltage at all.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Float Switch and Bilge pump questions

I believe the 3 wires are connected to:
Brown: battery positive for automatic operation
Brown/white: switched battery positive for manual operation
Black: battery negative

I may have the brown and brown/white reversed.

 

[hostage]

Re: Float Switch and Bilge pump questions

I believe the 3 wires are connected to:
Brown: battery positive for automatic operation
Brown/white: switched battery positive for manual operation
Black: battery negative

I may have the brown and brown/white reversed.

I think it looks more like a brown/red and I think that is connected to the battery, or at least was supposed to be.

I got very annoyed and what I thought were inline fuses were these quick disconnects, I unplugged them and started doing some tests to my multimeter.

1) I found out that the black was indeed connected to the battery by using the positive going to directly to the pump, when I had the console switch on.
2) Nothing was registering as hot (positive) on the multimeter, with the exception of when the switch was turned on.
3) I thought about the most likely scenario an found out there was a third wire that went to the battery that I never knew about that was near the battery and transom. It looks very crude and has an inline fuse in it.

It turns out it looks like the problem was #3, but 1 and 2 helped me figure out the problem. I tested it by touching one other wire and the bilge pump came alive. I tested the other wire and blew the inline fuse ><. I called it a night as it was getting late and my body is not use to gymnastic positions for to long. When I get home I will test and make sure the existing switch works. Then I shall splice, shrink wrap, and liquid electric tape the to new or existing switch.

Thanks for the help!