Bilge Pump...Fryed??

after awhile on the water started to smell something like plastic or wire burning...then noticed I had left the manual bilge pump switch on..it was maybe on for at least 20 mins with nothing to pump, and of course now it does nothing. Did I fry it leaving it on and should I just get a replacement? thanks

Re: Bilge Pump...Fryed??

I had a rule 800 pump on for as long as it took it to run down my battery and it was not burnt out, forgot it on on the trailer. came back the next week and battery was flat. when i changed batteries pump came on so i knew what had happened. pump still worked perfectly. actually still works and that was 3 years ago.
switch the pump on and see if it still runs, then put some water in the bilge and see if it pumps it out at about the rate u would normally see. if all goes well check to see what else was the burning plastic. if any of the above checks fail new pump.

Re: Bilge Pump...Fryed??

yeah....thanks. you can always hear it running when the switch is on. it's dead. I'm thinking maybe I burnt it out? Is that possible?

Re: Bilge Pump...Fryed??

it's dead. I'm thinking maybe I burnt it out? Is that possible?

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Yes...

Re: Bilge Pump...Fryed??

sea star said:

after awhile on the water started to smell something like plastic or wire burning...

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shes toast. that burning plastic smell tells me that. just yesterday i installed a new Rule-Mate 1100 in my boat. internal float switch that cant get stuck and get this, it said in the instructions that the pump can "feel" the difference between water and oil and will not turn on for a oil leak. Rule's continuing commitment to preserving our waterway.

Re: Bilge Pump...Fryed??

Chances are something got up inside the shaft and jammed up the pump shaft. But that should have fairly quickly popped a breaker or blown a fuse. How is your pump circuit protected at the helm?

Re: Bilge Pump...Fryed??

well you didn't fry it by leaving it on but it MAY have been on the way out anyhow.... You could also have a short in the wiring... Look CLOSE at the whole circuit... and like seabob4 said find the fuse... make sure it is sized properly for the pump..... Also if you do replace the pump get the biggest one you can stuff in there .... If anything ever goes wrong the little pumps most boats have are a joke.

I always like to put a big one in AND a little 500 too... the small one goes in the absolute lowest spot..... it will leave less water in the boat, use less power and can handle the normal water from rain and swimmers.. Then I put the float for the big pump a few inches up from the bottom so if something happens that the small pump can't handle it takes over....