Bilge Pump Problems.......

clattin

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Jul 18, 2012
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Picked up an 86 Chris Craft Scorpion 196 yesterday and took it out today to see how it ran.....everything seems pretty good except the bilge pump.

Warning.....I'm a brand new boat owner, so keep that in mind!

The previous owner pulled the fuse for the bilge pump because he said the light indicator always stayed lit even if there was no water in the bilge. I put the fuse in today while we were out in the boat and the indicator light did come on right away put when I flipped the switch I didn't hear the pump and no water came out of the hole for it. I know there was some water in the bilge at the time.

After a while, my wife said she smelled something getting hot (we were anchored at the time) and I definitely smelled the hot electrical odor as well. I deduced it had to be the bilge fuse so I pulled it out and sure enough the fuse was VERY hot! The fuse hadn't blown but it was hot to the touch. Keep in mind, the pump was not switched on during this time but the indicator lamp was illuminated.

Where do I start my troubleshooting? Pull the bilge pump out?

Thanks!
Chris
 

NYBo

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Oct 23, 2008
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7,107
Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

Sounds like bad combination of a short and too-large a fuse. Good thing your noses were on duty.:eek:

You need to trace the wires, starting at the bilge pump. Is there a separate float switch in the bilge? That will complicate the wiring, but not too much.
 
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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

possible that the biege pump is jammed. taking a guess here but if you have a biege pump with a auto float thats switched at the dash between run and auto then its possible both run and auto are on the same fuse. if the biege decied to pump in auto then it would light on the dash. if the pump was jammed then it would start to overheat the fuse. pull the biege pump off the filter base and check for obstructions. if the pump was jammed then even if you free it off i would consider changing it out as its cheap its needed and if it got real hot its proberly done. make sure the fuse is correctly rated for a biege pump and the wire on the fuse block isnt loose.

forgot to add that the auto float switch sounds like its bad and should be replaced.

if you dont have a auto switch take some pics and post them pls
 
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clattin

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

I'm leaving town for a week so I won't get to it until I get back.

There is no separate "Auto" switch. Just one switch for the pump and I believe the indicator light is supposed to indicate whether or not there is water currently in the bilge.

I'll get into it when I get back!

Thanks!
Chris
 

emoney

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Jul 19, 2010
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2,551
Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

I would be willing to wager that the light is designed to come on when the bilge is actually in "on" mode, or working. Sounds like it's time for a new pump, and while you're at it, pull new wires to the fuse block. You can use the existing plumbing that's in place at least. I always carry a back-up bilge along with a hand pump. It's better to be safe than sorry.
 

clattin

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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

Great idea.....I'm sure I'll need to tap into your knowledge when I start working on it. Electrical repairs are NOT my strong suit!

Will the bilge pump be boat specific or are they pretty generic? Suggestions on where to buy?

thanks a ton!

Chris
 
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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

they are sold anywhere they sell boat parts the only thing is the gpm and the float set up on them. easier if you take a pic and we can tell you if you have a biege pump and float or a pump with built in float. look at the ones in wallyworld and see what looks the same also works
 

NYBo

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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

they are sold anywhere they sell boat parts the only thing is the gpm and the float set up on them. easier if you take a pic and we can tell you if you have a biege pump and float or a pump with built in float. look at the ones in wallyworld and see what looks the same also works
What if he wants a red and white one?
 
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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

lol yep.....just dreading the 2-3-4 wire question if he doesnt get the same brand name pump and float
 

markheck1

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Mar 31, 2012
Messages
124
Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

FWIW In my 84 the Up is On, and down is Auto, but some hack put the float in the switched position.
I rewired it back to what I believe is correct and the light comes on only in manual mode.
Mine has 3 wires leading from the harness to the pump, one always hot, one on the Switch, and one is ground. They look factory to me, but who knows.

EDIT: I checked it while I was tinkering today, the light comes on when the float is activated as well....meaning any time the pump us running, so if your boat is still wired original like mine, I'd say the float stuck on, and that's what fried the pump.....
 

clattin

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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

I finally got around to trying to solve this bilge pump issue. I removed the old bilge pump and float switch and the old pump is CLEARLY burned up (see pic). I replaced it with a Rule Mate 750 gph fully automatic with built-in float switch. I wired it up just as the old one was (brown, brown with white stripe, black) and when I put the fuse back in, the pump turned on immediately. The switch is in the "Auto" position but there isn't enough water in the bilge to come in contact with the pump, so I clearly have either a bad pump (unlikely) or a wiring problem, right? I'm terrible at wiring issues, but it would seem to me that there's a short somewhere in the wiring for the "Auto" positon on the switch. I believe thats the brown wire with the white stripe. Suggestions?

Thanks!
Chris

2012-08-29_15-57-58_781.jpg
 

clattin

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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

I guess it could be a bad switch too, right? How would I test all of this to figure out where the problem is?
 
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2,906
Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

you changed from a seperate float and pump to a all in one pump with built in float and you have the indicator on the dash?
 
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clattin

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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

Well, I did switch from a separate pump/switch to a combined pump/switch. My dash has a switch that allows me to switch from "Auto" to "Manual" and a light that comes on when the pump activates. Does that answer your question?

Why? Should I not have done that?
 
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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

just trying to work out how thats done with 3 wires. what wires did you disconnect and from where did you disconnect them?
 

NYBo

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Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

Switch the brown and brown/white wires.
 

clattin

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Jul 18, 2012
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89
Re: Bilge Pump Problems.......

Awesome! That did it! Now the brown/white from the pump is connected to the solid brown wire from the boat and vice versa.

Thanks!

Now I've discovered a whole nother issue! I ran water into the bilge to make sure the pump was going to switch on automatically, which it did (although the water was deeper than I would have expected before it switched on), but the water wasn't coming out of the outlet on the boat. I crawled up under there and discovered that the hose is all "chewed up" right where it connects to the hull and its completely occluded with "stuff". Should be easy to remedy.

Thanks again!

Chris
 
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