Auto Bilge Pump Wiring

tkamboat

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
12
First let me state I only have a 2-way switch on my dash. Just want to be sure I'm clear after bouncing around the forums. The Sahara 500 is an automatic bilge with three wires. This is what I think I need to do:

Black wire to negative terminal
Brown/White/Tan to two way manual switch on dash
Brown wire to positive terminal with fuse holder near the battery.

I also assume if my two way switch is in the off mode, that the auto feature will still work since a wire runs directly to the battery (through a fuse).
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,524
Re: Auto Bilge Pump Wiring

First let me state I only have a 2-way switch on my dash. Just want to be sure I'm clear after bouncing around the forums. The Sahara 500 is an automatic bilge with three wires. This is what I think I need to do:

Black wire to negative terminal
Brown/White/Tan to two way manual switch on dash
Brown wire to positive terminal with fuse holder near the battery.

I also assume if my two way switch is in the off mode, that the auto feature will still work since a wire runs directly to the battery (through a fuse).

Ayuh,... That sounds 'bout right, except I think the solid brown wire is the manual over-ride ain't it,..??
 

tkamboat

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
12
Re: Auto Bilge Pump Wiring

The diagram I'm looking at just shows a brown wire going to Automatic on a 3 way switch. Since I'm not using a 3 way switch I figured it would just go to the battery, while the brown/white/tan would go to my old two way switch at the dash. I'm also concerned about this killing my battery (I'm an amateur at this stuff).
 

UncleWillie

Captain
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
3,995
Re: Auto Bilge Pump Wiring

According to the Instructions.

Manual = Brown/White or Tan
Auto = Brown
Ground = Black

The [OP] has it correct! :D

The battery will only be used to save a leaking boat.
The pump will only kill the battery if has been actually pumping water for over 50 hours.
That would be 500gph x 50hrs = 25,000 gallons of water. At which time the boat would have long been sunk.
A dead battery would be the least of your problems.
 
Top