Bilge pump stays on.

[Old Ironmaker]

Hello all, I am electrically challenged so if you can help speak slowly.

!994 StarCraft Superfisherman 190, 115 HP Mariner 2 stroke. I am in the process getting the boat ready, yes very late but have phisical limitations since I have 4 new compression fractures in my spine. 2 cervical and 2 lumbar so I need to go slow. Charged the battery up, put the leads on the posts. Tried the bilge on the switch no problem. Reached in to lift the float, A OK. Crawled out of the boat to get the hose ready to fire her and the bilge pump came on, runs continuously. Checked the float it was down. Tried the switch, no off. Cleaned off the bilge float still runs on. Played with the connection at the dash, still running. I disconnected the leads to the battery so it didn't die over night. Went back in, had a shot of cheap Vodka and didn't have a peaceful sleep.

Everyone says I worry too much as I won't put her in the water without a working bilge pump. Fish Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, close to shore is 7 miles out. I do have a few small leaks in a 25 year old aluminum, sometimes. No bilge pump no fishing. Any ideas guys, and gals?

Thanks all, Johnny D/Selkirk Ontario, Canada.

 

[Silvertip]

Three possibilities: 1) Manual switch stuck in the ON position. 2) Float switch (not the float) stuck in the ON position. 3) Least likely is a wiring issue that has resulted in a constant feed of 12 volts to the pump. Check the back of the manual switch to ensure another hot wire has not come into contact with a terminal on the bilge switch. Disconnect the HOT wire at the bilge switch. If the pump continues to run, the float switch is the is the issue. If it stops, the manual switch is the issue. Since the issue popped up after moving the float, my guess is something has either jammed the float switch or the switch itself is bad.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Silvertip what colour is the HOT wire? Told you I am challenged elec. wise. Other areas as well, like crawling under the dash, oh my. Gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

[bchaney]

My guess is the float switch. If the pump and float switch are older, I would just replace them both for peace of mind. The wires should be labeled near the bilge pump - the hot (manual override) one is the one coming off the pump directly, not the float. Colors will vary depending on the bilge pump and what color wires were connected to the short pigtails coming off the pump/switch. I just hooked up a Johnson pump and the hot wire was brown and auto switch wire was brown and white, though I didn't have multi-colored wire so I used brown and orange respectively. Your boat is probably different.

 

[QBhoy]

There will be a wire straight to the battery from the float usually. Take it off and see if it is then only running off the switch. Will narrow it down. I’d say at a guess it’s your float switch at fault.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Thanks all, still need to look at it. Wife is on vacation for 2 weeks which means I'm not.