Buzzbait

Just trying to maybe get a little trouble shooting help before I go rewiring and replacing everything -

Bilge pump with auto float switch is wired through a rocker switch on console. Bilgeis supposed to come on manually via rocker switch or will also come on via float switch with red light registering at rocker switch. Recently developed a problem with the rocker switch where bilge will not come on manually but still comes on via the float switch with the red light registering at rocker switch. I obviously still have power through the rocker switchso I cant figure out how the manual function would simply stop working. Any ideas out there?

lastcast

See if this works.Installing a <SPAN class=highlight>Bilge <SPAN class=highlight>Pump by Don Casey

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jim t

Your automatic function does not go through the rocker switch. It simply sends power to the switch when it turns on automatically. You can prove this by disconnecting the wire to the switch and activating the float switch. It will probably still come on.

I would momemtarily hotwire the wire from the rocker switch to the battery. If it does not activate the pump then the problem is in that wire. It's probably at the buttconnector nearest the pump. Probably crimped too hard and after time and a lot of vibrationthe wire breaks at the crimp.

Go ahead, ask me how I know...:banghead::banghead:hoppingmad:hoppingmad

Good luck,

Jim

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GO GATORS!!!

Buzzbait

Appreciate the help gentlemen. This should at least shave off some of my trouble shooting time in this freaking heat!!!!!! Thanks again.

jim t

As I think about it... Since the light at the rocker switch works when the float switch turns the pump on, it might not be the wire from rocker switch to pump...

If the pump runs when hot wired it's probably the Circuit Breaker at the rocker switch. If there is no circuit breaker (there should be) there's definitely a fuse between the battery and the rocker switch.

Start with the hot wire test. If it runs whenhot wired, the problem is between the battery and the rocker switch. Check for continuity between the battery and the rocker switch. If it's negative it's probably the CB or fuse. If it's not one of those it's a bad wire connector somewhere.

If there is positive continuity between the battery and the rocker switch, and the pump runs when hot wired ,it's the rocker switch itself.

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DOUBLE "D" & LV

The most likely problem is the switch itself or the fuse to the power side of the switch. If water has gotten into the switch, then the contacts go bad and the switch will not work. Use a jump wire or paper clip to join the wire to the pump and the power wire o the switch and see if it comes on. If it does, your switch is bad.