Bildge Pump function issue

[Captain PartyMarty]

Hey Guy's

While installing my new bluesea battery system a few weeks ago accidentally unplugged all the connections going to my bilge pump. Don't ask me why they are connected using single plugs; I guess it's just how trophy did it. Anyway I was able to figure out how to plug all wire back in to get proper function.. So I thought. During my fishing trip over the last two weeks I noticed that bilge pump would cycle on and off about every 10-20sec when the water in the bilge was just high enough to activate the float switch. The problem is that pump doesn't run long enough to pump the water out so it just continues to cycle. If I hit the manual switch at the helm the water is pumped out and the issue goes away for a few hours until the bilge fills again.

Before I had the plug fiasco everything worked fine. The problem is that when the switch is triggered the pump doesn't run long enough, Is this wiring issue like maybe the polarity of the switch wires? Or is there problem with the switch or pump?

Unfortunately trophy wired the pump with 3black wires and 2 yellow wires and didn't mark what’s what so I am not really sure I have it connected correctly. I am also planning on cutting out the plugged connections and crimping once I have this problem figured out.

 

[bigdogeh]

The way you describe it sounds like it's working normally for me... it should only pump for a few seconds till the water level is low enough that the switch no longer makes contact... to get rid of the majority of water you need to operate it manually as described. maybe someone else sees it differently but it seems normal to me.

 

[Sr SQ]

Easy test, lift the float manually.
Pump should run as long as the float is up (circuit closed) if not you have a contact issue with the float or the wiring from it to the pump.
Maybe the water is sloshing around causing the float to cycle the pump?

 

[goose]

I had a similar issue and the screen at the bottom of the pump was clogged. Just a thought.

 

[spring fever]

Depends which bilge pump you have-the ones without floats but that are still auto cycle every min for 2 -3 sec-no water they go off-water-they pump-if you have a float do as sr SQ says. Label all you wires so you can switch them. Coloured electric tape helps.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

The problem is that the pump is not cycling long enough to expel the water, and so it keeps on trying, this goes on for hours, and will eventually drain my battery. This is a Johnson pump with separate float switch. The pump definitely ran longer and worked correctly before I messed with it. I was thinking the switch must activate the pump and some kind of delay must keep it running for a few seconds, is it possible that I have inverted the switch signal so that I am getting short pulse instead of a long pulse maybe by connecting the polarity wrong?

 

[Sr SQ]

I was thinking the switch must activate the pump and some kind of delay must keep it running for a few seconds, is it possible that I have inverted the switch signal so that I am getting short pulse instead of a long pulse maybe by connecting the polarity wrong?

There is no *pulse* from a float switch if its working properly, its a simple set of contacts......... open or closed.
This could be a weak wire connection but.......?
You have determined the pump is good because when you manually turn pump on and it keeps running.
There are 2 options, float is pooched or the wiring from it to the pump has a short.
Floats are notoriously bad, they are something that should be tested regularly.
Use a DMM/test light to test the wire that goes from the float to the pump as close to the float as you can, see if the signal is intermittent at this point.
If it is than you need to replace the float, if not re-test the wire where it goes into the pump.
Testing it at the pump will rule out the wire and any connections between the two.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

So after doing some investigating and comparing with my forward bildge pump I figured out that I pluged the switch in wrong and now it works. I did however notice that it now has a tendancy to stick, so I think I need to replace it. I checked it out, and Johnson now offers a floatless switch with no moving parts, Sounds pretty good. Anybody have one of these installed? Do they work? Should I stick to the orignal design?

 

[sly_karma]

I like to have 2 bilge pumps, one on a float switch setup, the other with a manual switch at the dash. I run them through separate circuits too so a blown fuse won't leave me without a pump. Float switches need to be accessible and tested often as Sr SQ says. Worth having a look at the 'no moving parts' switch.

 

[spring fever]

. I checked it out, and Johnson now offers a floatless switch with no moving parts, Sounds pretty good. Anybody have one of these installed? Do they work? Should I stick to the orignal design?

Yes I have one as an auxiliary to my main and it works very well. No issues.