Bilge Pump

vjmehra · 09 July 2013, 23:12

As a complete electronic novice this may be a completely stupid question...but we have a new bilge pump and need to wire it up. We had one previously (no idea what happened to it, but it doesn't appear to be there anymore!!!), so we have some wires and the pump, it looks pretty simply to wire it up...but in terms of waterproofing what do I need to worry about? Do I need any specific type of connection/junction box/any other way of joining them?

Tim&Linda · 09 July 2013, 23:19

use a IP65 junction box [ ip65 stands for waterproof ]

mister p · 09 July 2013, 23:21

all wiring that you do should be "above board" as it were.
If it's been submerged the cables will wick and you'll have all sorts of trouble.
New pump and no trouble.
That's all.

Tim&Linda · 09 July 2013, 23:22

you will need a couple glands

ShinyShoe · 09 July 2013, 23:59

What are you joining to? Fuse? Switch? Is there a float switch?

vjmehra · 10 July 2013, 09:07

It is being joined to a switch, there is a fuse, whats a float switch?

Bern Hanreck · 10 July 2013, 10:03

Vjmehra , it might be a good idea if you tell us exactly what bilge pump you are fitting ?

Some are "automatic" and sense every two mins if water is present and if so turn on . Some are connected to a float switch and will only turn on when water is sensed .

Imagine , if your pump simply switched on/off manually by the switch , when the pump had got rid of the surplus water , if it just kept running it would drain your battery , and probably burn out ........

vjmehra · 10 July 2013, 10:16

Ah, the pump is not automatic, i.e. when I say switch I mean we manually flick the switch to drain the water, once drained we turn off the pump, it does not have a sensor.

Hopefully I'm explaining that correctly, am very clueless unfortunately :-)

martini · 10 July 2013, 10:50

The accepted way is good quality marine crimped butt connectors with adhesive lined heat shrink tubing over. Clip the cable so the connections are as high as possible to keep them out of the bilge water. The pump should have 3 wires, black red and brown. Black to negative battery terminal and one of the other 2 to the switch on your console. The third would normally go to a live feed via a float switch

Sent from my portable speaking device using Rib.net

vjmehra · 10 July 2013, 10:56

Ah great, that sounds like exactly what I was after, perfect, will give it a shot and report back! Thanks!

9D280 · 10 July 2013, 14:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by vjmehra

whats a float switch?

Same idea as the one on your console, but instread of a finger toggle it has a float - when the float rises, the switch is switched.

"Electronic" ones have a couple of metal studs that are at a couple of volts dfference. When "shorted" by water the circuits inside use the small current between the studs to recognise the water is there & electronically switch the big current. Problem with these types in a rib is its usually wet on a good day!

vjmehra · 10 July 2013, 15:24

ah cool, that is good to know, it had never really occurred to me how the automatic ones worked!

j.i.wilson · 10 July 2013, 18:49

Surely there were some instructions with the new pump?? It may save your life one day if you became less clueless (your words) , never know when you may need to do an on the water fix, especially with a safety related item like a bilge pump.

vjmehra · 10 July 2013, 19:58

It quite possibly does, but I don't have it to hand to check as it is with one of my co-owners.

We do keep a manual bailer (well small bucket) onboard in case the pump fails.

Ill check the packaging at the weekend.

9D280 · 11 July 2013, 09:24

Or elephant trunks as a backup?

No battery required!

vjmehra · 11 July 2013, 09:34

We have an elephant trunk too :-)

john noon · 12 July 2013, 22:37

I have a big nose to but never been called an elephant trunk