Bilge Pump Issues

jasgator5220

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I have a 2004 257 with a single aft bilge pump. It no longer kicks on, either per the float switch or manual operation switch. The bilge pump is wired directly to the circuit board located on the transom (w/ the battery switches). There are also three, what I believe, circuit breakers under the the battery switches labeled aft float, memory and main. When I try to manually operate the bilge the aft float seems to trip and I can push it to reset it. I pulled the panel and confirmed I have power (reads 12.78 on the multimeter) to the wires that lead to the bilge pump. I recently replaced my batteries so I'm think I may have hooked those up wrong, although I'm not sure how. Could this just be the sign of a bad bilge pump? Or more likely a short between the batteries and the aft circuit board or between the bilge and the aft circuit board. This board is always extremely helpful for us novices and I thank you for your thoughts in advance.
 

DennisG01

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You'll have to check your wiring - hard for me, or anyone else, to do that from here! But my first thought is that the motor is either shot, or could have something jammed inside it preventing it from turning... which kicks the breaker. Remove the pump and check it out. Good first step.
 

Fishtales

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My guess is it is time to replace it. They seem to go every 6-8 years. Check the voltage to it first.
 
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seasick

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I have a 2004 257 with a single aft bilge pump. It no longer kicks on, either per the float switch or manual operation switch. The bilge pump is wired directly to the circuit board located on the transom (w/ the battery switches). There are also three, what I believe, circuit breakers under the the battery switches labeled aft float, memory and main. When I try to manually operate the bilge the aft float seems to trip and I can push it to reset it. I pulled the panel and confirmed I have power (reads 12.78 on the multimeter) to the wires that lead to the bilge pump. I recently replaced my batteries so I'm think I may have hooked those up wrong, although I'm not sure how. Could this just be the sign of a bad bilge pump? Or more likely a short between the batteries and the aft circuit board or between the bilge and the aft circuit board. This board is always extremely helpful for us novices and I thank you for your thoughts in advance.
If I understand you correctly, you have a float connected to the actual bilge pump and also a manual switch at the dash.
The three circuit breakers you mentioned are probably not all breakers. The one labelled MAIN should be fed off of the battery switch and not directly off of the battery. That feed will have a breaker.
The one labeled memory is probably the feed to the stereo so that is remembers preset stations when the battery switches are off. It probably has an in line fuse.
The third labelled float is most likely the feed to the bilge pump though the float switch. That usually also has in inline fuse.
The permanent float power and the power at the helm for manual override are separate feeds, the later being fed through the battery switch and the main breaker.
If you had you battery switch or switches ON and the pump didn't run when you flipped the switch at the helm or lifted the float you have one of three things:
A bad ground at the pump itself,
a bad pump
or less likely both hot wires to the pump are bad.

Try connecting a separate ground from the battery negative terminal to the ground connection at the pump and see if either mode works. If it doesn't I suggest you disconnect the pump and connect it directly to a battery.

As I have mentioned before, these kinds of problems are easier to find by using a test lamp ( the kind with a ground wire and a pointed tip). Those test lamps often will help find bad (high resistance) conditions because they draw current ti make the lamp light. Multi-meters draw very little correct and bad connections are easy to miss.
 
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jasgator5220

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You'll have to check your wiring - hard for me, or anyone else, to do that from here! But my first thought is that the motor is either shot, or could have something jammed inside it preventing it from turning... which kicks the breaker. Remove the pump and check it out. Good first step.

Sounds good . . . that's what I'll do . . . just wish Grady made the pump a little easier to get to. Time to become a contortionist. Thanks
 

jasgator5220

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If I understand you correctly, you have a float connected to the actual bilge pump and also a manual switch at the dash.
The three circuit breakers you mentioned are probably not all breakers. The one labelled MAIN should be fed off of the battery switch and not directly off of the battery. That feed will have a breaker.
The one labeled memory is probably the feed to the stereo so that is remembers preset stations when the battery switches are off. It probably has an in line fuse.
The third labelled float is most likely the feed to the bilge pump though the float switch. That usually also has in inline fuse.
The permanent float power and the power at the helm for manual override are separate feeds, the later being fed through the battery switch and the main breaker.
If you had you battery switch or switches ON and the pump didn't run when you flipped the switch at the helm or lifted the float you have one of three things:
A bad ground at the pump itself,
a bad pump
or less likely both hot wires to the pump are bad.

Try connecting a separate ground from the battery negative terminal to the ground connection at the pump and see if either mode works. If it doesn't I suggest you disconnect the pump and connect it directly to a battery.

As I have mentioned before, these kinds of problems are easier to find by using a test lamp ( the kind with a ground wire and a pointed tip). Those test lamps often will help find bad (high resistance) conditions because they draw current ti make the lamp light. Multi-meters draw very little correct and bad connections are easy to miss.

Excellent thoughts . . . I'll be investing in a test lamp shortly. Thanks
 

Fishtales

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Which manufacturer and model is it? GW uses Rule and Attwater. Check em out on Amazon if you need to replace. The Rules are still sold, the Attwater is a new model (Tsunami). If you need to swap, good to stay with the same current range and hose diameter for rapid change out. Remember to ensure you have a mounting block in place. No drilling through the hull please....
 

DennisG01

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Sounds good . . . that's what I'll do . . . just wish Grady made the pump a little easier to get to. Time to become a contortionist. Thanks

It's like that with many boats/manufacturers. Often, when working on boats, in addition to figuring out the right position, you will also be working by feel only.
 

Finest Kind

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Sometimes....As Dennis said above, there might be of bit a bilge crap stuck in the pump propeller and jamming it up.

Just happened to me as a matter of fact. My stern bilge pump would not work either from the float switch or the console switch.
I removed the pump from the hosing, stuck a screwdriver into the bottom of the pump and spun the prop a bit and... voila! Pump mechanism freed and working normally again!

Check that before spending money on a new pump.
 
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SkunkBoat

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I'm still not clear on your circuit layout. Normal Grady setup that I have seen is a blade fuse on the feed to the float switch. You describe 3 breakers and the "aft bilge" breaker popping. So I guess your boat has breakers vs fuses.

If the aft bilge breaker is popping my first guess is debris jammed in the impeller but the pump motor could be shot.

In the past I have found debris ( screw, acorn shell, piece of a zip tie) to be the problem but also ...
once there was no debris and I turned the stuck impeller by hand and it started working. I wrapped everything up nice and neat and a day later it froze again..replaced pump...
 

jasgator5220

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I'm still not clear on your circuit layout. Normal Grady setup that I have seen is a blade fuse on the feed to the float switch. You describe 3 breakers and the "aft bilge" breaker popping. So I guess your boat has breakers vs fuses.

If the aft bilge breaker is popping my first guess is debris jammed in the impeller but the pump motor could be shot.

In the past I have found debris ( screw, acorn shell, piece of a zip tie) to be the problem but also ...
once there was no debris and I turned the stuck impeller by hand and it started working. I wrapped everything up nice and neat and a day later it froze again..replaced pump...

What I have is similar to the pic below, except I only have three red "buttons" labeled aft float, memory and main. When I get home, I'm going to do my best to pull the pump and see if something has jammed it up. Seems like the first step diagnosis, and likely the easiest resolution.


 

glacierbaze

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Sounds good . . . that's what I'll do . . . just wish Grady made the pump a little easier to get to. Time to become a contortionist. Thanks

As long as you can get your hand on it, all bilge pumps that I can think of off hand will have two plastic tabs that you squeeze, and the pump will pop off of the base. If you have to replace, use the same pump motor, and no tools will be required in the tight space, as long as you can get the wiring connections out in the open. May have to snip some wire ties to do that.
 

jasgator5220

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As a follow up, if the aft float breaker trips when you manually turn on your bilge pump, could be a bad float switch. I replaced mine and that did the trick. Replaced the pump while I was at it. Hopefully I don't need to go down there again for a while.