Bilge Pumps

[Tucker]

Gents,
Does Grady wire bilge pumps to be on "automatic" when the the battery switch is turned off? In other words is it directly wired to the battery by-passing the switch? There's so much crap wired to the battery I'm not sure which wire goes to what. Thanks!

 

[Grog]

It looks like it's been messed with since the factory. I'd test it with the battery off and see what happens then later on tackle the wiring.

 

[SilverLining]

I think you will find that the Rule pump float swithes are wired directly to the batteries through a fused connection(5 or 7.5 amps). This configuration allows the pumps to come on automatically if the boat is unattended. The off/on switches operate the pumps when the power is turned on and they are usually controlled by a circuit breaker. You may find a small fuse holder very near the batteries for each bilge pump. On my 272 Sailfish the fuse holders are directly forward and below the battery trays.

 

[Workdog]

Bilge pump wires are brown or brown/white. I can't remember if mine were wired direct to the battery, but I have since got them wired to the Perko switch post that the battery cable goes to to eliminate some of the wiring to the batteries.

 

[seasick]

Bilge pump wires are brown or brown/white. I can't remember if mine were wired direct to the battery, but I have since got them wired to the Perko switch post that the battery cable goes to to eliminate some of the wiring to the batteries.

If they are wired to the Perko, that must be connected to the input side of one of the batteries if you have multiples so that the pump has juice even with the battery switch off. The feed must be fused.

 

[Workdog]

Bilge pump wires are brown or brown/white. I can't remember if mine were wired direct to the battery, but I have since got them wired to the Perko switch post that the battery cable goes to to eliminate some of the wiring to the batteries.

If they are wired to the Perko, that must be connected to the input side of one of the batteries if you have multiples so that the pump has juice even with the battery switch off. The feed must be fused.

Yep, that's what I said. And you do need them to be fuzed.