forward bildge float switch rewire help

[johnwater]

hello i need some help/advice on my 248 voyager.,1998 year.The forward float switch didnt work.I checked the aft fuse and it was intact,also the accessory panel switch at the helm appears to work.The bildge pump comes on when rocker switch is on manual,but when i put the rocker in standby position and raise the float.It doesnt turn on pump. It was the original float,so i replaceed it ,but still the rocker panel switch in standby does not turn on pump when float is raised.I believe the wiring of the float switch is deteriorated.Instead of trying to trace it out under helm,I believe it will be easier to install new wiring from rocker switch to float.But all the rocker switches seemed to be interconnected,dont know if just running new wire is the answer.The forward bildge wiring is brown/black on the back of the switch.
thanks
john

 

[seasick]

hello i need some help/advice on my 248 voyager.,1998 year.The forward float switch didnt work.I checked the aft fuse and it was intact,also the accessory panel switch at the helm appears to work.The bildge pump comes on when rocker switch is on manual,but when i put the rocker in standby position and raise the float.It doesnt turn on pump. It was the original float,so i replaceed it ,but still the rocker panel switch in standby does not turn on pump when float is raised.I believe the wiring of the float switch is deteriorated.Instead of trying to trace it out under helm,I believe it will be easier to install new wiring from rocker switch to float.But all the rocker switches seemed to be interconnected,dont know if just running new wire is the answer.The forward bildge wiring is brown/black on the back of the switch.
thanks
john

Recheck voltage at the pump from the direct battery connection first. If good, the pump could be bad. If the float has two wires connecting it to the pump, disconnect those wires and connect them together. The pump should operate.

 

[johnwater]

thanks seasick for your reply.
the bildge pump works.both with direct connection to battery and by turning on rocker switch at the accessory panel.
it is the float that wasnt working.
bought a new float ,wired it directly via the accessory panel,and with rocker switch in standby position ,raising the float turns on the bildge pump.
my issue is the wiring.can i just run a new wire connection from the panel to the float,by connecting to the back of the switch lugs with those multi-connectors.?
thanks john

 

[ENichols56]

John, yes you can, however you might be able to save yourself the trouble. I just had to do this labor day weekend on my seafarer with my stern bilge pump. I'm guessing you, like me, leave the bilge pump switches in auto when you are using the boat. This means the wire going to the float switch always has power. Thus, it is more susceptible to corrosion due to electrolysis in the damp environment of the bilge. On mine, where the wire from the switch connected to the wire at the pump for the float switch had corroded and broke in two. I simply stripped back the wire until I found good copper and reconnected with a crimp on butt splice connector. Replacing the whole wire will accomplish the same, but might not be necessary. See if you can find where it has gone bad first, it will likely be close to the float switch somewhere. Regarding the switch panel being interconnected. On my older seafarer there are jumpers going from one switch to the next. That is how each circuit gets power. On the 3 way switch for your bilge pump you should have 4 wires. One is +12V DC, one is a jumper carrying +12V DC to the switch next to it, one goes to the manual wire on the pump, and one goes to the float switch for the auto setting. You need to figure out which one is which using a volt meter and then you can connect your new wire on the lug for the auto setting if you go the route of pulling a new wire. Good Luck

 

[seasick]

thanks seasick for your reply.
the bildge pump works.both with direct connection to battery and by turning on rocker switch at the accessory panel.
it is the float that wasnt working.
bought a new float ,wired it directly via the accessory panel,and with rocker switch in standby position ,raising the float turns on the bildge pump.
my issue is the wiring.can i just run a new wire connection from the panel to the float,by connecting to the back of the switch lugs with those multi-connectors.?
thanks john

ENichols is correct but perhaps a little more info will help. Since the pump works with the float switch when connected to the switch at the panel, it tells us that your 12v feed for auto operation is not working. That feed comes directly from one of feeds to the battery switch from a one battery. There will be a fuse in the feed. That feed is bad somewhere and to find it, you need to use a test lamp that draws a bit of current. Start at the pump itself and trace back towards the battery. Somewhere in that circuit there is a problem.