Help wiring a washdown pump.

[Recoil Rob]

I'm adding a washdown pump which needs a 15A fuse. My 180 has two empty switches in the dash for added accessories.

The existing fuse is a 5A. Can I just swap it out for a 15A?

Here's where I intend to connect it, does positive just go to the switch and black right to the ground busbar?

I think I'm OK with wiring size, the distance from pump to switch was right at the changeover from 14ga to 12ga so I went with the 12. The wiring on the switch I'm going to use has a yellow connector which means 10 or 12ga wiring so I should be good there.

Any issues you see that I don't?

 

[Hookup1]

I'm adding a washdown pump which needs a 15A fuse. My 180 has two empty switches in the dash for added accessories.

The existing fuse is a 5A. Can I just swap it out for a 15A?

Here's where I intend to connect it, does positive just go to the switch and black right to the ground busbar?

I think I'm OK with wiring size, the distance from pump to switch was right at the changeover from 14ga to 12ga so I went with the 12. The wiring on the switch I'm going to use has a yellow connector which means 10 or 12ga wiring so I should be good there.

Any issues you see that I don't?

View attachment 29695

That's probably a circuit breaker on the panel. Yes swap it for a 15 amp one.

X-marks the spot for the positive (red) wire to the pump. The negative (black) goes to the ground buss bar.

12 gauge wire is good for 20 amps. If there is existing 14 gauge wiring in place to where you want it you could use that as well. If you run your own wire use red and black.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Thanks, got it. The total run (there and back) is about 22ft, the pump's instructions said 14ga is good to 20ft, then too much voltage drop, so I went with 12ga.

 

[seasick]

The important factor that is needed in addition to the run length is the actual draw of the pump, not the recommended fuse. Sizing for a fuse versus an breaker can also be a bit different. Your pump typically will have an inrush current, the draw when it starts up, the run current, and also the stall current. That is the draw when the pump is stalled (jambed).
A breaker by its nature can handle higher inrush current for short periods than a regular fuse. Using a breaker as opposed to a fuse may mean that a smaller breaker would be fine.
For loads like pumps, a 10% voltage drop is acceptable as opposed to a 3% for electronics. That extra allowable drop will greatly change the required wire gauge. For example, at 10% max drop, a 20 foot round trip run can handle 20 amps using 14 gauge wire. It is also important to size the return (ground) conductors correctly. If you are sharing a common ground with other devices, you need to make sure that ground wire is sized correctly.