test a bilge pump
 

How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded the
bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

test a bilge pump
 

Is the boat in the water, and you don't want to pull it out? If so, just get
one of those small pumps operated by a drill motor, and a couple of lengths
of tubing for it. Use a cordless drill, or a corded drill off an inverter,
and pump into the bilge. Those little pumps are about 7 bucks at home depot.

--Mike

"Bill Andersen" wrote in message
...
How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded
the bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

test a bilge pump
 

Bill Andersen wrote:
How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded the
bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

I didn't see a mention of a float switch?

In order for the pump to work "automatically" it has to know that there
is a sufficient depth of water in the bilge that it should begin
running. Do you have a float switch? If so, just lift it up manually to
simulate rising water in the bilge and see if the pump turns on.

If this particular pump doesn't rely on a float switch (and by far and
away most do), there still has to be some type of sensor system. Trip
that sensor and observe whether the pumping begins.

test a bilge pump
 

I guess I'll have to go to West Marine and look at one of the pumps on the
shelf to see how to test it. It's self contained but I don't know where the
float is. Now that it's installed I can't see it. The pump sits under the
engine and I can't get a good look at it. It just fits under the engine and
I can't fit my head down in there - just my hand.
(I've got a 19' bowrider with a 3 liter Mercruiser I/O. The engine box is
just big enough for the engine.)

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bill Andersen wrote:
How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the
Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded
the
bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

I didn't see a mention of a float switch?

In order for the pump to work "automatically" it has to know that there
is a sufficient depth of water in the bilge that it should begin
running. Do you have a float switch? If so, just lift it up manually to
simulate rising water in the bilge and see if the pump turns on.

If this particular pump doesn't rely on a float switch (and by far and
away most do), there still has to be some type of sensor system. Trip
that sensor and observe whether the pumping begins.

test a bilge pump
 

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:54:11 -0800, "Bill Andersen"
wrote:

How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded
the
bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

Ok, couple of things.

The float switch may be separate from the pump it 'self - it should
look like a little box kind of thing sitting at the bottom of the
bilge. On my Contender and the Ranger, that's the float switches were
set up. there are bilge pumps that have internal float switches.

As I'm sure you know, the float switch is basically a relay which has
one side powered with a switch making/breaking contact to start the
bilge pump motor.

The way I've tested it is to put the float switch in to a small
container (like a plastic butter container or a small bread pan - you
could use a pan of water) and see if the auto bilge motor turned on.
You don't want to let it run for long without water by the way. If
you don't have an external float switch, but an integral one, just put
the pump into a pan of water.

If it doesn't work then, you have a wiring problem.

Or just gently lift the float or float arm of the switch upward. The bilge
pump should turn on, then turn off when you lower the arm (or float). Some
types have a little knob on side that you can turn to test.

test a bilge pump
 

How many wires are coming out of the bilge pump? (Hint: 1 is not the right
answer) If you see only one, follow that to the other end, which should have
some wires coming out of it. Do you still have the packaging that the pump
came in?
Jim
"Bill Andersen" wrote in message
...
How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded
the bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

test a bilge pump
 

William Andersen wrote:
I guess I'll have to go to West Marine and look at one of the pumps on the
shelf to see how to test it. It's self contained but I don't know where the
float is. Now that it's installed I can't see it. The pump sits under the
engine and I can't get a good look at it. It just fits under the engine and
I can't fit my head down in there - just my hand.
(I've got a 19' bowrider with a 3 liter Mercruiser I/O. The engine box is
just big enough for the engine.)

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bill Andersen wrote:
How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the
Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded
the
bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work, even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

I didn't see a mention of a float switch?

In order for the pump to work "automatically" it has to know that there
is a sufficient depth of water in the bilge that it should begin
running. Do you have a float switch? If so, just lift it up manually to
simulate rising water in the bilge and see if the pump turns on.

If this particular pump doesn't rely on a float switch (and by far and
away most do), there still has to be some type of sensor system. Trip
that sensor and observe whether the pumping begins.


I don't find a 750 GPH "West Marine" brand pump in their on-line
catalog.

Did you buy one of these?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...llpartial/60/0

If so, the "automatic" function of that pump works by switching the
pump on at preset intervals and then switching it off again if it isn't
pumping water. No sensor switch required.
If there is no water present, then the pump turns off immediately.

One of the reasons that a lot of us prefer a float switch to some of
the other tripping mechanisms available is that it is very easy to lift
the arm of the switch and see whether the pump comes on. With this
overly complex electronic apparatus, you probably need to introduce
water to your bilge and see if the pump responds, and that seems almost
illogical.

test a bilge pump
 

OK, I have a Rule-Mate 750 (the biggest pump I could get that would connect
to my existing 3/4" hose), It has an enclosed float switch; I think it has
three wires: black, brown, brown/white. I have a West Marine Three-Way Panel
Switch with fuse. I think I may have to remove the pump housing from the
base, which is screwed to the deck, to manually check the operation of the
float.
I'll probably go to West Marine tomorrow and check one out on the shelf.

"RLM" wrote in message
...
On Wednesday 20 December 2006 11:54 pm Bill Andersen wrote:

How can I test the automatic function of my bilge pump/switch?
I installed a 750 GPM West Marine bilge pump conrolled by an
Automatic/Off/Manual switch.
The pump works in the Manual position. How can I check it in the
Automatic
position?
I didn't wire the Automatic function correctly the first time: I flooded
the bilge at the wash rack (trailered boat) and the pump didn't work,
even
though the switch was in Automatic. I selected Manual and it drained the
bilge quickly.
I really don't want to have to trailer it to the wash rack and flood the
bilge again if I don't have to.

Watch wrap of links. You may have to copy and paste to a browser.

If this is the pump you bought, it does not have a built in automatic
float
feature to turn it on. This was the only 750 GPM unit I saw listed.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...allpartial/0/0



You will need a float switch such as this to sense the water level in the
bilge. The float switch is placed in series between the automatic side of
the switch and the pump. Then you will have the automatic operation.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...allpartial/0/0

test a bilge pump
 

Bill Andersen wrote:
OK, I have a Rule-Mate 750 (the biggest pump I could get that would connect
to my existing 3/4" hose), It has an enclosed float switch; I think it has
three wires: black, brown, brown/white. I have a West Marine Three-Way Panel
Switch with fuse. I think I may have to remove the pump housing from the
base, which is screwed to the deck, to manually check the operation of the
float.
I'll probably go to West Marine tomorrow and check one out on the shelf.


http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/RUL/RULRM750.html

You're on the right track.
Squeeze the white plastic tabs that insert into the blue "strainer",
and you will remove all the important parts of the pump. (I have a
shower sump pump that works on the same principle, but it uses an
external float switch rather than one inside the strainer). When you
have the pump removed from the base, just simply lift the float and see
if the pump starts up.

test a bilge pump
 

"Bill Andersen" wrote in message
...
OK, I have a Rule-Mate 750 (the biggest pump I could get that would
connect to my existing 3/4" hose), It has an enclosed float switch; I
think it has three wires: black, brown, brown/white. I have a West Marine
Three-Way Panel Switch with fuse. I think I may have to remove the pump
housing from the base, which is screwed to the deck, to manually check the
operation of the float.
I'll probably go to West Marine tomorrow and check one out on the shelf.


Now we're cookin'. First do what gould said to test the float. Tipping the
pump upside down should do the trick.

As far as the wiring goes, Black goes to the battery neg. or under a bolt or
screw on the engine.

Brown is the manual on connection. That must go to switched 12V. on the
console

Brown/white is the float switch power. There are 2 ways to deal with it. You
can wire it to the battery pos. through a waterproof inline fuse. Or run the
wire to the console and hook it up to the 3 way pump switch. Folks will
argue which way to do it, but I prefer going straight to the battery because
you can't inadvertantly shut the automatic side down. If you have to disable
the pump for some reason, you can always pull the fuse.
Jim