B331 Bilge Pump electrical Issues

[CABixler]

My bilge pump worked great when I winterized it and then at the start of our season here in Chicago it will not turn on either manually or with the float. Electrically jumping from the fresh water pump it works. So it must be a failed wire.

It has always has power to the float switch even if the two batteries are shut off. The switch on the 12v panel of course is a manual override of the float switch.
As good practice I always manually run the pump to hear how fast it drains water just to make sure now leaks.
Question: Were does the hot feed get wired to the batteries? I assume it must be an inline fuse.

I checked the owners manual schematics and it is really very general but does not show where or how it gets the continuous feed.

Thanks

 

[kappykaplan]

My bilge pump worked great when I winterized it and then at the start of our season here in Chicago it will not turn on either manually or with the float. Electrically jumping from the fresh water pump it works. So it must be a failed wire.

Any chance there's a blown fuse at the on/off/auto switch for the pump?

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Have you checked at the panel and various points to the pump for power?

 

[Davidasailor26]

Trace the wires off the house bank and see if you can find one that goes to the pump. On the newer 37 Beneteau takes one wire off the main DC switch in the aft cabin, through an inline glass fuse, and off to the pump. There’s a second glass fuse for the negative (for questionable reasons), and the fuses are also shared for the wire to the always-on stereo memory wire.

 

[jssailem]

Trace wires... The common suspect is connections. They are exposed and often the site of corrosion. Another frequent issue is a loose wire in a crimped connector. I am constantly amazed how wires that were crimped somehow pull loose from the connector.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Trace wires... The common suspect is connections. They are exposed and often the site of corrosion. Another frequent issue is a loose wire in a crimped connector. I am constantly amazed how wires that were crimped somehow pull loose from the connector.

If the crimper isn't adjusted properly for the connector that'll happen. Or if you use poor quality crimpers or connectors

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Are you still having issues with this?

 

[CABixler]

Are you still having issues with this?

Thankfully no. I had my boat mechanic troubleshoot it as I just am a very tight fit in the pump house under the head sink. He jumped the bilge pump with the freshwater pump and the bilge pump worked! So I was able to return un-opened the replacement I had waiting for him on the boat. He trace the wires back and found as suggested a poor connection.
I was not there or did not do the work so I really could not offer more detailed insight to this thread.
It helps to have someone you know and trust.

Regards

 

[CABixler]

If the crimper isn't adjusted properly for the connector that'll happen. Or if you use poor quality crimpers or connectors

Ironically I spent my career working on design of connectors and crimping at a leading connector company I retired from

 

[jssailem]

Good that the issue was resolved.
These newish crimping tools are a vast improvement on the old style squeeze crunch design. They still need a craftsman to properly operate the tool and space to complete the task. It can be a frustrating task chasing down failing or failed electrical connections. It is a challenge often encountered on a “classic” boat.

 

[CABixler]

Good that the issue was resolved.
These newish crimping tools are a vast improvement on the old style squeeze crunch design. They still need a craftsman to properly operate the tool and space to complete the task. It can be a frustrating task chasing down failing or failed electrical connections. It is a challenge often encountered on a “classic” boat.

So very true. My first boat was a beloved 1983 Catalina 30. I was amazed when I had couple starting pauses and tracked down the battery cable connectors were seriously just squeezed in a vice. Not any sort of crimp tool good or bad. Just good solid "Squeeze" flat

So I took them all off and borrowed a heavy duty crimp tool from my company (Molex) and replaced them all with proper crimped power terminals and felt much better.
But 28 years later I don't get down a dirty nearly as much.

With that said overall the Beneteau wiring, especially the main panels are pretty nicely done with some nice connectors and wire management.