Automatic bilge pump question

Dec 21, 2024
2
Beneteau 41 Hayes, VA
My 2013 Oceanis 41 has a Rule Mate 1100 automatic bilge pump. The pump operates with the switch in the on position, but will not kick on with the switch in the auto position. I suspect a blown fuse near the battery, but I am not sure where the fuse is located. There is no wire coming directly from any of the batteries. Is the fuse on a relay near the battery, or somewhere else?
 
May 17, 2004
5,436
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
The 2014 37 has a pair of glass fuses in the battery switch compartment in the aft cabin. A small wire comes off the output side of the large red house battery switch and goes into one of the fuses. The fuse leads to one wire going to the bilge pump and another to the memory-hold circuit of the stereo. The second glass fuse fuses the negative of those circuits.

As a result of the shared fuse any fault in the stereo (like damage from lightning) also disables the auto part of the bilge pump :huh: .

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Jan 11, 2014
12,271
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Checking the fuse is the cheapest first step. Don't be surprised if the fuse is good as float switches frequently fail. There are better alternatives to the float switch. The Ultra-switch and electronic switches are less prone to failure.
 
Jan 7, 2011
5,248
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Not trying to dumb this down, but do you have enough water in the bilge to trip the float? The On position powers the pump regardless of how much water is in the bilge. In Auto, the float switch control power to the pump…f the switch isn’t seeing enough water, the pump doesn’t turn on.

Greg
 
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Mar 6, 2008
1,237
Catalina 1999 C36 MKII #1787 Coyote Point Marina, CA.
Following Tally Ho's comment, remove the pump and put it in a bucket of water in auto position. Does it work?