I am trying to wire a new sahara 500 bilge pump with automatic float switch. It has three wires, brown, brown/white, and black. The brown/white is the power/manual wire, the brown is the float switch wire, and the black is the ground. I am wiring it to a three way rocker switch. I can not seem to get the float switch to work properly. If I connect it to what I believe my old float switch was wired to on the rocker switch I don't get anything. If I wire it directly to a hot lead (either direct from the battery or from the on position of the rocker switch (which works fine) the pump kicks on when the switch is down and off when it floats up (apparently opposite of it's intended function). Do I have a bad pump, or am I just wiring it wrong.
Bilge Pump Wiring
- Thread starter Bsterker
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I have allways run a FUSED wire to the float switch and then to the pump as i dont want to ever leave it without power
The second wire justr has to go to the manual switch and the ground to ground
You dont want any of the splices to be underwater during normal use
The second wire justr has to go to the manual switch and the ground to ground
You dont want any of the splices to be underwater during normal use
Sounds like a bad pump to me, maybe the float switch is installed in the housing upside down. I would also check the 3way switch, sounds like you aren't gettingpower when in the auto position, might want to change it and replace the wiring just to be sure. P/O's tend to hide their most spectacular "what was he thinking ideas" in out of the way places.
Tim
Tim
Not to ask a stupid question, but are you sure the float switch isn't upside down? It doesn't sounds like the wiring is backwards, just the switch. It could be a manufacturing "oops" or an installation "oops".
Tom Mays - good comment!
I was scrolling down the replies to make this same comment and I'm glad that you made it.
Good watertight terminals require tinned terminals (to reduce corrosion) with "liquid electrical tape" on the open terminal ends and heat shrink tubing.
As grandma always said, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right."
I was scrolling down the replies to make this same comment and I'm glad that you made it.
The problem with having electrical wiring laying in the bilge is water intrusion through the insulation or into the ends of the wire. Any terminals must be well sealed so that water cannot get into the wire and cause corrosion. Stranded wire will wick up water and it'll travel for many feet through the wire to the point where the wire comes up out of the bilge water.
Good watertight terminals require tinned terminals (to reduce corrosion) with "liquid electrical tape" on the open terminal ends and heat shrink tubing.
As grandma always said, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right."
I have made sure to keep all connections above water line, and heat shrunk and taped. I suppose it is possible the switch is upside down inside the unit, but it seems like as long as it is “floating” up it should be tripping the circuit the correct way. Remember, this is an automatic bilge, so the switch came set inside of the bilge strainer. I don’t think there is any way I could have reversed it, but I have managed more amazing feets before so it would not surprise me. I have just purchased a second sahara pump for my stern system, I will try to wire it to my midship location first to see if it does the same thing. As far as the rocker, I would assume you are correct about having a bad switch Timo. I will have to replace and rewire to make sure all is well.
Anybody know where I can find a good three way toggle switch terminal diagram. I have a replacement switch but am not sure how to wire my existing wires to it. I don't want to just copy what was done before since it wasn't working.
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