HUNTER 34 BILGE WIRING

cdells

.
Dec 8, 2015
26
Hunter Cherubini 30 Quantico
Hello everyone. I am trying to figure out where the wiring goes once it leaves the bilge pump on my 1983 Hunter 34. The float switch wiring has been sitting in bilge water for years I am guessing and has rotted out. When I look at the wiring for the pump it looks like its not far behind. I would like to rewire from the panel to the bilge, just replacing what is there now, but it looks like the wiring goes up into a bundle that runs through the stringer aft of the head and then to who knows where. This seems crazy to me that doing something as simple as rewiring the bilge with fresh wire would be so difficult. Anyone done it another way or have tips for making this run? Thanks
BTW, I am in Herrington Harbour North in Maryland...have yet to get out much since I bought the boat last April but am looking forward to meeting other owners in the area once this pandemic thing clears up!
SF
Chris
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
Hey Chris, I've also have an 83/84 H34 at HHS! We're finishing up our 2 year restoration with new sails arriving in a few weeks, but unfortunately some needed engine work. I started rewiring the bilge to get the switch to work over the winter but also probably need to rewire the entire bilge as the wires look pretty old decayed. I believe that I've attached the actual H34 wiring diagram. The owners manual is apparently too large to upload, but you might have a copy or be able to download it from this site. The wiring diagram shows the bilge wiring going forward under cabin sole and then running to port up by the forward sink area.

We've owned the boat since about 87 and moved down from HHN before it was HH. I have the 5 foot keel so HHN was a problem during low tide. Give me a call when you get a chance and we'll discuss H34s. Mike 202 262 5188
 
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cdells

.
Dec 8, 2015
26
Hunter Cherubini 30 Quantico
That's great Mike, thanks for the info. I think my old girl probably needs a lot of work as well but I am going to try to get as much done in the next few months as I can to get her safe enough to get out on the water. I am going to pull her before 1 April and do some engine work...the previous owner did some strange things with the cooling system (I have the Westerbeke) that has created overheating issues. I have pulled out port side setee and it looks like the wire run inside of the stringer and then to port and up the hull...but they don't go behind the setee it seems like they go up into the overhead. If I could find a place where the wire looked to be in good shape further up the run I would just cut in there and make a splice but it looks like there just is no access. I'll give you a call sometime for sure, would love to talk more about the boat and how she sails...I really only got out about 3 times last year.
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
cdells
you can download a copy of the owner manual from this site it may give you some guidance. I hade to replace the bilge pump wires many years ago any trying to fish them thru the stringers was not fun. What I remember doing was taping the new wire to the old one and used the old wire to pull the new wire.

When I did this I ran two sets of wires so that I could later add a second back up bilge pump. My boat neighbor lost his boat to a bad float switch so that convinced me to add the backup pump that works independently from the main pump.

hope this helps
 
Aug 10, 2020
29
Hunter 34 Austin, TX
The bilge manual wire runs forward, then up on the ports side before the vanity sink and then back to the panel in the same channel where the AC outlets are (together with the wiring for the DC lights). The Auto wire (at least in my case) was run directly aft through the engine compartment and to the battery (without a fuse).
I fixed all that when installing the new bilge pump with new wiring but used the same cable routing (forward, up, then back to the panel).
You should be able to figure out the routing by pulling the AC outlet and feel which cable is moving when pulling at the wire end behind the panel.
 
Aug 10, 2020
29
Hunter 34 Austin, TX
When I did this I ran two sets of wires so that I could later add a second back up bilge pump.
I'm curious about how you plan this. The H34 bilge is not that big. I was thinking about staggering them so that the top one would only start pumping if the lower one fails (or can't keep up). I also think getting a second hose to a thru hull would be a problem.

I'm hoping that the shower bilge pump will help out in the worst case scenario. Not sure how the original setup is but on my boat the shower bilge pump was only working with a manual switch. I changed that to a pump with an integrated float switch.
 

splax

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Nov 12, 2012
692
Hunter 34 Portsmouth
I'm curious about how you plan this. The H34 bilge is not that big. I was thinking about staggering them so that the top one would only start pumping if the lower one fails (or can't keep up). I also think getting a second hose to a thru hull would be a problem.
I have thought about installing a large pump on the sole inside a setee. It would come on only if the primary pump was overwhelmed and the boat was flooding.
 

cdells

.
Dec 8, 2015
26
Hunter Cherubini 30 Quantico
I'm basically retired and looking for crew during the week.
Mike, AR has been great with me so far. I’m still working but am more than willing to take a day of here and there to crew....that being said, I am new to sailing so still learning..plenty of time on boats and ships just not much time sailing yet!
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Hunter34austin,

unfortunately the shower sump is too small and it is wired to the freshwater system. Unless the pressurized water pump breaker is on the shower sump has no power, so it’s not a good backup pump.

I installed a high volume bilge pump with a float switch on the what I call the shelf in the bilge.

I used this location for a few reasons.

1) Not enough room to place it along side of the original pump.
2) I thought that it would not allow the main pump and float switch to operate correctly.
3) I only want the backup pump to operate in an emergency and if the primary pump failed. Example mechanical failure, blown fuse, dead battery, or whatever

Wired the backup pump to a three way switch with a buzzer alarm under the double sink cabinet so I could manually test the pump.
Backup pump is wired to a Secondary battery in aft lazaretto so that if the main batteries become submerged the backup pump will remain operational.
Running the discharge hose was a bit more difficult then I anticipated because splicing the backup pump to the main discharge hose is not recommended.
Both discharge hoses need to be separate and completely independent of each other or they will not operate correctly and possibly flood the boat.

used corrugated bilge hose however if I were to do it again I would have used smooth inside wall hose, as this would increase water discharge volume dramatically.
I hope to never have to use the backup pump, however helps me sleep better knowing that I have it when I’m not there.

hope this helps