Bilge Pump Wiring w/ Float and 3-Way Switch

[reash]

HI, I have a new bildge pump on a 34 fter that never had one! The pump has two wires (hot brown and ground black). I am attemting to wire it to a flaot switch with two gray wires and to a three way switch.

The diagrams show conection of brown pump wire to float switch, and an intemediary wire from that line to fuse on switch. Also, can ground wire from pump go to neg battery terminal and same from float, I believe?

The problem is that the pump has only two wire (Rule 800).

Can anyone give me a written description as to how to hook this up?
The Rule website says"one gray wire from float to brown on pump; "The third wire//" connected directly to manual side of Panel switch; Other gray wire from float switch to auto on PAnel switch; black (pump) to negative batt terminal AND "wire bilge pump directly to power supply"

Help!!

[Beausoleil]

Check out this posting with a diagram over at iboats.com

When you say "three-way switch" , are we to presume you mean auto-off-manual? If so, then wire the "+12V" in the diagram to the "auto" terminal on the switch, and the "+12V switched" in the diagram to the "manual" position on the switch.

The manual position is the momentary(press-and-hold) position...

[CharlieJ]

I would suggest that you not use the "normal" Auto-Off-Hold for Manual switch and use a On (Auto)-On (Manual) switch with no Off position instead. My reasoning is this: if your float switch fails and you do have unwanted water in the bilge, you must stay by the normal, spring return, switch and hold it in the Manual position to pump the water instead of looking for the source of water ingress. With the On-On switch, the pump is being controlled by one of two switches and can not be inadvertently turned off. Hence; the absence of the Off position in my scheme.

Charlie

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by CharlieJ

I would suggest that you not use the "normal" Auto-Off-Hold for Manual switch and use a On (Auto)-On (Manual) switch with no Off position instead.

I like the concept, but I sure would like a good way to shut off the pump.

I had a diaphram go bad on a bilge pump. Enough water was getting into the bilge that I hand-pumped once a day, and during much of that time the float switch was under water. The standard (Manual)(Off)(Auto) setting let me shut down the damaged pump. With the (On)(Auto) arrangement it would have stayed on semi-permantly, at least in-between manual pumping sessions.

[CharlieJ]

Paul-You have control to shut off the pump via its fuse or circuit breaker.

Regards,
Charlie

[GordMay]

Bilge Pump Wiring Diagrams:

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/gallery...r&imageuser=79

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/gallery...r&imageuser=79

[reash]

Thanks to you all!
Yes, the switch is Auto, manual, and off with a light. However, the pump has only two wires- brown power and black. One of these diagrams is for a three wire pump. The drawings I have say to wire the brown pump wire to th e float switch, AND has a line from the middle of that connection to the fuse on the 3 switch. SO, do I cut it there and put three wires together and run them to the fuse, or can I run the pump positive to the fuse as well as the gray wire from the float? Or would the float wire go to the battery?

[GordMay]

From +12VDC @ Fuse/Breaker a Red (Reb/Brown) wire to centre ‘Common’ Terminal of Selector Switch.
From Sel Switch ‘On Terminal 1' (“Automatic”) to Float Switch.
From Other Side of Float Switch to Junction Point.
From Sel Switch ‘On Terminal 2' (“Manual”) to Junction Point.
From Junction Point to Pump Brown lead.
From Pump Yellow or Black lead back to DC Negative Bus.