Bilge Pump should be wired directly not behind master switch

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 11:45 pm

Having read another sad story about power to bilge pumps being accidently turned off... I ask myself why would anyone have them switchable?

In my opinion bilge pumps should not be able to be switched off.... if you are not sure how your's are wired I would suggest you do a test to make sure that they are not turned off by any DC control switches.
My two DC switches shut down everything else but not the bilge pumps... looking at my F32 electrical diagram that is how they were wired from the factory.

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:55 am

That is the way all my bilge pumps are wired - they are not switchable at all. The only way to shut them off is to totally disconnect the batteries and battery tender.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 9:11 am

No, ALL bilge pumps are not wired directly to the battery. In fact, most boat manufacturers (today) wire them to double-throw switches with "ON", "OFF" and "AUTO" positions. (I have 3 of my 4 boats this way - and have had many more before these).

Wiring directly to the battery is dangerous.

The safest solution for "in-water" vessels is multiple bilge pumps wired through fuses to separate batteries. The "Manual" pump mode can be wired safely to a switch.

In fact, since our Trojans typically drain forward at rest, its best to have 2 fore and 2 aft (the forward pumps will keep water out at the dock, and the aft pumps will pump water out underway).

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 11:31 am

Standard factory wiring on my '79 F32 had the pumps wired directly to power, AND switched power (so you can run them even if float switch doesn't kick them on). The wiring does not connect directly to the battery itself, but is tied in to the hot side and ground prior to the battery switches. You will also notice a dedicated fuse (or fuses depending on model) for the pumps in your fuse panel, with dedicated wiring going to it (ie not just feeding off the standard bus bar).

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:34 pm

Like I said, not "direct", but "direct with a fuse".

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 3:44 pm

rossjo wrote:Like I said, not "direct", but "direct with a fuse".

Where did you get the idea of them being wired direct? I did not pick that up anywhere......
What I read was not switched by the main DC power switches.......

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 4:32 pm

Who said anything about direct to the battery. Mine are not switchable and the only way to disable the auto function is to disconnect the batteries. Did I miss something?

turtlem1969 · Post by **turtlem1969** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:18 am

My f25 had two bilge pumps and auto floats one forward and one aft, wired to an auto-off-on switch, after my little incident where i almost sank the boat because i left the switches in off mode, I turned them off because i trailor the boat and not afraid of it sinking in my yard, I have put in two more pumps, one forward and one aft, and floats.all four floats are wired directly to the main fuse panel separately, two of the pumps are just wired to the floats and two are wired to an auto-on-off switch. That way I can still turn two on manually. The only thing I haven't gotten installed yet is a high water alarm, which from experience I suggest that everyone have and make sure its in working order. Its not fun finding out you got a foot and a half of water in your boat and your pumps are barely keeping up after being turned on.

sorry so long, just letting y'all know what can happen and what I did to prevent it from happening again.

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 8:18 pm

I personally don't like the "AUOT - ON - OFF" switches. The OFF function is dangerous IMO. I by-pass the OFF function on them so that there is no OFF option. Why would you need to turn this circuit off?

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:47 am

Boats left in the water have no need for an "OFF" position. The float switch should be wired (with a fuse) to a battery.

I like to turn my trailer boat's bilge pumps off. When trailering, the float switches can make contact on/off from time to time and a) run the battery down and b) run the bilge in dry mode, which can damage the pump.

JonChristman · Post by **JonChristman** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:42 pm

I an new here, and new to Trojan boats. I just bought a 1979 F-26 last week. It has the fore and aft bilge pumps on factory on/off switches. I haven't been leaving them on, in fact, I am, as the previous owner did too, switching off the battery main when I leave the boat which kills the power to these pumps also. The previous owner would not vist the boat for weeks and sometimes even a couple of months at a time. The first thing he would do after switching the power on was to turn on the bilges and run till they started sucking air.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 2:03 pm

All that says to me is that nothing went wrong for him during his absence.... if it had his boat would have taken on water and likely sunk.
Your methodology says you ONLY want your bilge pumps to work while you are aboard....... does that not seem risky to you

I want extra protection when I am absent

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:23 pm

You want the pump to come on any time when needed . you boat may not take on water for months , but what if a hose cracks or breaks ? or a thru hull starts leaking ? shaft packings can start leaking at any time Heavy rains have sunk boats .

Pumps should be left on auto at almost all times

JonChristman · Post by **JonChristman** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:53 pm

The switches on my boat do not have an auto position, only off and on, and when the master if off they are completely off. I understand the concern about wanting to have the bilges always on. I am stopping at the marina everyday and checking. I just don't understand why the switches would be wired as such from the factory.

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 10:00 pm

Methodology has changed over the years. Unfortunately, when it comes to safety, the changes that are made are usually the result of studying accidents and what can be done now to prevent it from happening again!!

Trojan Boat Forum

Bilge Pump should be wired directly not behind master switch

Bilge Pump should be wired directly not behind master switch

My F-26 has factory bilge switches