Wiring a bilge pump

[Bright Angel]

I have just tried to install a new Rule Rule Mate 500 bilge pump. Rather than a float switch, it apparently senses water and switches on automatically until the level drops. There are 3 wires coming out of the pump one black, bl, (-) one brown, b, labled AUTOMATIC (+) and one brown with a white stripe bw, labled MANUAL(+). I want to wire it directly to my bank of leisure batteries (via a manual on-off switch), with a suitable fuse in the (+) connection and let the auto function control the level of bilge water automatically. So far so good. Once wired in, with the plain black and plain brown wires commected, I touched the test switch on the side of the pump and it ran for a few seconds. I connected the outlet pipe and placed it in about 10mm of water in my bilge!

2 days later I looked in to see what was happening - nothing - the bilge had about 70mm of water in, 2 thirds up the pump body, but the pump had not activated. I then touched the brown and white wire to (+) and it ran but wouldn't switch off once the water had stopped being picked up. Disconnecting the bw wire stopped the pump. I have to leave the boat today and want some advice from someone who has successfully installed this pump. Does connecting using the manual wire deactivate the sensor ? Have I just not allowed enough water to build up to switch it on automatically. I am going to try it out again in a bowl of watewr but any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[Psycloud]

I think we have a similar type bilge pump as it also has auto/manual option but it is wired to a 3 way switch on the engine control panel. The switch has Manual/Off/Auto positions and you hold it in Manual to operate the pump or leave it in auto to let it pump when necessary.

 

Thanks

 

David

[dor]

I imagine it sjhould work as follows: Black goes to the negative. Brown + (auto) goes to the battery (via a line fuse). Brown + (Manual) goes to the battery via a switch (and inline fuse - or split off after the inline fuse for the auto wire).

 

What should happen then is that the pump is run via the level sensor from the auto feed. The manual feed bypasses the sensor and will run the pump when the switch is set on regardless of the water level.

[bottle]

I imagine it should work as follows

 

Your imagination is real and correct.

[Grace and Favour]

Your imagination is real and correct.

 

Does that make it "real virtuality", "virtual reality",or "real reality"?

[saxplayer]

Wiring is correct. Only thing i would add is connecting the pump direct to battery,( again this is how i would do it as well) down side is, if the boat is left for an extended period of time with out any battery managemnt in place the battery will drain!

shaun

[bottle]

Wiring is correct

 

Is it

 

Once wired in, with the plain black and plain brown wires commected

 

I read this as only the plain brown and the black are connected the brown with white marker is not connected.

 

Bright Angel

 

To try and make this clear your pump needs two positive feeds both directly from your batteries via fuse(s), the plain brown direct and the brown with white stripe via a switch.

 

The black is the negative and could be connected at any convenient negative point.

[Kwacker]

This sounds similar to the Whale Supersub that I recently fitted.

Black direct to battery -ve, Brown direct to battery +ve (via a fuse).

The third wire (white in my case) could be wired to a positive feed via a switch for manual override.

As I only wanted the automatic function, I just insulated the third wire and taped it into the harness for possible use at a later date.

Pump works a treat.

[Bod]

Wiring is correct. Only thing i would add is connecting the pump direct to battery,( again this is how i would do it as well) down side is, if the boat is left for an extended period of time with out any battery managemnt in place the battery will drain!

shaun

Our boat is wired like this, my feelings are that, having a flat battery in a dry boat, is preferable to a charged battery in a boat full of water!

 

Bod

[by'eck]

Some Rule bilge pumps require a considerable depth of water (nearly covering the pump itself) before they automatically operate via the level sensor, which probably explains the OP's findings. Having the manual wire connected via a switch adds a level of redundancy and allows the bilge to be kept with a minimum of water in it.

 

BTW my Rule shower pump which uses an identical solid state level sensor to the bilge pump, failed after working correctly for only a week from new. That also now has a manual switch with an adjacent LED indicator wired in parallel with pump, and indicating when the pump is running in either manual or automatic mode. Probably not a bad idea to have a similar indicator on the bilge pump since they are fairly quiet in operation.

[BlueStringPudding]

Our boat is wired like this, my feelings are that, having a flat battery in a dry boat, is preferable to a charged battery in a boat full of water!

 

Bod

 

[ditchcrawler]

If this pump is solid-state controlled does it draw current 24/7 regardless?

[by'eck]

If this pump is solid-state controlled does it draw current 24/7 regardless?

 

No - the solid state switch is passive.

[Emma b]

Is it possible then to wire a light/buzzer on the automatic circuit side?

I assume as there is a permanent live the current drain will only occur when running thus bringing a light on?

[WotEver]

Is it possible then to wire a light/buzzer on the automatic circuit side?

I assume as there is a permanent live the current drain will only occur when running thus bringing a light on?

Yes.

Yes.

[DHutch]

Sounds to me like its wired up right, but wasnt covered enough.

 

Have you tried pouring water over it, or submerging it fully to see if that sets it off.

 

 

Daniel

[Iain_S]

I'm sure it'll have got wet sometime in the last four years.

[DHutch]

Crickey. Yes! Epic thread revival.

 

I'm sure it'll have got wet sometime in the last four years.

Daniel

[Emma b]

Thanks for the confirmation I will have a look this weekend.

I see Whale do a nice panel with a warning light and buzzer which I'd like to fit.

In addition, I have ordered a one way valve to fit to the bilge waste pipe.

Would you fit it near the pump or near the outlet/skin fitting?

Regards

Simon

[bottle]

One way valve as close as to the pump as possible.

 

Not sure but the pump may have one already.

[Emma b]

It turns out the white wire which is the over ride wire also doubles up as a sensor wire.

Inserting a bulb in series and connecting to earth causes the bulb to light when the pump switches on in automatic mode and when a feed is supplied to the earth side of the bulb (via a switch) the bulb lights and pump runs on over ride/manual mode.

Clever and simple

[blackrose]

One way valve as close as to the pump as possible.

 

Not sure but the pump may have one already.

What's the advantage of the NRV being close to the pump? Wherever it goes I'd still want to loop the waste pipe up and support it a few inches higher than the skin fitting before it comes back down to the skin fitting, if that makes sense.

[Emma b]

Yes a good point and obvious now you mention it

[WotEver]

What's the advantage of the NRV being close to the pump? Wherever it goes I'd still want to loop the waste pipe up and support it a few inches higher than the skin fitting before it comes back down to the skin fitting, if that makes sense.

To have as little back-flow as possible coming out of the pump I would think.

[Iain_S]

I find that a back flow through the pump can be quite handy. If the pump stops pumping due to crap around the inlet, a back flush, achieved by switching it off for a few seconds, often clears the problem.