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Bilge pump


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Maybe someone out there can help me? I have an 04 Sporster with a Indomar 5.7 engine. The boat has only 100 hours on it. I turned on the bilge pump at the switch on the dash and the switch lit up for about 3 seconds and then the circuit breaker kicked off. I reset the breaker and tried again. But this time I checked to see if the pump was in fact running. It was not. Again the breaker kicked off. So, Do I have a short in the system? or is the pump possibly frozen and that is the problem? Also, How is the pump attatched to the floor? It seems to have only 1 wire connected, but I might be wrong. Thanx in advance

Just an update to my bilge problem. The thing next to the pylon on the floor was what I thought the pump. But after inspection, it turned out to be the speedometer pickup. So, now where is the bilge pump located? I can't turn it on to find it as the breaker kicks off. Does anyone know where the pump is?

Edited by ucontrol
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if it has only one wire connected that maybe your problem. it should have a power and ground connected. check around the wire that is connected for a loose wire and reconnect it. also it should mounted to the floor with a couple of small screws. if you feel around your pump you should see a couple of buttons or tabs on the upper part of the pump, those release the actual pump from the "grill" part of it (the bottom of the pump) that grill part is what is actually screwed down. but check your wires first!

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if it has only one wire connected that maybe your problem. it should have a power and ground connected. check around the wire that is connected for a loose wire and reconnect it. also it should mounted to the floor with a couple of small screws. if you feel around your pump you should see a couple of buttons or tabs on the upper part of the pump, those release the actual pump from the "grill" part of it (the bottom of the pump) that grill part is what is actually screwed down. but check your wires first!
thanx, I will check that first. I am not sure about there being only 1 wire, it could actually be a wire loom with wires inside it. I just am not sure that a short is the problem as the use is so low. Do you think that the pump could be frozen and that is causing the breaker to trigger? When I reset the breaker, the switch turns on again and the pump should run. But it doesn't. It just blows the breaker and the light on the switch goes out.
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also check to see if there is a bunch of crap which is stuck in the impellar of the pump, that may be what is causing it to trip the breaker.

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if it has only one wire connected that maybe your problem. it should have a power and ground connected. check around the wire that is connected for a loose wire and reconnect it. also it should mounted to the floor with a couple of small screws. if you feel around your pump you should see a couple of buttons or tabs on the upper part of the pump, those release the actual pump from the "grill" part of it (the bottom of the pump) that grill part is what is actually screwed down. but check your wires first!
thanx, I will check that first. I am not sure about there being only 1 wire, it could actually be a wire loom with wires inside it. I just am not sure that a short is the problem as the use is so low. Do you think that the pump could be frozen and that is causing the breaker to trigger? When I reset the breaker, the switch turns on again and the pump should run. But it doesn't. It just blows the breaker and the light on the switch goes out.

there could be junk caught up in the impeller housing of the pump causing it to "freeze up" but i'm not so sure that would trip the breaker. normally the breaker is tripped due to an improper grounding, too much power, shorts, or something to that nature. With it being in the bilge, if you don't have the connections secured to the top of the bilge or the connections covered in something waterproof, there is a strong possibility of water getting to the wires causing them to short out. id check those connections, maybe even check the ones at the back of the switch, and to your power and ground source, then if its still doing it, try cleaning the pump itself and make sure its clear of junk in it... if that doesn't work.. try a new pump.. you can get one at walmart for like 30 or 40 bucks...try the existing wires, if it blows the breaker, run some new wires. I had to run new wires to my bilge pump this year...not too bad of a task.

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if it has only one wire connected that maybe your problem. it should have a power and ground connected. check around the wire that is connected for a loose wire and reconnect it. also it should mounted to the floor with a couple of small screws. if you feel around your pump you should see a couple of buttons or tabs on the upper part of the pump, those release the actual pump from the "grill" part of it (the bottom of the pump) that grill part is what is actually screwed down. but check your wires first!
thanx, I will check that first. I am not sure about there being only 1 wire, it could actually be a wire loom with wires inside it. I just am not sure that a short is the problem as the use is so low. Do you think that the pump could be frozen and that is causing the breaker to trigger? When I reset the breaker, the switch turns on again and the pump should run. But it doesn't. It just blows the breaker and the light on the switch goes out.

there could be junk caught up in the impeller housing of the pump causing it to "freeze up" but i'm not so sure that would trip the breaker. normally the breaker is tripped due to an improper grounding, too much power, shorts, or something to that nature. With it being in the bilge, if you don't have the connections secured to the top of the bilge or the connections covered in something waterproof, there is a strong possibility of water getting to the wires causing them to short out. id check those connections, maybe even check the ones at the back of the switch, and to your power and ground source, then if its still doing it, try cleaning the pump itself and make sure its clear of junk in it... if that doesn't work.. try a new pump.. you can get one at walmart for like 30 or 40 bucks...try the existing wires, if it blows the breaker, run some new wires. I had to run new wires to my bilge pump this year...not too bad of a task.

Where is the pump located on the one you changed this year? The thing I thought was the pump turned out to be the speedometer pickup. Where is the pump located?

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if it has only one wire connected that maybe your problem. it should have a power and ground connected. check around the wire that is connected for a loose wire and reconnect it. also it should mounted to the floor with a couple of small screws. if you feel around your pump you should see a couple of buttons or tabs on the upper part of the pump, those release the actual pump from the "grill" part of it (the bottom of the pump) that grill part is what is actually screwed down. but check your wires first!
thanx, I will check that first. I am not sure about there being only 1 wire, it could actually be a wire loom with wires inside it. I just am not sure that a short is the problem as the use is so low. Do you think that the pump could be frozen and that is causing the breaker to trigger? When I reset the breaker, the switch turns on again and the pump should run. But it doesn't. It just blows the breaker and the light on the switch goes out.

there could be junk caught up in the impeller housing of the pump causing it to "freeze up" but i'm not so sure that would trip the breaker. normally the breaker is tripped due to an improper grounding, too much power, shorts, or something to that nature. With it being in the bilge, if you don't have the connections secured to the top of the bilge or the connections covered in something waterproof, there is a strong possibility of water getting to the wires causing them to short out. id check those connections, maybe even check the ones at the back of the switch, and to your power and ground source, then if its still doing it, try cleaning the pump itself and make sure its clear of junk in it... if that doesn't work.. try a new pump.. you can get one at walmart for like 30 or 40 bucks...try the existing wires, if it blows the breaker, run some new wires. I had to run new wires to my bilge pump this year...not too bad of a task.

Where is the pump located on the one you changed this year? The thing I thought was the pump turned out to be the speedometer pickup. Where is the pump located?

The bilge pump is right next to where the rudder comes through the hull. At least thats where it's been on all three of the boats I've had. I had a small screw get caught in the bilge pump impeller that was causing the same problem you describe.

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It's about a foot in front of the ski pole. You have to remove that plastic barrier to get to it. It will have 3 wires going to it. A constant hot for auto operation, a switched hot for manual operation, and a -12 volt ground wire.

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It's about a foot in front of the ski pole. You have to remove that plastic barrier to get to it. It will have 3 wires going to it. A constant hot for auto operation, a switched hot for manual operation, and a -12 volt ground wire.

Thats where it is on a 2003 sunsetter too. Its a small white box (half the size of shoe box) looking thing.

Defintely check your hose too, if you can, blow air through it to clean out any debris. We had to blow out some carpet

debris in ours after about 100 hours too.

We actually had our battery go dead when we had too much water in the bilge. It "auto" kicked on, but

the clogged hose wouldn't let any water out and the bilge pump just stayed on over night.

Cry.gif

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