Tempermental Bilge Pump

[Victoria Y]

I have lived alone aboard my CD 36 throughout this winter in Norfolk...Well, we're actually still having winter. But on the few nice days I installed a larger bilge pump (with a little help from my friends). The old one had not been connected to the bilge pump switch, so that was taken care of this time. Now, however, it doesn't work correctly. If the switch is off when the bilge fills, it will not automatically turn on and empty the bilge. If the switch is on, it will not do anything either. The only way the pump works is to have the switch off, let the bilge fill; then turn on the switch. Let it empty and then turn the switch off...ugh! I have some idea about what the problem might be, but I have no idea what to do about it. Any helpful ideas would be much appreciated.

Mahalo, (Thank you in Hawaiian)
Victoria

[Pete]

I replaced an older pump last year, found that there were three wires. The doc said, use two color wires (I think it was brown and black) to keep power hot and pump would use internal switch. Or use the other color combo, where pump would on turn of with power on at breaker. I would check the box, documentation, and see if you can change you wire.

You might also take apart the micro switch, using a volt-meter, check to see that its working correctly--before you do to much more.

Pete

[bottomscraper]

What type pump do you have? Make and model?
Does it have a external float switch?
It sounds like the control switch is a 2 position "on - off" not a 3 position "auto-off-manual", is that correct?