Click for JetForums Click for Mulder Click for Furuno Click for Burger Click for Burger

Bilge pumps wont turn off

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Giacomo52, May 27, 2018.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Giacomo52, May 27, 2018
    #1
    Giacomo52

    Giacomo52 Guest

    I have had a leak that triggered a bilge pump that triggered an overheating alarm when it run dry for a while.
    The problem I encounter is that all four bilge pumps on my Phantom 50 are running and overheating even if all switches seem to work properly.
    I have disconnected the one that triggered the others but when I put the power back on, all 3 start to run dry and trigger the alarm.
    Any suggestions on how to solve this problem ?
  2. Pascal, May 27, 2018
    #2
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,546
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    I dont understand how one pump would trigger all the others. Never seen any boat rigged that way ad i dont see the point. Each pump should have its own float switch, on its own circuit breaker.
  3. Giacomo52, May 27, 2018
    #3
    Giacomo52

    Giacomo52 Guest

    Each pump has its own float switch.
    Each float is in a different compartment of the boat.
    Floats are wired to a control panel.
    Two pumps on one switch; two others on another switch on the panel.

    Somehow, the four start running when the panel swithches are turn on.

    The float switches are not obstructed.
  4. Pascal, May 27, 2018
    #4
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,546
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    When you say switch, are you talkning about over ride, manual switch, or are you talking about circuit breakers?
  5. Giacomo52, May 27, 2018
    #5
    Giacomo52

    Giacomo52 Guest

    Over ride, manual switches
  6. Fishtigua, May 27, 2018
    #6
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,935
    Location:
    Guernsey/Antigua
    One thing that has peed me off for many years is lazy engineers who clip off cable ties that wiggle down and stick under float-switches. Flat batteries and burnt-out pumps suck, just from an old cable-tie.
  7. Pascal, May 27, 2018
    #7
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,546
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    So instead of having one override on switch per pump you only have two? And instead fo turning on one pair of pump, one switch turns all four on?
  8. Pascal, May 27, 2018
    #8
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,546
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    That and builders not installing enough pumping capacity...
  9. Capt J, May 27, 2018
    #9
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,531
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    It sounds like a high water alarm float switch triggers all pumps. Let’s start with make, model, length and year.
  10. chesapeake46, May 28, 2018
    #10
    chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2009
    Messages:
    1,829
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay & S.Jersey
    Or a stuck relay controled by the alarm / all on float.
  11. d_meister, May 28, 2018
    #11
    d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2010
    Messages:
    481
    Location:
    La Conner, WA.
    My guess is a defective diode in the alarm panel feeding back, or maybe wiring reversed when a new pump was installed. Could be the whole panel is bad. Is the alarm panel a name-brand unit? A diagram for that would be informative. The alarm panel might explain why overheating alarms go off with bilge pump activity. Not much heat generated by a running bilge pump.
    Of, course, any information on the boat in question might help, as Capt J suggested.
  12. Pascal, May 28, 2018
    #12
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,546
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Relays and diodes don't belong in mission critical circuits like bilge pumps. One feed to the float, one feed to the override on, a light. Ain't rocket science. Add a feed, light and buzzer to a high water alarm float.
  13. Fishtigua, May 29, 2018
    #13
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,935
    Location:
    Guernsey/Antigua
    While on the subject of bilges, we are doing another 2 day turnaround repower of a fastfisher. While we whipped the old engine out this morning, gave the engineroom a good clean.

    Strange things that were found in the deep keel included the usual cable-ties, lost nuts and bolts, a nail-file, cigarette lighter and......... a complete Snicker bar!!!

    Please guys, take care with your chocolate.o_O
  14. Capt J, May 29, 2018
    #14
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,531
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    How did the snickers bar taste?
  15. Fishtigua, May 30, 2018
    #15
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,935
    Location:
    Guernsey/Antigua
    Gordon Ramsey has a special word for this, not for a family site like ours. :D;)