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Bildge pump

Sask hunter

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Sep 20, 2016
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Not sure where to put this. Anyways my bildge pump quit working in the boat. Cut it out and put a new one in today still no luck. Anywhere I should look that’s an “easy” fox before I really dig into this. Fingers crossed it’s something simple lol. Worst case scenario and I can’t figure it out I’ll buy one do those manual pumps to get me though summer in case of emergency. I refuse to lose the boat for a week or two when I just started fishing lol
 
I was in the same boat last week. When I Turned the bilge on and nothing happened even though I could see water. I get home and take the bilge out it was still running when I’d turn the switch but no water was coming out of the outlet. I took the bilge off the outlet hose and the plastic was so rotten it would just crumble. it was time for a new one. I looked online and found an Seaflo automatic one that would fit my outlet hose and hopefully use the same wiring, it was 250 gph bigger and it got good reviews online. Cabelas was supposed to have it but I had my doubts so I went to Wal mart to get a few things and they had the same bulge as I had already which was not an automatic but I wanted an automatic so I passed. I Went to cabelas on the other side of town and they did not have the Seaflo bilge pump on the floor, I’m not surprised. Asking someone to help you at that store is like banging your head on the wall so I left and ordered it online. The bilge pump arrived a few days later and I got it all put back together. The wiring was different because the new one was an automatic but I was able to get it hooked up per the wiring diagram in the instructions pretty simply. It worked when I put the bilge in the boat but after I put a little water in the boat nothing would come out of the outlet. I disconnected and back flushed the outlet hose and gobs of oily, greasy nasty gunk came out. Put it all back together and voila! It works!
 
Might want to check and see if there is some debris lodged in the impeller (if you haven't done so already) pretty common to get small rocks or other junk lodged in there. Should be able to inspect it by unclipping the baseplate from the main housing
 
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Could be something blocking the outlet at the side of the boat. I would start there. Disconnect the outlet hose from the pump and blow some compressed air through there, or back flush with water to see if there is an obstruction.
 
Should mention it’s getting power from what I can tell need to test for sure but the livewell is pumping. Switched fuses from the livewell to bildge to check for bad fuse and that wasn’t the issue either
 
Could be something blocking the outlet at the side of the boat. I would start there. Disconnect the outlet hose from the pump and blow some compressed air through there, or back flush with water to see if there is an obstruction.
Mud Daubers!!!!
 
Should mention it’s getting power from what I can tell need to test for sure but the livewell is pumping. Switched fuses from the livewell to bildge to check for bad fuse and that wasn’t the issue either
Couple thoughts :
  • Check with a voltage meter that you're actually getting power at the pump. I know the live well has power, but you'd be surprised how often it can be something simple like this
  • If no power, check for broken wires, inline blown fuses, loose connections specifically at the control switch, etc.
  • If power, check polarity, check float operation if the pump has one, check outlet hole (pump should still turn even if outlet is plugged), check pump with direct DC power on a bench, check battery voltage to ensure its not a dead battery with low voltage


Those are the quick ones I got off the top of my head

Report back any additional troubleshooting or info you discover
 
@Sask hunter what did you find out? Did you get your bilge fixed?
I am pretty sure I have a broken wire between point A and B. found one weak spot about 2’ up that I fixed but that didn’t fix it so I think there is one more. Going to have to run a wire one day. For now I have it jerry rigged with clamps if worst case happens I can attach to motor directly. I’ll play around with it later in the summer when fishing slows
 
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