Clarification on Bilge Pump Operations

[Thfireman]

OK, I have limited experience with bilge pumps. I had a Pontoon before I got my 195DC so I need to ask a couple of dumb questions. Do I need to flip the bilge switch on the dash to make the pump operational or will it turn its self on if water builds up in the bilge? Is the switch strickly for manual operation? If it is run constanly will the impeller in the pump burn up? I know there is a float in the pump so I just need to know if it is always powered and ready to enguage or do I need to flip the switch to activate it? The manual is unclear to me. Thanks, Roger

[Putershark]

I do not know what the factory is using in a way of a bilge pump switch today, but when I first got our 190 it just had a simple auto / manual toggle switch on the dash.

• Now with such a switch, there is always some kind of draw on the battery since when in "Auto" position, the pump would look for the water in the bilge and run for a little bit every so many minutes. This is unlike a older float type of bilge pump that would just turn the pump on when the water got so deep in the bilge.
• In the manual position the pump would just run constant and yes, it will burn up a pump to run constant with no water present.

To me I did not like the constant battery draw of older 2 way factory switch and I also did not like the fact that I could not tell when the pump was running So I had a 3 way bilge pump switch installed that has a red LED light turn on the instrument panel whenever the pump is running. My new switch now works like this...

• Top position is "On" and running full time. Easy for me to tell it is in this position since the red LED light stays on constant. Having this light stay on constant when the pump switch in the "Auto" position is also a good visual warning that I have some kind of issue that is causing the pump to run all the time , and I better go take a peak to see what is happening before I take on a lot of water and maybe go for a long swim myself
• Middle position is "Off" so even when on the trailer and the battery switch gets left on, it will not kill one or both of my batteries for no reason.
• All the way down is the "Auto" position and easy for me to tell such for the red LED light will come on every so often to let me know that the pump is still looking for the presence of water in the bilge.

The key to all of this in my opinion is the red LED light and the early warning that it can provide that I have a problem... Or that the system is working fine by cycling off and on as designed. So you may want to consider such an upgrade yourself and the extra insurance the switch and the LED light can provide .

[Thfireman]

Great information. I need to figure out if mine is on permenant auto mode or what. I guess I can flood the bilge and see if it kicks on without the switch on.

[Thfireman]

OK, I got it. I washed out the boat yesterday and several times the bilge pumped out water and I didnt have the switch or the key turned on. So it is always powered and ready to go. Now I know for sure. Thanks all!