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Helm Bilge Pump Indicator Light

Discussion in 'Post Yacht' started by Greg Page, Jun 3, 2021.

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  1. Greg Page

    Greg Page Active Member

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    With help from board member Davidoc's terminal strip schematic I was able to locate the under helm connection for the (not currently connected) Bilge Pump Indicator Light. To my surprise it has power anytime the bilge pump power breaker is on. I was expecting a circuit that was only energized when the bilge pump is actually running (like on my Viking). Is the Post indicator really just a bilge pump "power enabled" indicator?

    Since it is powered in both automatic and manual mode, and those are two isolated power feeds at the breaker panel and at the bilge pump, there would need to be a bridge somewhere with a diode from each power line feeding the indicator circuit so it would not cross feed the two power modes. I don't see anything in the breaker panel, and I would hope they would not bury diodes somewhere along the wire run. I know it doesn't tap into the line from the breaker to the automatic/manual switch which would be the only other way to get one circuit energized in either mode.

    Does anyone know how the circuit is setup and where the interconnect is located? I am curious/confused what their intent was.
  2. Davidoc

    Davidoc Senior Member

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    My helm indicator light is only hooked up to the aft pump float switch in the lazarette. There are no indicators for the forward pumps on the bridge. As you know Posts lean forward at rest and water flows to the bow. That light will come on when underway if any intrusion of water reaches that switch. The idea is you are pushing any water in the boat to the stern while underway in order to pump it overboard. You should also have another float switch, mounted higher up in the lazarette, that sounds an emergency bell for a high water alarm. My bell is located under the cockpit freezer on the starboard side. As a side note, that aft pump pushes water overboard through a transom fitting that is close to the water line and can grow barnacles that can restrict the pumps ability to bail water out. Got to keep that fitting clean from outside the boat. Mine is below the dive platform. The alarm bell is hard to hear while underway with the turbos screaming a bit. That's why seeing that indicator is vital while underway. It is your early warning that there is water where there should be none. Test them both before planning a real trip offshore. I can tell you that light has told me a lot of stories over the years.
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2021
  3. Greg Page

    Greg Page Active Member

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    That is what I expected but not what I am getting. If the indicator is wired to just the manual lead it behaves that way. When in manual the pump is running and you get an indicator. When in auto and the float switch closes it energizes the pump , and also the connected manual power line, and you get an indicator. I can't see where the indicator feed is tied in. It isn't at the pump or at the breaker panel (at least leads I can see/trace). I thought there might be a 4th lead in the cable at the pump that would connect to the combined float out/manual connection to the pump (+) lead to run the indicator but there isn't.

    I get power to the indicator in auto when the float is open and the pump not running (I crawled back under the cockpit to be sure), and also in manual when the pump is running.

    The high water alarm on our boat will wake the dead (prior owner wanted to wake the marina staff and neighbors if it ever went off at the dock). And there is no audible turbo whine with the CAT's.
  4. Greg Page

    Greg Page Active Member

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    The aft bilge pump outlet on our boat is a good 6" above the static waterline. (The exhausts are completely out of the water as well).
  5. Greg Page

    Greg Page Active Member

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    A little more checking and my boat must not match the wiring schematic. The line that it shows as bilge pump indicator light blue/black is always hot, even when the aft bilge pump breaker is off. It is also a white/blue wire. Too humid to do more hunting today, I can't see through the steam with my glasses on.

    I may need to run a new cable from the bilge for the bilge pump indicator and both fuel gauge senders as I can't locate a lead for them under the helm either. Will have to see how hard it is to push new cabling through.
  6. Greg Page

    Greg Page Active Member

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    Found abandoned cables from breaker box to helm (the old ignition arm switches) and repurposed one so now have a working aft bilge pump operating indicator light.

    Don't know how the prior owner could run 100 miles offshore fishing without one.

    Thanks for all the help.
  7. Alzira II

    Alzira II Member

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    It is very comforting for me to have that indicator light. Only time I have ever noticed it run much was when my pressure tank broke while underway and my full 300ish gallons of FW went into hull.
  8. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Agreed. If I see that little red light come on while underway, I know I need to stop and investigate immediately.
    mwwhit1 likes this.
  9. Greg Page

    Greg Page Active Member

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    Since I was under the helm wiring I wired in a manual over-ride switch for the aft pump. Have one on our Viking and have found it useful so added one to the helm where the old sync indicator light was.
  10. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Every boat should have bilge pump indicator lights and high water alarms at each helm. Frankly it s cheap and worth spending a couple if days setting up. The hardest part of the job is running the wires.

    First think I did when I started the refit on my 50 year old hatt was install 5 new rules 3700 with two float switch each ( pump on and high water) and run wiring harnesses to a new pump panel at the helm. Then I fed the panel with new wiring from the house bank. The panel has indicator lights, new breakers and override switches. Couple of days of work... a couple of thousand dollars but I sleep much better at night.

    if you ever get water coming into the boat, time is critical. If you don’t know one of your bilge pumps have been running for 30 minutes and is loosing the fight, by the time you notice it will be too late.