Hi, All. In my just purchased a...

[Fenner]

Hi, All. In my just purchased a very nice 2001 Sea Ray 210 Bowrider with MerCruiser 5.0 liter V8 (400 hours) and joined the Club. There is a bilge pump located beneath the engine in the bilge. It has manual and automatic modes. It works fine on manual but the automatic function doesn't work. I have checked all fuses (under dash and at stern) and actual power to the pump. All good. I have blasted the level switch with water to clean it out. No go. Being a DIYer, I would replace the level switch or entire system IF I could reach it, which I can't. My fix for now was to install a Rule Low Profile auto/manual pump alongside the original pump and "Y" the discharge hose into the existing one with check valves. It works just fine, but my question is: how does one access the original bilge pump? [Additionally, this pump has an interesting feature: along with a selectable two-level switch, it has a timer mode in which it turns on every 2-½ minutes, and either stays on or shuts off, depending on what resistance the impeller senses. Anyone have experience with this pump?]  

[wingless]

Welcome to the forum.

It looks impossible to access anything underneath that engine.

https://boats-from-usa.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/boats/2018-03/29/166853/sea-ray-210-bowrider-1932842.jpg?itok=Jqhxzjwu

On my boat the bilge pump float switches have a limited lifetime, designed to fail shortly after the warranty expires.

Could the existing failed switch remain at the location that cannot be reached and an additional switch be position that could be reached, even if it isn't an optimal location, such as underneath the pulleys shown in the linked image, then the wiring be changed to include the new switch.

Note, if going that route, changing the wiring to make the pump run if either switch is active will permit redundant operation if the failed switch is ever replaced in the future.

[Fenner]

Thanks. Actually, my new setup with the original pump on manual and new pump on automatic works real well. Wiring to the new pump comes directly from the aft fuse wiring. It appears I'll keep this setup for the long run.

[wingless]

YW

Great that you have a solution when the parts may not be accessed.

The manufacturer's specified bilge pump fusing is a very low level of current.

My understanding is the bilge pump does not tolerate a stalled rotor, so the correct fuse is required to prevent bad results.

Sharing a fused run between pumps either means the fuse is larger than specified by the MFG, or the risk is nuisance fuse failure when both pumps are running.

Not a problem when the shared feed current is appropriately protected, plus the current to each pump also protected as defined by the manufacturer.