Bilge pump wiring on 1985 Osprey 170

[Miguel]

I did something stupid.... I cut both bilge pump wires close to the pump, thinking I could use them to pull a new double wire from the console.  Surprise!!! It only move about 10 inches and then stops. I don´t want to remove the console and I can´t see the run of the wires.  They both go inside the cable tray on the floor under the console, but I can´t see how they go from there to the bilge.  I lifted the deck on top of the tray a bit, because the console bites down on it and makes it impossible to remove completely without lifting the console.  I don´t see any of the wires on the tray 2 feet away from the console, so I´m assuming they somehow go thru the floor somewhere in between.
Does anybody know how to route the bilge pump wires from the bilge to the console on a 1985 Osprey 170????

[JimCt]

1.  Are you sure the wires go into the tray under the console?

2. Unless the boat came eqipped with the bilge pump wiring
     someone, somehow was able to route the wires.

3. If the wires do enter the tray under the console there must then be
     an opening in the tray somwhere for the wires to enter the bilge area.
     Maybe that's the hang-up spot.

4. The wire stopping at 10" might be a wire crimp connector unable to
     turn a corner or go through a small clearence hole.  Can you pull
     the wires in the direction of the console or have you lost that end?
     If not, perhaps with two people alternately pullling from each end
     the wire will free up and come through in one of the directions.

[Miguel]

Jim:
1.  Wire do go n the tray under the console.  At some point they enter the bilge....I do not want to remove the console to see where this happens.
2.  I´ve lost both ends of the wires, so there is nothing to use in order to "fish" the new wire.  If I know the wire run, I may be able to use an electricians tape to fish the new wires.....
3. I believe the tray sits right on top of a foam filled stringer, therefore, I´m not inclined to drill a new hole farther back.

[Radioshop]

My guess is the cable trey doesn't go into the bilge.  I say this because the tray can flood and drain without filling the bilge.  You'll probably have to use the hole for the fuel lines because those do go into the bilge. I good stiff electrical snake is probably the ticket.

[JimCt]

Figure out a work-around yet for the wiring?

[Miguel]

I had two plugged holes on the little channel in the deck, right on the transom, which connect to the bilge.
I unplugged one of the holes and installed a 90 degree trhu hull, which serves will route the new wires out of the bilge.  From there, I will join them to the steering cable with wire ties and that black spiral thingy used to make a bunch of wires look good.  Then, its only a question of putting the whole thing in the cable tray.
The thru hull will finally be filled with 3M 5200 to avoid water in the bilge....

[JimCt]

Congrats on the fix!

Sometimes problems like these take a little head-scratching but, given a little time, solutions do present themselves.  I had the same sort of situation trying to figure out how to replace the rear cross-member of my trailer without taking the boat off the trailer.  In the end it all worked out.

[Miguel]

I have to accept that it is not the best solution, but it will do the job.  I´ll post pics sometime......