question about bilge pumps in a 2 battery setup

[aquadaze]

I recently bought a 97 explorer that has only 1 of 2 batteries in it. I plan on reinstalling a second battery and going thru what was/is powered by which battery.

I think I need to make sure the bilge pumps are powered by the cranking battery. Is that right? Or should they be powered by the house battery?

Thanks,
Phil

[RickK]

Hi Phil,
I'm not sure it really matters which you connect the bilge pump to as long as it's hard wired to one of them.

[Bergertime]

yup.. x2 on what Rikk said.

btw- There are several threads here on dual battery wiring and power management that might be useful.  Goodluck.

B

[Capt. Bob]

From the Resource forum.

http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=9053.msg79505#msg79505

Please note the "constant load" represents your power to your bilge pump (or say a stereo memory/clock).

Again, you need to know how you will be using your boat to make the decision on which battery to draw your constant power.

Good luck.

[RickK]

I think that it really depends on how you use your boat. Here is an example from me:
On my 230 I camp primarily and stay out for 3 or so days.  By the 3rd day my "house" battery is about dead because of all the stuff that was running on it over the 3 days.  My GPS battery level is beeping to let me know the "house" battery needs to be charged.  On the flip side my "starting" battery is still fully charged because it has been switched off and is protected by an ACR.  So where did I tie my bilge pump on my 230 - you guessed it, the starting battery.
On my 170 I didn't even have a bilge pump.  I do now and I will be on the boat whenever it is in the water - maybe I'll leave it in the water overnight once in a while.  I will have 3 batteries on it now and I think I'll still follow the same thinking pattern.
Bottom line is the pump needs to be hard-wired onto a battery, you need to look at how you use your boat and decide what battery you tie to makes the most sense.

[wingtime]

One I don't think I saw mentioned is are you talking about the bilge pump float switch power feed?  Or the bilge pump switched power feed?  

If you ware talking about the float switch feed you want that on an unswitched constant power feed.  That way the pump will always come on if the boat takes on water no matter what position your battery switch is on.  To answer your question though, both of my bilge pump power sources are supplied by my house battery.

[CLM65]

And whichever battery you choose, don't forget to add a fuse.

[wingtime]

If it's an Explorer he should have a box like this in the aft end.



How it is wired depends on if it had a factory option battery switch or whatever strange things a PO may have done!

[kaptainkoz]

I know what I am about to explain is a bit against the grain in marine wiring, but I personally for one like to know that when the battery switch is "off " that everything is off and completely dead. It's like having the main breaker in your house off but the front light wired directly to the grid. I know it's customary to hard wire the float but it doesn't make sense to me. If I want to power my bilge float switch then I'll have my battery switch to #1 or #2 and have everything else on the boat off. It's basically the same thing where the only draw to the battery could possibly be from the float. Please chime in if I am missing something but that's my logic from a perspective of safety. Sure you could put a switch on it separately and a fuse (EVERYTHING should have a fuse regardless) but to me it's just redundancy. In fact, I switch my bilge pump with a 3 way switch: float-off-on. This way i leave the battery on and the switch in the "float" position. I do this because floats malfunction and hang up so i want the ability to override it easily. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth to someone.

[seabob4]

If I want to power my bilge float switch then I'll have my battery switch to #1 or #2 and have everything else on the boat off. It's basically the same thing where the only draw to the battery could possibly be from the float.

Steve, I'm not sure what you typed is what you meant.  If your saying, for instance, that your float is wired to battery 2, and therefore you turn your switch to the batt 2 position, anything terminated to "common" will still be energized...which is basically your entire boat.  Accidently leave the IGN key in the ACC position instead of fully off, hours accumulate (if you have an hourmeter).  Turn your stereo volume all the way down while cleaning the boat so you can tell your buddy something (while having a few beers under the belt), then forget to turn the stereo off 'cause you can't hear it, and the stereo kills the batt.  Accidently hit the courtesy light switch (say you have toggles with no indicator lights) and, because it's daytime, you can't tell they're on...more batt killing stuff.  Turn the batt switch to OFF, and any little faux pas that you may have missed electrically is taken care of.

As for floats hanging up, well, it takes a good bit of something to wedge underneath a float switch and get it to go high enough to turn on the pump.  Most of us are pretty fastidious when it comes to keeping our bilges free of larger chit that can actually wedge under a float...ty-wrap ends, screws, chunks of foam, etc.  But even so, should there be "stuff" in the hull that somehow makes it's way aft, one way to avoid that is to mount the float backwards, so that the arm lifts up facing aft, rather than forward.  Given the boat in the static position (on the trailer), your garboard drain would stand a better chance of getting plugged up than the float getting jammed and staying on...

[Bergertime]

I have mine wired a little against the grain to... I like being able to turn my batt switch off and know everything on my boat is off.  I can totally get the importance of wiring directly to one or more batteries if you keep your boat in the water where a small hull leak, rain or any other mishap could happen and you would want your bilge to be energized and run in your absence regardless of battery switch position.  

However, since I trailer my boat exclusively I have very little risk in that area as I remove my drain plug for cleaning prior to storage.  That said my batteries are on when my boat is in the water and the bilge pump will run regardless if I am on Batt A or B or both and will trigger via the float switch or switch at the helm.  

Not sayin what is right or wrong.. just my personal preference with my Osprey.


B

[Capt. Bob]

Ditto (sorry, I had to say that).

Mine is the same way B. I use my boat like you do and that's why I chose that method. Also, when not on the water, mine is stored under a shade structure and the hull itself is covered so I get little water in the boat.

Again, just based on how I use mine also.

[mvandale]

Are the 2 fuses on the MAIN for the Bilge direct connections ?  I also have 2 extra RED wires running into the MAIN but they are not connected and taped, I have no idea what they are for, would anyone have any ideas ?

I also have a Battery switch with positions OFF, 1, 2, or both, what's the correct selection to use ? This boat is new for me and I've never had a switch or 2 batteries before.  I'm guessing 1 might be starter, engine, 2 might be everything else,  or is 1 battery there just for backup ?





ADMIN Edit: I pasted the right links for you.  MV copy the lower link when you copy and paste.

[kaptainkoz]

Seabob,
sorry for the confusion. My batteries power my fuse panel. my fuse panel powers directly where needed and to switches where need. With the battery in either position 1 or 2, yes, the entire electrical system is powered. You are correct that a simple error of leaving something on can cause a little havoc with draining a battery, and yes I see your point that the battery switch on "off" eliminates those potential mistakes, but as I stated my setup is a bit different than the common accepted method. Yes, I have to manually make sure everything is in the off position except for my float switch. I still like to know that the battery switch in the off position means a completely disconnected electrical system. Its just what im more comfortable with. To each their own but I don't like the idea of leaving anything hot.
As for the float switch, as anyone with a 200CCP what a bear it is to get anywhere near where the bilge pump is. I would constantly have "popcorn" buildup of flaked off flotation foam clogging my garboard plug and messing with my float as it was very difficult to get in there to clean it out. There is also the chance of actual malfunction which could hang the pump on.  All "what if" kind of stuff that everyone needs to be cautious about regardless of how they are wired.

[aquadaze]

If it's an Explorer he should have a box like this in the aft end.
...
How it is wired depends on if it had a factory option battery switch or whatever strange things a PO may have done!

Thats what mine looks like. The stereo memory feed is great because hitting up and down everytime I get on the boat is a serious pain. I'm tempted to swap the fuses out for breakers though. My fuse holders have seen better days to be sure.

Thanks to all that posted, I will hook the bilges up to the start battery.