Which bilge pump switch?

[CptBacardi]

Hi! I’m having trouble determining which toggle switch I need. These are my bilge pump switches, they have lighted tips, and two positions for auto and continuos. Continuos is direct power and auto is for the float switch. Is that an On-On switch instead of On-Off? Can anyone link me to what works? Thanks!

[g36]

it could be either on-off or on-on cant tell from top have to look at other side of switch or test with meter. circuit can be wired to use either type switch and single pole or double pole. however its looks like a carling lighted tip switch. stick with your 2 position type switches with no center off.
you can use this refernce pdf i listed to configure the switch then google that number
http://www.carlingtech.com/sites/defaul ... 26_COS.pdf

heres some on also
https://www.searay-parts.com/Lighted-ti ... -s/121.htm

[CptBacardi]

Thanks! Looking at the LT series pictures, it appears to be a single pole on-off switch since there are only 3 tabs. Such as LT-1511-710-012. I’m assuming this type of switch would be On in the continuous mode and Off in the Auto mode. Assuming that, the auto mode circuit would only be switched at the main breaker??? The trouble I’m having is continuous works, but auto does not, even when I lift the float switch to engage the pump. If my above assumptions are accurate, then a new on-off switch would not fix the problem... right? Those green lights do, however, light up when the pumps engage in auto mode... I’m confused

[g36]

If you have verified dc power and say the pump turns on ( not just the light.which is wired parallel to pump)at helm with switch in manual on or continuous as your pic shows then float switch is where i would go next. If pump doesn't turn on when you manually move float switch i would suspect it first. They do fail. You can jump the wires on it and if the pump turns on its for sure the issue. If it doesn't then I would suspect the helm switch

[CptBacardi]

I am confused about the switch still. It only has 3 tabs. One is for ground. The other 2 wires are both labeled B6. This makes me think it only switches one circuit “on-off” I’m guessing for continuos. Does the auto circuit just always have power on or something? Does this helm switch just control “on” for continuos and when it’s off, the auto circuit is still on? I don’t get it... would an on-on switch have more then 3 tabs???

[Midnightsun]

Qr Bbpost I am confused about the switch still. It only has 3 tabs. One is for ground. The other 2 wires are both labeled B6. This makes me think it only switches one circuit “on-off” I’m guessing for continuos. Does the auto circuit just always have power on or something? Does this helm switch just control “on” for continuos and when it’s off, the auto circuit is still on? I don’t get it... would an on-on switch have more then 3 tabs???

The switch when put into continuous turns on the pump, only way to turn it off is to put it in the auto position. When in the auto position, the float switch will turn it on depending on the float switch level.

Yours sounds like it is wired like this

[CptBacardi]

Thank you! Does that mean the helm switch is an on-on switch with only 3 tabs on it? I can’t find any pictures of an on-on switch, just on-off, which has 3 tabs.

[bud37]

I know I am a bit late to this, a question ....do you have the boat 12v wiring schematic....it seems to me that any properly wired bilge pump has two circuits, on that you can manually control and the auto side which is wired directly to the battery switch so it has power at all times even when the battery switch is off and the panel switches are off.....the only thing in the line back to the battery will be a breaker and at the pump it will be operated thru the float switch..you lift the flow switch and the pump will work regardless of any of the switches so long as the breaker is in......maybe this got a bit more or less cloudy.

[CptBacardi]

Thank you! It’s an 89 Carver 38 Santego. No wiring diagram. I think that helm switch might just be on-off because it only has 3 tabs, but I haven’t been able to determine that yet. My problem is that 2 float switches have not worked. There is a helm switch and a breaker. When I turn the breaker on, and the helm switch to continuos, the pump will run. If I turn the breaker off, the pump will stop, so continuos goes through the breaker. With the breaker on, and the helm switch in auto, the pump will not run even when I manually life up on the float switch (2 of them now don’t work). So, I don’t know what the helm switch does when set to auto.... nor what replacement switch to try out.

[bud37]

I think , if it were me, I would resolve the float switch problem first, because something is not right and your boat needs to be safe when powered down.......maybe a call to Carver and see if you can get the wiring schematic, that would tell you exactly what is going on....float switch should have 12v at all times so long as its fuse/breaker is good/ made.....good luck man...