Bilge pump ground wire?

[Searay-Bob]

My 89 340da pumps don't work and I think it is a ground wire problem. Where is the ground wire grounded? There is not a complete curcuit. White wire or brown?:huh:
Thanks
Bob:thumbsup:

 

[Iprof]

I have an 88 300 and the manual says on page 35.

Bilge/shower Pumps;
16 AWG Brown/Violet auto mode
16 AWG Brown manual mode
16 AWG Black ground
16 AWG White high water level alarm


Hope that helps I can't image Sea Ray would do it different on different models.

Ken

 

[SCORPIO]

The black wire should go to a ground buss somewhere, then back to battery negative. Where exactly that will be located on your boat I'm not sure.

 

[Ka1oxd]

And if I am correct, that is a Rule Shower Sump Pump assembly. Rule makes the whole box that is in the floor. I believe that is the wire color codes that they had

 

[roadkingh1]

I had a similar issue last summer to where my bilge pump (backup to my sump pump) was not working properly. It ran but it would not do the job that a 2000gph pump should do. Who ever had hook this up had used the white wire(wire to led module) as ground. but no black wire to be seen. After looking around I found the black wire tucked neatly inside the wire harness with a crimp lug on it. It looks as if it was like that since 1997. There should be two wires coming off of your pump black and brown. The black should go to ground (If it is in the engine area there is a ground bus) and the brown should go to one side of the switch and the other side of the switch should go to 12 volts. Also the white wire is connected inbetween the switch and the pump. I you think you have a bad ground check with a meter between one side of the motor (brown) and a good known gnd while activating your switch. If you see 12 volts than you can suspect a bad motor or gnd. If not then start checking back toward the switch and before.

 

[SoggyBottom]

My 89 340da pumps don't work and I think it is a ground wire problem. Where is the ground wire grounded? There is not a complete curcuit. White wire or brown?:huh:
Thanks
Bob:thumbsup:

The wire should be grounded to the engine block, or a solid steel bracket that's attached to the block. Black is the traditional color for grounds, so I'd opt for the brown one. One way to do a quick test is to connect a jumper wire to either of your pump leads. Then turn on the pump switch, touch the negative (-) post of the battery and see if it starts the pump. Keep in mind that a DC motor will run in both directions depending on which wire is connected to the power. However, that also means it will blow into your bilge if you've powered up the wrong pump lead.