Question about bilge pump functionality.

[jamesk]

Question about bilge pump functionality.
2017 SX210.
Am I correct....the bilge pump needs to be turned on/ powered by the rocker switch on the dash.
At that point, it has a float switch and will only run if water fills up in the bilge?

My last boat had a rocker switch on the dash, if you switched it on....the pump ran.
The pump had constant power and even with the battery switch off, if water got in the bilge it would activate the float and the pump would run.

If that is the correct, it seems like the set up I had in the past made more sense.
Want to make sure I understand that I need to switch the bilge pump on manually when I use the boat or leave it in the water.

Thanks! Jim

 

[Gunner]

My 2018 is on without the rocker switch being on. I put a small bucket of water in engine compartment and pulled pump off its housing and put it in bucket and it shot out like its supposed too. It's a good preseason test to make sure it works before you need it. I checked myine because in 67 hours last year it never came on once (not complaining about that)

 

[Frank Marshall]

Yamaha made a design change around 2018. Like @Gunner said, the newer boats the pump is a direct connect to the battery and thus always on. Older boats need the rocker switch turned on. Can you open the engine compartment and flip the switch. If you hear it start pumping, it doesn't need to be on. If not it needs to be switched on.

 

[scokill]

Mine is older 2008 but it will turn on periodically and if it senses resistance due to pumping water it will stay on, of not it will cycle off and then back on after a period of time. There is no float switch

 

[watdog]

I have a 2018 SX210 and the bilge pump info in the owner's manual is wrong. Like you said the manual says to turn the switch on. I just realized yesterday that turning it on is actually a manual override that turns the pump always on. Look at the bilge pump wiring, mine is marked. It has an auto wire, a manual, and a ground. The auto wire goes to the fuse located near the battery and is also marked as bilge. The manual wire goes to the switch on the helm to manually turn it on. If your pump only has two wires you may need to turn the switch on.

 

[watdog]

So today I had more time to verify the pump's operation. At least on the 2018 SX210, as I thought the switch on the helm is the automatic override and causes the pump to run full time. It is also wired directly to the battery and will automatically turn on if it detects water, even with the battery switch off. The pump is a Rule-Mate 500 and it has a test opposite end of the output. Just hold your finger on it for 3 seconds to test the pump. I also actually tested it in water and it turned on in just a few seconds of being submerged.

 

[KevGar]

I have a 2018 212 Limited and it also has the Rule-Mate 500 pump. The pump comes on automatically if there is water in the bilge (or the test button on the pump is pushed) regardless of either of the battery switch's positions (212 has a dual battery setup) or the switch position at the helm (thru the Connext system). This indicates to me that the brown wire is wired directly to a battery. There are three bilge settings in Connext; on, off and auto. On causes the pump to run constantly when on (brown/white wire likely), Off most likely just leaves it in automatic mode as outlined above.

What I don't understand is auto mode on the Connext system. I suspect this is just the Connext system toggling from off to on but I don't understand why it does that? When enabled (battery switch must be on so Connext is active) it appears to cycle the pump on every few minutes for a few seconds and then repeats. What is the point of this? Is there a secondary trigger mechanism in the pump (in addition to the internal float switch) that checks for water when it cycles and if is 'senses' water then it will stay on until the water's gone? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I know I don't need to leave the battery switches on for the bilge pump to work but I'd really like to understand the purpose of the auto bilge setting in Connext.

Thanks

 

[twentiesforever]

I have a 2014 SX240. Is the rocker switch the automatic override too? I feel like when I have left my boat at the slip with the battery switch on, it's drained the battery. Should I be leaving the battery switch on with everything off? What does everyone else do who wet slips it?

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Question about bilge pump functionality.
2017 SX210.
Am I correct....the bilge pump needs to be turned on/ powered by the rocker switch on the dash.
At that point, it has a float switch and will only run if water fills up in the bilge?

My last boat had a rocker switch on the dash, if you switched it on....the pump ran.
The pump had constant power and even with the battery switch off, if water got in the bilge it would activate the float and the pump would run.

If that is the correct, it seems like the set up I had in the past made more sense.
Want to make sure I understand that I need to switch the bilge pump on manually when I use the boat or leave it in the water.

Thanks! Jim

@jamesk .....In my 2020 SX195 the bilge float is always energized and activated by water level in the bilge even with battery selector set at the "off" position and yes, you can manually turn it on at the dash. I would hope all boats are rigged this way, because they should be.