Electrical Gremlin

[DDL]

A month ago while on our vacation, we took a fairly good wave over the bow (bad driving) and that's when I noticed the auto-sump pump feature wasn't working. While the pump was submerged, I flipped the manual switch. The pump didn't engage and the breaker goes off after 3-4 seconds. I can reset the breaker but the same thing happens each time. I then noticed my heater was doing the same thing - doesn't come on even though the switch light is on and after 3-4 seconds the breaker goes off. I know both were working great at the start of the season and all other functions in the boat work fine.

Any thoughts as to why these two are acting up and what I can do to trouble shoot? I did buy another sump pump, thinking the float switch was gone, but I don't want to start switching things out until I have an idea.

Thanks.

[MLA]

I would diagnose these 2 issue independently of each other. Just seems like a coincident.

For a breaker or fuse to trip/pop, there needs to be a short to ground or over current between the breaker/fuse and the suspect component. To confirm or eliminate a short in the switched B+ to the component, unplug the component, in the case of the hard wired bilge cut the wire splice, and turn the component on. If the problem lies in the wire, the breaker will trip. If the problem is the component, you have removed the short or load, from the breaker/fuse.

If the bilge pump is frozen, which is real common, i bet the auto bilge circuit fuse is now blown with the water in the bilge which should have activated it. The pump may just have some trash in the impeller. Pop it out of the retainer, turn it over and look and try to spin the pump.

For the blower motor, detach the motor and rotate the fan by hand, its likely frozen as well. Hold it in your hand and turn it on.

[aron123]

Thanks for sharing...

[DDL]

Thanks very much MLA. I will be uncovering it today and giving that a try. Our season is technically over but we have some nice weather for the next week or so and this will be a good time to try before I tuck it away in winter storage. Quick question; when you say frozen are you meaning tempurature frozen or function frozen? I can't say 100% for sure on the bilge, but the heater motor definitely left me at some point during August.

[MLA]

Frozen as in the motor is stick or bound up, not temperature frozen, sorry.

[DDL]

Thanks MLA. The heater was a quick fix - the fan motor was stuck and didn't take much to break free. As for the bilge, I did find one of the wires that had separated a few feet from the pump. However, with all the movement of the housing to get the cover off to check the screen, I broke the hose attachment end. I could glue it but for the cost, I thought a new bilge would be better.

Thanks again

[aron123]

Thanks MLA. The heater was a quick fix - the fan motor was stuck and didn't take much to break free. As for the bilge, I did find one of the wires that had separated a few feet from the pump. However, with all the movement of the housing to get the cover off to check the screen, I broke the hose attachment end. I could glue it but for the cost, I thought a new bilge would be better.