Bilge pump behavior on dash button

[jkallen21]

Assuming the 3-position switch is "all on", what happens when you push the bilge pump on your dash? Do the pumps run constantly regardless of water or do they do run for 5 seconds and stop pumping if no water is present?
One of mine stops after 5 seconds - the other one runs all the time.
2006 SANTE

Thanks

[scottb7]

someone else can double check me on this, but i was doing an oil change while listening to radio so can comment. what mine did - i think - was in all on with bilge pump lit it cycles every whever minute, 3 minute, whatever it is. then i turned off the button and it quit cycling at all. in other words it does not run constantly no matter what you do.

again someone else can chime in, but i think if you have one that runs all the time you might need to clean it out or replace it. It is probably not working right. i had one that did that - it was actually a new bilge pump - and i cleaned out the screen and now it is ok. just cycles on and off as it should.

[AirTool]

One of mine stops after 5 seconds - the other one runs all the time.
2006 SANTE

You need to check the pump's label and see if it says "automatic" or "manual". Someone may have changed the one that's running all the time to manual (like I did).

If it says automatic...and it runs all the time....the flow detection/control "electro-mechanism" (lack of better word) is bad.

[DanielC]

The automatic bilge pump runs if it senses a load, most often moving water out of the bilge.
Depending on how clean your bilge is, gunk and crud can build up inside the bilge pump. If this gunk drags the speed of the pump impeller down, the pump thinks it is moving water, and it will run continuously.