32-200 Bilge Wiring

[SRoyall]

Hi, I did search and did not find anything on this topic, if there is something, please point me to it.

Is anyone aware of a good drawing / photos of how the bilge should be wired? I just purchased a 1988 32-200 and the bilge (main bilge) does not appear to be hard wired to the house battery. Has anyone replace the original system (float in bilge hold and pump at engine compartment) with a newer pump with float in the bilge hold?

Thanks
Steve

 

[Christian Williams]

The -200 may be a little different. but here's my thinking on the issue:

E381 - Ericson 38-- Bilge Pump Systems and Considerations

What are bilge pumps for? I admit that for the first half of my life I figured they were there to keep the boat from sinking. But of course, they won't. Not even the manual Whale diaphragm that came with the boat will do that. Surely not the...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[Kenneth K]

Here are two blog posts I did about re-wiring my 32-3 bilge pumps.

E32-3 - Re-working the Bilge Pump Setup

I just re-did my bilge pump configuration on Mariah for the third time. I keep playing with ways to handle the forward or “mast” bilge, which constantly overfills with water during the Seattle winter. The layout of my 32-3 bilges, as I inherited...

ericsonyachts.org

E32-2 - Automatic Bilge Pump Installation

I finally got around to installing an automatic bilge pump in Mariah last month. It only took me 3 years since I first thought of doing so. I voiced my reasoning elsewhere in earlier posts: The boat is on a mooring buoy (no AC or solar) in an...

ericsonyachts.org

To my knowledge, the E32s never came with auto bilge pumps hardwired to a battery--they always required that the Main Battery switch be turned ON.

 

[frosero7744]

After a problem with the dripless seal on a sail, i changed the bilge to be auto on. I added a water witch bilge switch. The device itself goes into the bilge. It has 2 contacts which when wet for a few seconds will fire up the existing bilge pump. I like it because with damp sponge i can test it. Was a pretty economical way to solve that for a 32-200 i thought.

https://www.go2marine.com/Water-Wit...BO_mNc6TmtBIPtKaqquXR6H_FGn02toxoCGE4QAvD_BwE

 

[peaman]

To my knowledge, the E32s never came with auto bilge pumps hardwired to a battery--they always required that the Main Battery switch be turned ON.

So apparently, a previous owner fixed this on my boat. Power from a battery terminal is wired directly through the float switch. The Bilge Pump circuit breaker powers the pump directly (bypassing the float). So I can run it manually at any time. The breaker panel pilot light comes on when the pump runs, either auto through the float switch, or manually by flipping the breaker on.

 

[Loren Beach]

Please note that, while there are compelling reasons to wire some things directly to a battery, it has always been a risky choice compared to wiring to the panel where the circuit breakers can protect the wiring further on.
ABYC requires fusing within X inches of the battery terminal, and Blue Seas makes a well-designed little fuse holder just for this.
After all, there are, nowadays, a multitude of electronics, specifically battery sensing devices that are mean't to be wired direct to a batt. terminal.

I have kept the conservative wiring scheme from EY, and both of our bilge pumps are still powered thru the DC distribution panel breaker. FWIW, my surveyor likes that better, too.

 

[Pete the Cat]

I had to add an automatic bilge pump to my 32-200 and just ran a separate wire to the battery and put a fuse there. The big deal was running the discharge hose as the PO had run a hose to the galley sink. I ran a hose along under the oven and aft cabin locker then along the fuel tank and to the aft thru hull fitting for the other bilge pumps. Wiring followed the same route. I have no idea what Ericson was thinking by not providing an automatic bilge pump with direct wiring to the battery and its own "always on" circuit--unless the PO removed it. I like my Ericson but this is one of several design issues I have with them. Tartan and Sabre would not do this imho.

 

[Loren Beach]

I have no idea what Ericson was thinking by not providing an automatic bilge pump with direct wiring to the battery and its own "always on" circuit--unless the PO removed it.

My boat was built out "stock" as a dealer stock/inventory boat, and then had some options added on at the last minute for a sudden buyer. From the looks of the wiring and hose runs, both of our electronic pumps were installed by EY. They both have separate thru hulls on the transom, and are obviously from the EY stock room.
I suppose the the dealer could have asked the factory to add one pump when they also increased the number and upsized the winches and changed it to wheel steering, tho. (?)

 

[Pete the Cat]

What is interesting on my 32-200 is that there is a shower sump displacement pump that is automatic and a non automatic displacement bilge pump that were apparently factory installed. I found no indication that an automatic bilge pump actually came with the boat from the factory. The PO could have removed it or modified something--but it actually suprised me.

 

[Loren Beach]

What is interesting on my 32-200 is that there is a shower sump displacement pump that is automatic and a non automatic displacement bilge pump that were apparently factory installed. I found no indication that an automatic bilge pump actually came with the boat from the factory. The PO could have removed it or modified something--but it actually suprised me.

Both of our positive displacement pumps (Jabsco, $$$) came with float switches in the bilge. Being that they are "Rule" float switches, I have to replace them every 8 to 10 years whether they get used or not.... Rule= poor quality, IMHO.

 

[Kenneth K]

I have kept the conservative wiring scheme from EY, and both of our bilge pumps are still powered thru the DC distribution panel breaker.

I might add the .02 opinion that your approach may be more conservative ONLY if you've previously re-wired your OEM DC distribution panel and brought it up to modern standards.

Having yet to tackle a redo of my main DC panel, I'd argue it's likely more conservative to have a properly fused, gauged, terminated, and chafe protected bilge pump circuit wired directly to my house battery bank. The insides of these factory DC panels are known to be fraught with hazards-- I.e. the entire ground bus bar on mine was just GLUED to the panel back. I had to add a screw from the panel side to keep the whole bus bar from coming loose.

I know of no risks inherent to wiring a fused circuit directly to a battery (done properly). Could you elaborate on what you consider to be risky?

Also, I don't understand how one fully utilizes an auto bilge pump wired to the main DC panel. Seems like you'd either have to keep your entire panel energized at all times when away from the boat, or forego having auto pumping capability while away from the boat.

 

[Loren Beach]

Since our bilge pump circuits (and our fridge) are powered all season, the "house" switch is normally 'on'.

The risk with having wiring directly to the battery is not likely what an educated owner/installed might do (proper size fuse/breaker within 8" of the battery for each circuit), but rather the legions of amateurs running a web of wiring to their batteries with no circuit protection at all. You are likely doing it safely, but you might also be in the minority.

BTW, our '88 Newmar panel is all-breakers, and passed a *current 2021 survey with no squawks .
Identical to the stock panel in the E-34-2, and the E-38-200, I believe.

Our OEM grounding strips are screwed to the panel behind the front, altho I did have to add another terminal strip for more neg. ground attachments, where the factory had doubled up some rings under the screws. I also added a long pos. terminal strip to combine some circuits before running a single wire to each controlling breaker.

And then, there is the primary reason for having many circuits lead to the main switch - in an emergency you need the assurance that turning off the switch has actually shut off the power.

*not a pun, but it could be!

 

[Kenneth K]

The risk with having wiring directly to the battery is not likely what an educated owner/installed might do (proper size fuse/breaker within 8" of the battery for each circuit), but rather the legions of amateurs running a web of wiring to their batteries with no circuit protection at all.

Well, I agree with you there.

However, if the legions of amateurs are out there messing with wires, I'd still rather see them doing it with a single circuit in the bilge than behind a complex and already troublesome main DC panel!

 

[Shankara]

This was the solution to my issue which does go to the battery and is fused: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/thread...nt-pumps-wiring…-questions.19114/#post-153543

Once I redo the panel and wiring next month, I plan to have the connection for the bilge pump wires moved to an un-switched distribution bar (a positive bus bar between the house battery and the battery selector switch.)

 

[goldenstate]

My backup bilge pump is wired via an unswitched circuit from my house battery. I have a small fuse block in between to which the bilge pump, my stereo (for radio station pre-sets, stereo won’t work without this connection) and my engine compartment blower are attached.

In my case this wire and fuse block are located behind my dashboard (near the DC sub panel) but you could put it anywhere.

The DC panel with all the breakers is powered by a different circuit/wire from my 1-both-2 switch.