Bilge Float switch

[bassackwards]

Currently my Skeeter does not have a float switch installed on the bilge. I have an extra one from the bilge I put in my jon boat. Currently I have to flip the switch on the console to turn on the bilge. My question is, if I hook up one side of the float switch to the battery and tap the power wire coming from the switch, will both the float switch and the console switch activate the bilge?

[BassBUFF]

Nope. In you scenario both switches would have to be "on" for the bilge to work as they would be wired in series. If you leave the switch wiring to bilge as it is now, then run a new set of wires from the bilge to the float switch and battery then either switch will turn the bilge pump on as they would be wired in parallel.

[bassackwards]

I'm confused. With the current wiring there is the main power that runs to the switch panel. When the switch is activated the power then goes to the bilge. I intend on hooking the float switch directly to the battery and then to the power on the bilge. Its my assumption that if the switch is on then the bigle will be powered by the main power from the switch panel and if the float switch is activated then the bilge would be powered from the direct line from the battery. Its seems like the only way both would have to be activated would be if I cut the line from the switch and wired in the float switch. In that senerio if I turn on the switch the power would be stopped by the float switch if there was not enough water or if there was enough water and the switch wasent on then there would be no power going thru the float switch to power the bilge.


This what I have in mind. I am assuming that no matter if I flip the switch or the float is activated the bilge will turn on.

[bassackwards]

Click on the picture so you can see the whole thing. For some reason all the lines arent showing up

[eclark53520]

In that picture, the switches are wired in series, which would require that both switches be ON for the bilge pump to run.

EDIT: I see what your doing in that picture, if you showed a sperate ground going to the battery from the bilge, you would be correct, that would be a parallel circuit and both switches would activate the bilge seperately.  Since you don't have that ground, your drawing is a series circuit.

You need to run a whole new circuit from the battery(or a distribution point) to the float switch to allow either switch to turn on the bilge pump.

In the picture below, if either or both switches are on, the bilge pump will energize.  The only way the bilge won't energize is if both switches are off.

[attachment outdated - deleted by admin]

[BassBUFF]

I can't see your picture here at work bassackwards but eclark's is spot on in his assessment and picture.

[bassackwards]

I am assuming that the bilge is already grounded to the battery. At least its grounded somewhere since the bilge would need to be grounded to operate. Its hard to tell with all the wires in there. If that is the case the picture you posted is exactly what I want to do.