Rule Bilge Pump Replacement Help

[mberkij]

Hoping someone on here can help me out with a bilge issue.

I have a 1998 Seadoo Challenger, which we got used this year. The automatic bilge has failed on us and I'm trying to replace it, but not sure on the wiring. (Existing bilge will still run when manually switched on)

This boat has a bilge on/off switch on the dash, and currently has a 'fully automatic' Rule 500, apparently an older model I've learned. The existing pump only has 2 positive wires coming off it (not 3!). These two go into a harness, and go through the boat to the dash switch I assume.

I've picked up a Rule-Mate 500 to replace it with, but it has a third wire (black wire which should go to the negative of the battery as per diagram).

My question is do I run the two brown wires to the harness just like the existing bilge is, and then run that black direct to the battery, OR since this was set up to only have 2 wires, will I be screwing up the power and blowing the MPEM fuse if i do this?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Matthew

 

[drjack]

The black is obviously the ground wire.
1. The "brown and white" striped wire is the "automatic" line controlled by the pumps' internal float switch.
2. The "solid brown" is a bypass of the internal float. The solid brown wires directly to the bilge switch mounted on your dash, and act as your original setup.

So, what to do with the "brown striped wire", you may ask.
1. You could simply cap it off and do nothing;
2. Or, add it together with the solid brown wire going to the bilge switch on the dash.... as its not going to blow fuses.
3. Or, taking advantage of the bilge pumps' intended design is adding another circuit by adding an inline fuse to the striped brown line and connect to a switched 12 volt supply. That way it will run automatically when the water level happens to reach a concerned level without you worrying about flooding.