Livewell Pump not working - need help!

[BobR93]

Long story short - new boat to me. The livewell pumps did work when I got the boat. The wiring was a complete mess. I put 2 new pumps and cleaned up the wiring (key phrase - Cleaned up the wiring). I identified the 4 wires that led to the 2 pumps. I identified the wires using my meter for each livewell pump switch on the console. I hooked up to the pumps and only one works. I tested the pump by connecting direct to the battery and it work.
I'm getting 14v with the switch on, at the connection point for the pump wiring...however when I connect the pump wiring the pump does not work.

[MichAngler]

is it possible you popped the fuse while cleaning up the wires?

[Champ 2001]

Its possible the pump that does not work has a bad ground.

[H-D Dad]

When you connected the pump to the battery to test, was it in the housing? Since you're getting power to the pump, it may be Ina bind in the housing. Good luck

[BobR93]

Reply to all, thank you for your thoughts/suggestions:

* all fuses good - I have power to the switch wires - when I connect the wires from the switch to the pump, the pump does not work.
* I would think if I had a bad ground I would not get power to the point of connecting the pump
* yes in the housing - not binding

[fishnfireman]

Just a WAG- Is the second an auto -- wired thru a wet switch or a float ?

[Champ 2001]

When you are checking the voltage at the pump connection, what are using for your ground on your meter? The ground wire or another ground such as the battery ground?

[lpugh]

Check the voltage across the two wires to the pump, connect the dvom ground leads to one wire and the positive lead to the other wire. It Should read battery voltage within 10 percent. Also check the voltage between battery positive and the pump ground wire should also read battery voltage, Report back

[Bill Reynolds]

I think this is the wiring schematic for your boat (could be wrong though, Ranger includes schematics for all boat series in one manual )
I can’t troubleshoot without being there but I wonder if the brown wire you are connecting to is going to the float switch.
Do you have the yellow wire I am pointing to? You will note that this yellow wire starts at fuse 7 (same as the horn) and goes to one side of the bilge float switch. The other side of the float switch is tied into the brown wire coming from the console switch panel.

Hopefully this will give you enough of an understanding of the way the boat is wired that you can sort it out.

[danieljanse]

I guess the looming question here is: what is the condition of the wire leading from the switch to the pump? Could be a bad connection that broke apart on trying to "clean things up". Or, like me, you have had a visit from hungry rodents that made their way into your boat with a hunger for wire!

In any case, use the voltmeter to test for continuity, that's the Ohm-meter part of the voltmeter. I hook up my meter and look at the number I get when I touch my two leads together. Usually 0.8 something. Then try the switch end and pump end of your suspect wire...no reading=bad wire. It may take a second pair of hands to hold contact to the two ends or you might be able to get some alligator clips for the meter or just use tape.
This can be very telling and helped me diagnose a few issues with my "rats nest" wiring system.

[BobR93]

Everyone responses would be helpful if it were not for the boats history. Somewhere along the line the wiring has been modified(basterdized). The schematic would help me if the wiring was true. However, the thing I know for sure is the bilge pump was wired directly from a new switch on the console.(not using the original wiring at all) Why, I don't know. The boat only has a manual bilge pump (not a great concern since I don't store the boat outside).

I attached a picture of what I have...4 wires brn/ylw, brn-wht, brn and blk

If I connect the brn/ylw and blk I hane power to the starboard switch to the pump (works as it should)

Then I thought if I connect the brn/wht and brown which has power(tested with meter with port switch on)) to the other pump everything should work...not. Even though there is 14v (on meter) with the port switch turned on, zero volts with the port switch turned off...the pump would not work.

Obviously, I don't know very much about this stuff...any suggestions based on my latest post (be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[mactlman]

Long story short - new boat to me. The livewell pumps did work when I got the boat. The wiring was a complete mess. I put 2 new pumps and cleaned up the wiring (key phrase - Cleaned up the wiring). I identified the 4 wires that led to the 2 pumps. I identified the wires using my meter for each livewell pump switch on the console. I hooked up to the pumps and only one works. I tested the pump by connecting direct to the battery and it work.
I'm getting 14v with the switch on, at the connection point for the pump wiring...however when I connect the pump wiring the pump does not work.

did you put a test light between the two wire to check for a complete circuit to ground?

[BobR93]

I got it to work...everyone had great ideas and suggestions. I know it very difficult to give advice when you are not looking directly at the problem.

It was mactlman mentioning of the ground that got me thinking...that was the problem. I didn't have a ground for the pump that was not working.

The 4 wires I was working with stbd pump, port pump, ground and bilge.

I connected the ground from each pump to the ground wire from the boat wiring. pos pump to pos stbd and pos pump to pos port and the bilge wire I capped off (that's another story).

All good!

[Bill Reynolds]

To the Op,
I apologize for getting off track and thinking you were referring to the bilge pump. I will try to read closer next time.

[danieljanse]

I had my livewell pump stop working and it took a little whack with the screwdriver handle to free it up. Feels good when the switches all fire!

[BobR93]

Yes it does and I got my livewells to work because of the great people on this site willing to share their thoughts and experiences.
Thank you everyone