Bilge Pump running while switch is off, and trolling motor stop running..

[Marchosia]

So i went to the lake saturday, was out thier all day fishing. When we decided to head back to the boat ramp to call it a day we stoped at one more place an started to fish, put the trolling motor down and after about 30 seconds of it running it just stopped running, brought it out of the water checked the plugs an stuff an it was plugged in an everything so i spun it with my hand a few times while holding the button down and it didnt turn, then it started to turn after about 5 tries, then once again after bout 30 seconds it stopped again, so we called it a day an came back home.. I thought that we ran the battery dead so i plugged it into the charger an it said it was at 85 percent charged.. an would work fine while the charger was plugged up.. So any ideas on what happend..?

Ok now for the bilge pump, after we left the lake it started raining on us on the way home, about an hour straight an when got home parked it an unloaded an came in rained some more, an when i walked out there later that night i heard the bilge pump running, so i went to flip the switch to turn it off and it was already off, so i turned the switch on an then back off an it shut off for about 15 seconds then turned right back on, an it sounded like an electrical current coming from under the dash behind the switch, and it kept turning on so i went to unplug the switch from the back an the wire was extremely hot, an kinda shocked me so i unplugged from the back an with the plug off it stopped making that elictrical current sound but when i plugged it back in it does it again...

Im not at all expeirenced with electrical stuff so.. anyone ever had this happen an no what or how to fix it..

thanks in advance..

 

[1980Galaxy]

Re: Bilge Pump running while switch is off, and trolling motor stop running..

the bilge pump should have a float in it that raises when the water level raises and it turns itself on automatically. my pump sometimes tips over and turns itself on. check that first.

as far as the trolling motor, i dont really know much about them but my guess would be the battery. i would take it to autozone and let them test it. my old battery said it was ok but wouldnt hold a charge.

 

[Splat]

Re: Bilge Pump running while switch is off, and trolling motor stop running..

Getting the battery load tested wouldn't be a bad idea. I would also pull apart the connections at the battery and at the TM plug and clean everything. How old is the motor. You could have had a brush wear out or break off inside the motor. Start at the battery and connections tho, they are simple and relatively inexpensive if you need to replace them.

Your bildge pump is a little more tricky. My first thought is the switch is either a) filled with water and thus creating a contact or b) fused or melted internally and not allowing the connection to open.

Do you have a float switch hooked up to the pump? Is it on a three position switch?

Bill

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bilge Pump running while switch is off, and trolling motor stop running..

The trolling motor should have a circuit breaker near the positive terminal of the battery. It sounds like the breaker was turning off and on because of an overload somewhere in the motor or the wiring. Remove the prop from the motor and check for fish line wrapped tightly around the shaft. When you turned the prop by hand did it turn freely (although a tad jerky which is normal). If it turned relatively hard, the motor may have a tight bearing which causes the high current draw.

 

[Marchosia]

Re: Bilge Pump running while switch is off, and trolling motor stop running..

well i just went outside, an plugged the trolling motor up an ran it for about 5 mins an it never cut off, but yea when i spin by hand it feels jerky but just barely.. but later on in the week when i have time ill take it off an look for line wrapped in it..

as far as the bilge pump i also plugged the switch back in an their was no sounds coming from the switch nor did it turn on till i turned the switch on so is it possible that since it was raining that the rain filled it up an caused it to stay on like that..