livewell pump runs non-stop

[fxdl]

What would cause a livewell pump to start running on its own? While camping out, we heard a humming coming from the boat in the middle of the night and found that the livewell pump had started up on it's own. It would not shut off at the switch, so we pulled the fuse. We assumed it must be a bad switch, so we bought and installed a new switch, only to find we still had the same problem. Any ideas?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: livewell pump runs non-stop

Something doesn't compute with your description. If you pulled the fuse to make it quit, power is getting to the fuse ok. But since the switch is normally AFTER the fuse, a wiring issue that would put 12 volts on the hot wire to the pump would mean that pulling the fuse would NOT stop the pump. The only way I can think of off hand that would allow this scenario would be if the switch was installed BEFORE the fuse. Are you sure it is the livewell pump that's running and not the bilge pump?

 

[fxdl]

Re: livewell pump runs non-stop

This is a Tracker, purchased new last year at Bass Pro. The wiring was not altered in any way. Everything worked fine until the night the pump kicked on by itself. The pump is definately the livewell pump. You can watch the livewell filling with water until you pull the fuse.

 

[scipper77]

Re: livewell pump runs non-stop

Maybe the switch is on the "-" side of the circuit and somewhere between the switch and the pump there is a short to the frame or another "-" wire, bypassing the switch but not the fuse?