do i leave the power on

[crui05]

now that she is on her mooring i wondered if it best to leave the main power switch on so that the stern pump can remove rain water.
can only get to her once a week so i assume the battery can cope.
any advice thanks.

[beamishken]

Bilge pump should be wired before the isolator so you can turn off when leave the boat

[Brian]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Bilge pump should be

The emphasis is on "should"....

[jambo]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Bilge pump should be wired before the isolator so you can turn off when leave the boat

Or a direct feed to pump

[breezeblock]

Originally Posted by jambo

Or a direct feed to pump

via a fuse

[jambo]

Originally Posted by breezeblock

via a fuse

Sorry taken as read [emoji106]

[boristhebold]

On mine I wired bilge pump via a direct connection to battery via a fuse and a switch on the console, that way I could have all power off with battery isolater switches but still have direct feed to bilge pump just by having switch in on position on console...if that makes sense. It works well in that you know its on if switch is on but everything else is off.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

On mine I wired bilge pump via a direct connection to battery via a fuse and a switch on the console, that way I could have all power off with battery isolater switches but still have direct feed to bilge pump just by having switch in on position on console...if that makes sense. It works well in that you know its on if switch is on but everything else is off.

Same here, SOP[emoji106]

[jambo]

Same here only difference is we put switch to off![emoji106]

[jwalker]

I don't understand why boats have a main power switch. I do have one, kinda because it was expected but I never switch it off. Motor vehicles use similar wiring systems and don't typically have a main switch.

[Bern Hanreck]

Originally Posted by jwalker

I don't understand why boats have a main power switch. I do have one, kinda because it was expected but I never switch it off. Motor vehicles use similar wiring systems and don't typically have a main switch.

Is it an " environmental " thing where corrosion is just far more likely and where leakage currents do occur , the electro/galvanic corrosion can be horrific ?

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by jwalker

I don't understand why boats have a main power switch. I do have one, kinda because it was expected but I never switch it off. Motor vehicles use similar wiring systems and don't typically have a main switch.

1. Most vehicles aren't parked for weeks on end with low power electronics in "standby" slowly guzzling up the starter battery.

2. If you are driving along the road and you smell an electrical burning smell - you can fairly easily pull over and get out.

3. While most vehicles don't have isolators, some do. Commercial busses etc. I assume that is because getting 75 people off a double decker takes a bit more time and they have a habit of cluttering up the road when they get off..

4. Bigger boats will often have multiple banks of batteries - house and starter. So they need a switch to pick batteries.

5. Your house has a master power switch at the fuse box... why wouldn't a boat?

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by jwalker

I don't understand why boats have a main power switch. I do have one, kinda because it was expected but I never switch it off. Motor vehicles use similar wiring systems and don't typically have a main switch.

Plenty of burned out starters and fried batteries and corroded lower legs due to stray currents caused by water ingress to various components. An isolator can avoid all of them.

[FoxZulu]

Our Ribeye A600 has an isolator/battery selector which we always switch to OFF when not in use. However, the auto/manual bilge pump is wired and fused directly to power before the isolator. We leave it switched to AUTO at all times.

[lakelandterrier]

The only time my a battery's gone flat is when I've the bilge pump on auto and the console switch on. Pump bypasses main isolator. Only have single battery due to space constraints in console.

Leave trunk down but I never knowingly leave sump pump on "auto" when on marina or in yard on trailer.