Indicator light for jabsco par max 3 pump

[Malcolm3]

i have a jabsco pump which automatically activates when a tap is opened to supply fresh water. Unfortunately I can’t hear it running above the engine noise. Is it possible to wire an indicator light to show when the pump is running? .

 

[Boater Sam]

Simply wire a light across the pump wires? Simple as can be.

 

[Malcolm3]

That just shows that you have power supplied to pump and will always Be on even if the pump isn’t running as it’s pressure switch has stopped it

 

[geem]

That just shows that you have power supplied to pump and will always Be on even if the pump isn’t running as it’s pressure switch has stopped it

You wire the light across the motor connections. Not across the pressure switch and motor connections

 

[Sandy]

What problem are you trying to solve?

You would need to find some form of flow sensor and then fit it to the outflow of the pump, then rig up some instrumentation to show when the pump is active. RS Components have a few flow meters.

I also have the same pump and understand your issue, but given that the tap needs to be open for the pump to be active there is usually somebody at the tap.

 

[PaulRainbow]

i have a jabsco pump which automatically activates when a tap is opened to supply fresh water. Unfortunately I can’t hear it running above the engine noise. Is it possible to wire an indicator light to show when the pump is running? .

Fit the light where you want it and connect a negative wire to it.

There is a red wire between the pressure switch and the end of the pump, splice a wire to this and route it to the positive terminal of the light.

Job done.

 

[Boater Sam]

You wire the light across the motor connections. Not across the pressure switch and motor connections

I thought that was too obvious so as to be not worth mentioning.

 

[peteK]

Plenty of 12v led indicater lights on ebay.

 

[Malcolm3]

I may be doing something wrong but using an LED stopped the motor running entirely presumably as its high resistance just stops any current at all. However even with an ordinary bulb I found if the light came on the pump didn’t and vice versa. Will try Paul rainbows solution and report back. The problem is the pressure switch and the pump are in a single sealed unit I thought but will check.

 

[Malcolm3]

What problem are you trying to solve?

You would need to find some form of flow sensor and then fit it to the outflow of the pump, then rig up some instrumentation to show when the pump is active. RS Components have a few flow meters.

I also have the same pump and understand your issue, but given that the tap needs to be open for the pump to be active there is usually somebody at the tap.

Unless the water has run out

 

[Boater Sam]

I may be doing something wrong but using an LED stopped the motor running entirely presumably as its high resistance just stops any current at all. However even with an ordinary bulb I found if the light came on the pump didn’t and vice versa. Will try Paul rainbows solution and report back. The problem is the pressure switch and the pump are in a single sealed unit I thought but will check.

Lamp in parallel with the motor, you must have put it in series!

 

[Sandy]

Unless the water has run out

You are adding a level of complexity; water flow and motor running. This could end up being a complex solution to a simple question.

Back to my original question: What problem are you trying to solve?

 

[PaulRainbow]

You are adding a level of complexity; water flow and motor running. This could end up being a complex solution to a simple question.

Back to my original question: What problem are you trying to solve?

If the water runs out, the pump runs dry and runs continuously. My boat was fitted with an indicator lamp for the pump when it was built.

 

[geem]

If the water runs out, the pump runs dry and runs continuously. My boat was fitted with an indicator lamp for the pump when it was built.

Ditto. Main bilge sump pump and shower pumps have indicator lights. Big red ones. The main bilge pump also has a sounder when it runs

 

[Sandy]

If the water runs out, the pump runs dry and runs continuously. My boat was fitted with an indicator lamp for the pump when it was built.

I know, I have the same pump.

What puzzles me is that the tap needs to be switched on, in my experience that is done by a human - they then switch it off. When a tank is close to empty I find the water 'coughs and splutters' before the flow stops.

Hence my question, what problem is the OP trying to solve. Is there a naught pisky onboard who switches on taps and hides in the sail locker or perhaps an electrical demon who switches things on only when the engine is running?

 

[geem]

I know, I have the same pump.

What puzzles me is that the tap needs to be switched on, in my experience that is done by a human - they then switch it off. When a tank is close to empty I find the water 'coughs and splutters' before the flow stops.

Hence my question, what problem is the OP trying to solve. Is there a naught pisky onboard who switches on taps and hides in the sail locker or perhaps an electrical demon who switches things on only when the engine is running?

Run the tap on passage to make a cup of tea whilst the rngine is on. You can find the pump never reaches pressure as its sucking air. I burnt out a pump due to this happening. I fitted a bright red 24v truck trailer marker light that can be seen from the cockpit. Very obvious now if pump doesn't turn off

 

[simonfraser]

Run the tap on passage to make a cup of tea whilst the rngine is on. You can find the pump never reaches pressure as its sucking air. I burnt out a pump due to this happening. I fitted a bright red 24v truck trailer marker light that can be seen from the cockpit. Very obvious now if pump doesn't turn off

when it is sucking air there is no constant flow of water out of the tap ?! so what's the issue

 

[geem]

when it is sucking air there is no constant flow of water out of the tap ?! so what's the issue

If you have turned the tap off before you see the air flow then the tap sees water but the pump sees air. That's what happened to me. Its a long pipe flow from my pump to my galley. Even further to the heads in the back cabin. It can easily happen

 

[migs]

On our boat, when the water tank has less than about 50l in it and the trip is a bit boisterous, we arrive with the water pump running but not pumping. Normally, we remember to switch the pump off before we depart, but if we don’t, it can run for hours before we hear it. A warning light seems like a good idea.

 

[Malcolm3]

Many thanks to Paulrainbow and Geem. Problem now solved. As the pump was already mounted and the red wire between the pressure switch and the pump motor was under it in an awkward place I hadn’t seen it. As paul said by splicing into that wire and putting a wire from there to the bulb it now lights up when pump runs and is off when it isn’t running. Think this will prevent problem of pump running once water runs out.