Second Bilge Direct?

[joe7670]

So keeping the boat on the water for long weekend and adding a second bilge pump.

Do you guys wire them direct to the battery with or without a fuse?

Was reading a site that said without fuse to avoid the common failure point of the fuse?

My primary pump is wired to my fuse block and works manual or automatic as long as my main cutoff switch is on.

The second I would like to wire direct to battery to avoid needing the main switch from being on as the boat will be in the water.

Ideas or recommendations on what works best are appreciated.

 

[lathehand]

IOM . I don't think wireing direct to the battyr without a fuse is a good idea.Any little dabree could get stuck and cause the pump not to shut off and kill the battry or possably just lock the pump and overheat and cause a fire.Either way the inline fuse is there for a reason.

 

[phatdaddy]

agree with lathe, need a fuse. i was on a buddys boat (avionics tech) and he wired his bottom machine w/o a fuse. wire was routed around a hydraulic steering hose. wire got hot and melted the hose, lotta smoke and a long ride home using a speargun for a tiller. get a waterproof inline and solder connections,

 

[Destroyer]

agree with lathe, need a fuse. i was on a buddys boat (avionics tech) and he wired his bottom machine w/o a fuse. wire was routed around a hydraulic steering hose. wire got hot and melted the hose, lotta smoke and a long ride home using a speargun for a tiller. get a waterproof inline and solder connections,

X3.....fuses are there for a reason... it takes ten seconds to change a fuse... it takes a LOT longer to put out a fire.. if you can put it out.