Howdy!

I need some advice on wiring for my macerator. It is a Jabsco 18590 series which is brand new. The PO installed it and wired it through a solenoid. The pump does not run when you push the switch, but the cabin lights dim a bit. I have redone all of the connectors, and tried a new solenoid that I happened to have on hand. No luck.

When I look at the instructions I can't find anything that says it should be wired through a solenoid. It says to run the wiring through a 20 amp fuse and a push button switch.

So my question is this, does anybody here have their macerator wiring running through a solenoid? Is this nessecery, or can I take out the solenoid and wire it stright to the switch?

Terry

If the macerator has not been used for a few weeks, the rubber impeller might have welded itself to the housing of the macerator. On the end of the motor there is a small plastic cap that covers the motor shaft. Take it off and you will see the motor shaft is slotted. Use a screwdriver to rotate the motor shaft to break it free. Then, go back and push the button and see if the macerator works.

If it does not work, use a volt meter to check the voltage level at the motor, then work back to the solenoid and switch to see where the voltage loss is.

Paul

Ok, so I finally figured out the problem with this pump. Turns out the PO is a liar. He told me that the pump was brand new and just needed to have the wiring finished off. ( Showed me the nice box it came in too!) He had it mounted so close to the starboard side that only a trained monkey could possibly reach it. So, with no reason to doubt him, I just spent quite a few hours trying to understand why I couldn't solve a simple wiring problem. I got to looking at the box to see if I had the wrong voltage, and inside was the receipt..... from 2004! Not at all new!

So I had to buy and train a bilge monkey (Which is a separate thread all together!) but I finally got the pump out. Yup, it was clogged with poo paper. 10 minutes of cleaning later and it works like a charm.

I took out the useless solenoid, cleaned up the wiring and remounted the pump where any normal human can reach it easily. Back in business.

What I really don't get is why the PO would even tell me the lie to begin with. I had already agreed to buy the boat. A $150 pump isn't going to sour me on a deal worth $10000.00, and sooner or later the lie is going to be found out anyway. I guess I will never understand how some folks think.


Thanks for the help guys.

Terry






P.S.(Anybody looking to buy a used bilge monkey? $5500.00 Pricey, I know but when you need one you need one.)

Old guys like some of us.. time is relative.

I put new alternators in in 2005 and to me they are new.. compared to what I took out.. LOL

So maybe the time warp kicked in for this PO?

It does for me all the time!

Glad you have it running.

dave