HELP with wiring my pump with two on/off switches!!!

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

I have a reversible pump and I want to hook it up to my two accs. switches on my dash which are both two position switches. They both have power running to them already and then they each have a ground wire and a positive wire coming off of them. I first hooked the pump up to one of the switches and it turned on fine. But then, I tried to hook up the pump to both switches so one would fill and one would reverse the pump and drain the sacks. I just "Y" off of each wire coming from the pump and then ran each wire to the two different switches, except I switched the polarity so one would pump and one would empty. Well, when I went to turn one of the switches on, I think I blew the fuse in the switch and then it did the same thing when I turned the other switch on. I think I need to use a relay, but I don't know much about them. Can someone help me wire my pump so one of the switches will make the pump go one direction and the other switch will make the pump go the other direction?

OttoNP · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 848 City: MI

Go to radio shack and tell them what you want, they should have a relay for you.

Nick
________
Smoke Weed Every Day

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

The fuse is blowing because when you switch polarity on the second switch your power lead is being connect to ground through the other switch. You are going to need to break the ground connection on the switches to do this, or use a single switch designed for this.

WakeFlight · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 17 City: Washington, DC

What pump are you using? How many wires are coming out of the pump? What voltage and polarity are needed for each direction of the pump?

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

2 wires are coming out of the pump. Not sure about voltage and stuff. It worked fine with just one switch hooked up.

Sbt3 · Soul Rider Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 279 City: Okauchee

You need to either get a relay which is more of a pain than it is worth in this case. What is happening is every time you flip one of the switches it put the positive to ground because the other switch is still hooked up and it back feeds through the Y to the other switch. Hopefully that makes sense. What I did is got one switch that was a three position switch with 6 terminals. I will try to post a pic of how to wire it. First time doing in on the new forum so we will see how it goes. It is crude but you should get the idea.

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

Thanks for the drawing, but that's how I had it hooked up before. I already had it hooked up to a 3-position switch and it worked fine, but the switch was placed in a box and it was in the ski locker. It didn't look very good in there and it wasn't convenient. I wanted to hook the pump up to the switches in my dash so it looked more professional, etc. So, if anyone knows how I could use a relay, PLEASE let me know.

OttoNP · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 848 City: MI

There are a ton of different kind of relays out there and many ways you could get this to work. What you need to accomplish is then one switch is flipped, one wire going to the pump gets +12v and the other gets ground. When the other switch is flipped, the wire that did get ground gets +12v and the one that got +12V gets ground. Go into Radio Shack or another electronics shop and they will hook you up with what you need. I believe they have a specific relay for this purpose, that is the best solution. If you just want to use a typical relay, it would require multiply ones.

Nick
________
Synthetic weed

WakeFlight · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 17 City: Washington, DC

This is a possible way to wire a pump using 2 relays and 2 switches. The relay contacts and wire sizes need to be able to handle the current draw of the pump motor. I would fuse the 12vdc also.

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

Wakeflight,

What kind of relays are those? Is there a total of 5 terminals on each one?

WakeFlight · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 17 City: Washington, DC

Each relay is a single pole - double throw (SPDT) type. Each relay has at least 5 connection points (terminals). There are literally 1000's of different types of relays, with different coil voltages, contact ratings, contact configurations, shapes, sizes, etc. Below is an automotive type relay.

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

Wakeflight,
Sorry about so many questions, but I'm not real good with electrical stuff. What is the 12vdc in your picture? I have attached a picture showing what I am dealing with. Remember, I already have power going to my acc. switches. I labeled each wire 1-6, so if you could, could you maybe label the wires on your diagram so I know what to hook where. Also, if anyone else has any ideas, let me know. Thanks.

OttoNP · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 848 City: MI

1 will connect to relay 1, 2 will connect to relay 2.

3 will connect to relay 1, 6 will connect to relay 2

Then you need to connect another ground to each relay and another +12V to each relay.

The connections on the relays will depend on what relays you get, also, I think they have one relay that will do this, maybe called a reversing relay.

Also I think your diagram is wrong, the accessary switches are not connect to +12V and ground, they just have one end going to +12V and the other end should go to the relay, neither end should be connected to ground.

Nick
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ROOR BONG PICTURES

WakeFlight · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 17 City: Washington, DC

In jwat142's drawing, I don't think he is refering to acc1 and acc2 as just the switches. I believe he is refering to the two unterminated wires under the dash. Jwat142, are the two acc switches the original "spare" accessory switches on the dash? Isn't each switch pre-wired with two unterminated wires under the dash labeled "acc1/gnd" and "acc2/gnd"? Is this what you are refering to in your drawing? Is there a label on the pump motor? What is the full load amps (current draw) of the motor? Are there any spare fuses on the dash capable of handling the motor current? The 12vdc is any point capable of handling the FLA of the motor.

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

Wakeflight,
You're exactly right. That is what I am describing. Each switch is also hooked up to a fuse. I'm not sure what they handle, but I know that when I just hook the pump up to one switch only, it works fine. Thanks for any more help you can provide.

WakeFlight · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 17 City: Washington, DC

Jwat142:

Here's the drawing with the numbers you provided. The 12vdc and gnd is the battery voltage and ground. It could be picked up somewhere under the dash after the ignition or you could run wires all the way back to the battery.

jwat142 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 1009

Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.