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All,

My bilge pump WILL NOT run automatically.

In my Electrical panel with my engine switches I have a Rear Bilge Circuit breaker and a FWD. I have, from what I have seen ONE bilge pump in my Engine compartment with 2 Level switches. One sits next to the pump and the other higher on an aluminum plate divider.

The pump runs with the switch on the cockpit when I select it to on constantly until I switch it off, with the FWD Circuit breaker OPEN. When I reset the circuit breaker, the pump runs for a few seconds, regardless if there is water, and the circuit breaker pops again.

I am suspecting the issue is with one of the levels. Any thoughts..

Did I mention that to get to the bilge pump and levels I may have to remove a manifold from the looks of it? These guys that engineered this boat for twin engines do not like mechanics...

The FWD breaker should be for your forward bilge pump somewhere in the cabin. Not familiar with that model.
Sounds like your aft pump (Rear Bilge Circuit breaker) is okay but your forward bilge pump is the problem.

For your aft pump the lower float switch is for the pump and the one higher up is a high water alarm(all it does is beep when actuated). Depending on the type of float there should be a test lever if it's fully enclosed. You can also just lift the float to see if it works. I do this every spring to make sure they are okay.

_________________
--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

I just spent a few minutes trying to troubleshoot.

In the lower cabin area I have a bilge pump. In the cabin I have a toggle labelled FWD Bilge. When I activate this toggle, the FWD Pump activates and the switch for this pump works and does NOT pop the FWD Bilge breaker.

When I reset the FWD Breaker, the bilge pump in the engine compartment runs until the breaker pops. When the breaker pops, I can RUN the bile pump from the cockpit switch labeled Bilge. The Rear Bilge circuit breaker never pops.

That's baffling. I am going to assume the previous owner rewired something.
Just a guess but it sounds like they had trouble with the forward breaker and connected the forward pump to the aft circuit but never disconnected the forward breaker. You're going to need to get a volt tester and start investigating.

_________________
--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

I don't know how the 288 bilge pump wiring looks, but on my 2009 278 it was bizarre;

The harness connecting to the forward bilge switch harness was wrong, it could never have worked.

So, that forward bilge filled with water.

It reached a multi pin connector; eventually corroding contacts and allowing current to pass where it shouldn't have..

As a result, the bilge pump ran continuously at low speed; as did the cockpit lights !

The batteries went flat continually.

2008/ 2009 was a bad time at the factory, I fould a letter from FW to employees relating to redundancy procedures.