CONTINUOUSWAVE

In the process of getting my 2010 250 OUTRAGE boat ready for the season I set the battery switches to ON, and then heard a pump running aft of the batteries in the below deck space. The pump that is running is not a pump [trying to lift water out of the sump and overboard].

I operated all switches [that control pumps to] ON and OFF, but there was no effect on the noise of the running pump.

I assume [the noise from pump that is running is from] either the waste [Macerator] pump or a pump for the fresh water tank. The pump cannot be shut off. [The pump noise begins when] the Starboard battery switch is moved to ON from OFF.

Q1: [based on my narrative] what pump is making the noise?

Q2: would the freshwater tank pump [automatically start to] run looking for water if [the freshwater tank were] empty?

Q3: are there any fuses or breakers to pull to shut off a system?

The freshwater pump is most likely activated by a switch on the dashboard and then a pressure switch in the pump. Both need to be "ON" for the pump to run. If you find the circuit breakers you can most likely find the source of the noise by turning one breaker off at a time. By the way, I am a firm believer in reading and studying the manual that came with the boat. If you did not get one with the boat, ask Boston Whaler for a copy. Perhaps you can even find a PDF of the manual on their website.

Generally by 2010 and certainly in the case for larger boats like a 25-footer, the electrical wiring and control system was sufficiently extensive and complex that Boston Whaler would provide a detailed schematic diagram that reveals the exact wiring of all the electrical components, controls, circuit protections, batteries, and any other elements involved. Although the schematic diagram is a technical document and requires some familiarity with the nature of electrical symbols and notations, with some careful study it can be understood. It will show in exact detail how the boat electrical systems are configured, and from that knowledge you can deduce how the electrical systems will operate.

Also in the owner's manual there should be a rather clear text explanation of how everything on the boat works.

DRAWINGS AVAILABLE ON-LINE
On-line, I found there are 70 diagrams available that show every conceivable part of the boat. You can access these by entering the the year (2010), family (OUTRAGE), model (250), and type (DRAWING) at

https://www.bostonwhaler.com/resources- ... nance.html

ELECTRICAL SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

Here is the electrical wiring diagram link:

https://www.bostonwhaler.com/content/da ... t-2010.pdf

I will now answer all your questions based on the electrical wiring.

There are NINE sheets to this drawing. On Sheet 2 and Sheet 3 you will find EIGHT pumps are shown.. ALL pumps are controlled by a switch at the helm console. ALL switches have ANNUNCIATOR LAMPS that will illuminate then there is current being provided to the pump.

The power distribution from the STARBOARD battery is shown on Sheet 1. Power to distribution circuits from the STARBOARD battery is protected by a 50-Ampere circuit breaker identified as "UNSWITCHED MAIN". Only TWO pumps are operated from this bus: the FWD BILGE and the AFT BILGE.

DEDUCING WHAT PUMP IS RUNNING
Based on your narrative and knowledge of how the boat is actually designed, the only reasonable inference is the pump you hear operating is the AFT BILGE pump (because you say the source of the noise is aft of the batteries and because the pump can operate automatically).

To understand how the AFT BILGE pump can operate automatically, follow circuit 303A-14. This circuit provides power to operate the AFT BILGE pump using its own internal float switch. Circuit 303A-14 is protected by a 5-Ampere circuit breaker, which I presume would be labeled "AFT BILGE". Exactly where that circuit breaker is located is probably shown in one of the other 69 drawings.

There are two possible reasons the pump is running automatically:

• there is high water in the AFT sump compartment, or
• the is NOT high water in the AFT sump compartment AND the float switch or other mechanism in the pump is NOT operating correctly, possibly stuck in the ON position by debris or the automatic circuit has failed into the ON position.

I have determined it is not the bilge by simply putting y hand on it and operating from the switch.
I have been pouring over those diagrams(great resource) for a week trying to source the culprit.

It appears there is a vacuum generator for the head system in the area. I do not believe this is switched. Sound like a possibility? Would the fresh water tank being empty cause this to run as it is trying to build vacuum and has no water?

Hoping to get back there tomorrow

Thanks

The vacuum pump is also able to run automatically. It is powered by circuit 520-8, which also runs from the Starboard battery. A 10-Ampere circuit breaker (on Sheet 8) at the HEAD PANEL should shut off that pump via circuit 524-14 (Sheet 3) which runs into the holding tank area. On the drawing a relay device or switch device is shown, but the symbol used is not the usual. It looks like the “vaccum switch” is part of the holding tank. Fixing that problem could be a bit stinky.