Reversible pump continued.... help with wiring???

Alright I just bought two reversible pumps brand new for 120 dollars each with 4 extra impellers. Now from what I have seen that is a good deal... Anyway they do not come with a switch or any wires. The only wires on them are short pieces of possitive and neggative wire which are very skinny. Now from what I have heard so far..... I need to run atleast 8 gauge wire, and connect them to the wires already on the pump. Then I run the possitive and neggative wires all the way to my switch, then the possitive wire goes to some kind of overload protected distribution panal (whch I have no idea what that is) and the neggative goes back to the battery.

So now the quetions start...
I have heard that only the possitive have to go to the switch but now I am heering that both possitive and neggative go to the switch and back.

Also, the wires on the pumps right now are very skinny and I will be connecting 8 gauge wire to them... is that a problem??

AND.... can someone tell me what a overload protected distribution panal is and if it is neccesary or useful or will it just be a pain and keep blowing everytiem the pump turns on.???

Also on the side.... does anyone know how long these pumps last or how reliable they are?? I am using a Jabsco ballast pupppy.

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL THE HELP!!!

I have the simer pumps and they come with inline fuse holders. I think they are 20 amp. I used 10 gauge wire. 8 gauge is overkill IMO. I can't remember how I wired it but I found the wiring diagrams either on here or on wakeboarder.com. Just do a search.

I have wired the simer pumps up many times. I don't use a relay or anything like that. I would recommend a inline fuse. There are a couple of ways you can do it but here is how I did it on my last install.

I ran a positive and negative 8ga wires from the battery to a bus bar ( distibution block) then I ran the positive and negative lines 10ga wire from the bar to my switches. You could also just run seperate 10 ga leads from the battery to the switches.

Then I ran the wires from my pumps up to the switches. I think 10ga will be fine no need for 8ga. at the switch jump across it so when you flip the switch it reverses. Here is a pic that I did a couple of years ago. Crude but you will get the idea. Let me know if you have any questions. I have always just used the switch without a relay and haven't had any porblems. You will need a 6 pin DP/DT (double pole/double throw) switch.

for what you just said, if I hit a switch will both pumps turn on??? I guess I am a little confused. How much is that bus bar thing and where can I get it?? Also is that for each pump?? so I would have to do that twice?? Thanks for the help!

heres the diagrom I just found.. what would what you are talking about look like compared to this??

I just did this last week so here it goes.

Run your positive and negative wires from the pump to a 3 position rocker switch (Fill/Off/Empty). Wiring into the switch will look like the diagram that stan showed. The only difference might be a 7th pole which is ground if the switch has a light on it. You then want to run positive and negative wires from your battery. There needs to be a 20 amp fuse within a foot of the battery. I would then recommend running the wires through a set of relays. Your switch will probably not be able to handle 20 amps of power going through it. Then run the wires to your switch and your good to go. I used 10 gauge wire and my total length from battery to pump was about 35 feet. Good Luck

edit: you are probably going to want two switches, one for each pump.

(Message edited by pollock on April 13, 2006)

I do not get that first diagram at all... could someone maybe draw an easier version of it or something???

Thanks!