water pump circuit breaker pops

Jeff Niceswanger · 11-01-2021, 02:47 PM

You probably already know this...But a much better fix is to use the switch panel to activate a 30 or 40 amp relay. That way your using minimal voltage to pull the relay in. Run at least 12 gauge wire from your battery to the relays input wire (You don't have to but I would install a 30 amp breaker or fuse), then another wire from the relays output wire down to the Water Pump itself. You can just use little 16 gauge from your switch panel over to activate the relay. Use 16 gauge from the relay to ground also.

buzzinhalfdozen · 11-01-2021, 03:54 PM

you really should have the master battery switch off while charging, voltage can get pretty high while charging 16 volt batteries. other than that you could measure the amp draw of your pump, could have an issue with the pump motor but i'd lean more towards the charger being hooked up as your problem.

Jeff Niceswanger · 11-01-2021, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzinhalfdozen

you really should have the master battery switch off while charging, voltage can get pretty high while charging 16 volt batteries. other than that you could measure the amp draw of your pump, could have an issue with the pump motor but i'd lean more towards the charger being hooked up as your problem.

I never did Joe. I cooled the motor, ran the valves and never had any issues with 16 volts. But I had the car completely relayed. And I had a MSD suppressor/capacitor (MSD 8830) on both my Holley FI and MSD Grid's main power wiring.

buzzinhalfdozen · 11-01-2021, 04:26 PM

Jeff, yes a relay would be the correct way to wire the pump, however it still needs to be fused or protected by a circuit breaker. A 20 amp breaker should have no issues providing the needed amps for the water pump which i doubt pulls more than 10 amps. that's why i suggested he test the amp draw of the pump motor, also verify the ground is good. I have accidentally forgot to turn off my disconnect a few times and had no issues, but my car has a relay center in it so the only thing getting that 19plus volts was my MSD box. Hope you're enjoying your retirement!

Gmirza · 11-01-2021, 09:52 PM

I use a Summit fuel pump relay to power the water pump drive and a 20 amp inline fuse. So far so good.

FireSale · 11-02-2021, 01:58 PM

I have fuse protected relays controlling everything with a 20 amp draw or above. Over 15, really. Very few amps in my switch panel. Tech don't like them extra wires but, well, very few amps in my switch panel. I'm on 12 volts so I can't address the charging issue.

Mike Pearson · 11-02-2021, 02:31 PM

The amperage to run the water pump would be less with 16v than 12v so it is probably just an issue with the circuit breaker. Are you running an electric fan along with the water pump on the same circuit. That will for sure be too much draw.

11-01-2021, 02:47 PM	#1
Jeff Niceswanger Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 894 Likes: 685 Liked 1,032 Times in 368 Posts	Re: water pump circuit breaker pops You probably already know this...But a much better fix is to use the switch panel to activate a 30 or 40 amp relay. That way your using minimal voltage to pull the relay in. Run at least 12 gauge wire from your battery to the relays input wire (You don't have to but I would install a 30 amp breaker or fuse), then another wire from the relays output wire down to the Water Pump itself. You can just use little 16 gauge from your switch panel over to activate the relay. Use 16 gauge from the relay to ground also. __________________ Jeff Niceswanger 3740 SS Last edited by Jeff Niceswanger; 11-01-2021 at 03:59 PM.

11-01-2021, 03:54 PM	#2
buzzinhalfdozen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bellevue Ohio Posts: 984 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: water pump circuit breaker pops you really should have the master battery switch off while charging, voltage can get pretty high while charging 16 volt batteries. other than that you could measure the amp draw of your pump, could have an issue with the pump motor but i'd lean more towards the charger being hooked up as your problem. __________________ Joe Buchanan SS/BX 3117

11-01-2021, 04:26 PM	#4
buzzinhalfdozen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bellevue Ohio Posts: 984 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: water pump circuit breaker pops Jeff, yes a relay would be the correct way to wire the pump, however it still needs to be fused or protected by a circuit breaker. A 20 amp breaker should have no issues providing the needed amps for the water pump which i doubt pulls more than 10 amps. that's why i suggested he test the amp draw of the pump motor, also verify the ground is good. I have accidentally forgot to turn off my disconnect a few times and had no issues, but my car has a relay center in it so the only thing getting that 19plus volts was my MSD box. Hope you're enjoying your retirement! __________________ Joe Buchanan SS/BX 3117

11-01-2021, 09:52 PM	#5
Gmirza Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 176 Likes: 204 Liked 252 Times in 94 Posts	Re: water pump circuit breaker pops I use a Summit fuel pump relay to power the water pump drive and a 20 amp inline fuse. So far so good. __________________ George Mirza D/SA 1236 ‘71 Duster 340

11-02-2021, 01:58 PM	#6
FireSale VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lakewood Washington Posts: 1,407 Likes: 29 Liked 237 Times in 126 Posts	Re: water pump circuit breaker pops I have fuse protected relays controlling everything with a 20 amp draw or above. Over 15, really. Very few amps in my switch panel. Tech don't like them extra wires but, well, very few amps in my switch panel. I'm on 12 volts so I can't address the charging issue. __________________ Dale Shearon 68 Mustang 6394

11-02-2021, 02:31 PM	#7
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,449 Likes: 615 Liked 1,926 Times in 579 Posts	Re: water pump circuit breaker pops The amperage to run the water pump would be less with 16v than 12v so it is probably just an issue with the circuit breaker. Are you running an electric fan along with the water pump on the same circuit. That will for sure be too much draw. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS