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I've replaced the livewell pump on my boat multiple times. Recently, I was about replace the pump again, but it turned out that there was something wrong with the Deutsch plugs that connect the pump to power. One of the prongs in the mail plug broke off into the female plug and there was black stuff from heat at the connection. I replaced both plugs and used heat shrink connections on all wires. The pump started working again. On the next trip, however, the pump failed after a few hours of use.

Do I have some kind of electrical problem, and if yes, how might I diagnose and resolve it?

salt water environment is murder on wiring get a VOM (volt ohm meter) and check continuity make sure you dont have a high open and dielectric grease on all connections helps greatly. It kinda sounds like it might be starving for voltage....good start

If your boat has a busbar, double-check it and ensure all ground connections are secure. Also, inspect for any loose ground wires that could be causing the issue

edif wrote: June 3rd, 2026, 8:17 am salt water environment is murder on wiring get a VOM (volt ohm meter) and check continuity make sure you dont have a high open and dielectric grease on all connections helps greatly. It kinda sounds like it might be starving for voltage....good start

I am grateful for the tip. I am just about to watch a youtube video on how to check for continuity with a multimeter.

dombern34 wrote: June 3rd, 2026, 8:22 am If your boat has a busbar, double-check it and ensure all ground connections are secure. Also, inspect for any loose ground wires that could be causing the issue

I think my boat has a busbar. I'll check it carefully. Thank you for the tip.

Well, I thought addressing the livewell pump would be complicated. Fortunately, I got lucky. I removed the pump from its housing and saw that it was clogged by a little bit of braided fishing line. I cleared away the braid, reset the breaker, and all was well. I also put a little dielectric grease in the Deutsch connection.

Sometimes its great to be Lucky glad it was a simple fix.....Tight Lines...!!!

I would stop replacing pumps until you figure out why that connector got hot. The blackening around the pin is a pretty good sign that there was resistance at the connection, and that can create a lot of heat even if the pump itself is fine.

I would check voltage right at the pump while it is running, then compare it with battery voltage. Also check the current draw of the pump against what the manufacturer specifies. If the voltage is dropping badly or the pump is pulling too much current, you have something useful to chase.

I would pay particular attention to the ground, wire size, crimps and the new connector pins. A loose crimp, corrosion inside the wire or water getting into the connection can cause exactly this kind of problem. I would also make sure the pump is not partially blocked or working harder than it should, since that can increase current draw and cook the connection. It reminds me of troubleshooting a site like Tropical Casino https://tropical-casino.com/ where a small issue with a payment step, game session or account check can look much bigger than it really is. I’d inspect the wiring first before blaming the pump itself.

Since you already found heat damage once, I would treat that as the clue rather than assuming you have just been unlucky with several bad pumps.