Electric windscreen washer

My dad read a technical article by Stu Brennan, an owner of a Sunbeam Tiger, who had converted his hand activated pump windscreen washer to an electric washer. He liked the idea because he put the electric switch in the aluminum pump canister thereby eliminating the need to install an additional switch somewhere. Since the washer in the Tiger is the same as the one in both the Big Healey and the Bugeye he decided to give it a try.

Two items needed to be purchased for the conversion. An electric pump typically used on later Sprites was ordered from Moss Motors.  A Home Depot switch was purchased, Gardner-Bender, Push Button, GSW-22, SPST always-off.

The old pump was easily disassembled by un-crimping the lip from around the plastic bottom. The metal is relatively soft, so it unfolds easily. The bottom and the old rubber bellows came right out, leaving only the plunger within the shell of the pump.

Washer Pump Open

Washer pump

To provide enough depth for the switch in the canister a slot was cut in the plastic face plate. The slot also provided space for the switch wires to exit the canister. To provide stability for the switch in the canister and to use as a spacer a circle washer was cut of 1/4” wide plywood that fit tightly in the canister and placed it on the switch secured with double nuts.

New Pump Switch

Washer Pump Modification

Power comes from a switched terminal on the ignition switch, and is connected to the new red wiring through an in-line fuse holder. From the other side of the switch, a new red wire carries power to the white wire on the pump. The “negative“ side – black wire –  of the pump is grounded at the mounting bracket.

The pump was secured to the left side of the firewall and the appropriate hoses were connected to the water supply tank, the pump and the two jets.

Pump on Firewall

Now it is Electric!