2006 ZX190 Bilge Pump Issue

[tcbass]

Yesterday my bilge pump worked then stopped working. After draining all the water out of the boat (Lake Erie got rough quick), I did a little diagnosing. I have the bad model dashboard with the buttons that click and light up, not the rocker switch type. However, Skeeter sent me a rocker switch style dash as backup since they admitted the style I have was a design flaw (I've been through 3 of them in the past) and are no longer made. First thing I did was plug in the new rocker switch dash and everything worked except the Bilge. Next, while on my back on the soaking wet floor, I checked all fuses and they were all good. I'm not sure if there is an inline fuse for the bilge I don't know about or a breaker. On my dash I have both a Port Bilge and Starboard Bilge that have separate lights but the same button operates them. They both light up, but I don't get the positive click sound anymore when I hit the Port Bilge (which is the one my actual Bilge Pump is connected to since I only have 1 pump in the boat), but I get the click when I hit the dummy Starboard Bilge.

I accessed the bilge pump after removing the plate my battery charger sits on and there was no debris clogging the bilge pump. I then snipped a bunch of zip ties in the harness and traced the brown and black bilge pump wires to the corresponding connectors. After disconnecting them, I touched the brown wire to the + and black to the - of one of my batteries and the Bilge Pump ran like a top. This told me the Bilge Pump was not bad, but I have no idea where the problem lies. I did find an alternate solution by seeing there are corresponding brown and black female cables for the Starboard Bilge button that have never been used since I bought the boat brand new. So I cleaned up those connectors, connected the Bilge Pump, pressed the Starboard Bilge button on the dash and the Pump runs once again. I am glad that I got it working, but would really like to know what made it stop working in the first place.

To recap: no bad fuse that I could find, the new rocker panel dash didn't fix the problem, and I am no longer get that positive click sound when I hit the Port Bilge button. Sorry this is long and drawn out, but I wanted to get as many details on here so you know what has been done already. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[OK_BassBum]

Has to be wiring or a connection to the bilge, wiring at the fuse panel.
Check the voltage in and out of the switch with a meter. You'll need
a jumper wire to accomplish this. Usually ground is made to throw a switch
and make the pump work. Since you have had it apart before you should know
how its setup. good luck!