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One of the main bilge pumps on my boat is a Rule 2000gph. The accompanying two float switches (one very near the pump and the other a short distance from the pump but about four to five inches higher in the bilge) are also of the Rule variety with strainer covers. When I arrived at the boat over this past weekend, the pump was on despite the fact that the water level in the bilge was below the pump's lower set point. I assumed the lower switch was clogged or stuck with the viscous mixture that one can often find in bilges. I examined the switch. It was not clogged but did appear to be getting stuck due to the presence of the aforementioned mixture. I thoroughly cleaned it out. Tried it again. It did not work in auto float mode. The pump did operate when I manually pushed up on the float arm, however. The pump also works when I switch the helm bilge pump rocker switch. I purchased a new identical float switch. The new one does the same thing the old one did, namely, not work in auto float mode but work when I manually push up on it. I also found that the backup switch does not work by manually raising its float arm. An extremely loud high water alarm does sound when water just reaches the bottom of the upper float switch. This has left me fairly confused as to the solution. If there were an in-line fuse somewhere, the switch wouldn't work when manually raised I would think.
Those switches sit in bilge water most of the time and can't be counted on to last but a year or two. They're cheap and easy to replace. You ought to replace them on a scheduled basis. Just like batteries!
I am confused. You say neither switch works in auto float mode, but both work when you manually raise the arm. Isn't that how you test the auto float mode, by raising the arm manually? That's how I would test mine, unless I was going to the trouble to flood them. The pumps are not supposed to run in auto mode unless the arm is raised.
The second switch is not hooked to the pump, only to the alarm. It is an high water alarm switch, not a back-up pump switch.
Since you have just tried a brand new one in the old one´s place, and it also did not float in water, the mounting of both in the same area could be suspect.
If the mounting surface is irregular and not completly flat, the pressure of the screws pulling down on the centerline of the bracket might be causing the channel to pull down in the middle between one or two higher pimple bumps on the hull , and pinch together one or two of the vertical surfaces that hold the float hinge pin, hitting the surface of the float, and causing it to bind slightly.
The air inside the float maybe insufficient to lift it when its binds, requiring your hand assist to move and turn on the pump.
Since the bilge is in a difficult spot to inspect and work, I would remove it, respread its mounting bracket to eliminate the bind if you see one, then test the switch there in a pan full of water, to make sure she floats freely of her own will prior to cutting the electrical connections. If she doesn't, then return the new switch to the dealer, and make sure that the replacement does float in your pan of water before accepting the exchange.
I would then flatten the mounting area with a spatula, or add a piece of thicker SS flat stock under the bracket to insure it won't tweak and sitt funny funny again. Remember not to overtighten the mounting screws.
Just one more scenario that came to mind.
Glacierbaze: Thanks for your response. Just to clarify, the lower switch works when I manually push up on it but not when I flood it (auto float mode). The upper switch, which you may be correct in saying is a switch for the high water alarm only, does not set the alarm off when I manually raise the arm.
I agree. They sure do seem to be cheap and I have replaced several on this and other boats I have owned over the years. Has anyone tried one of the other types of non-float, supposedly non-moving part switches that are on the market? There appear to be at least two, namely, a pressure sensing one and a water level sensing one. I am also wondering how reliable the pumps are that activate every two minutes or so, then turn off if no water is present.
There's one more option: Rule makes a pump that "senses" when water is present. It has no float switch. The pump comes on ever ? minutes, runs for 2 seconds, then shuts off if water is not present. (I assume its circuitry senses water by the extra current needed to ump it.)
Let me suggest this to you first. Go back to the boat with a screwdriver and a pair of wire cutters and get those Rule float switches out of the boat. They are unreliable. Replace them with float switches by Shure Bail (these are the blue ones that are box shaped). You won't be sorry you did.
Or just go with the new RuleMate all in ones. Less wiring to fail, easy to mount. Solved my problems entirely.
I agree with Thom though, I found the RuleMate switches to be unreliable in my hydrasport.
The other pump being talked about comes on every so often for 2 seconds and it senses the heavier load on it if water is there and pumps until it's gone.
i'm sure this will confuse you even more - I have had terrible luck with the blue sure-bail float switches - have replaced 4 in three boats over the past 10 years - very suseptible to oily water in the bilge (another bad thing) - I have had good luck with the type of Rule Super Switch with the optional red cage around them...
Some guys were telling me the oily bilge situation is not a big deal, it ruined both the pump and switch in my boat in a couple weeks. The super switch by design seems less likely to have a problem but who knows.
There have been many floats replaced with new only to find that the problem wasn't the float at all. I have done it myself but since learned to troubleshoot the problem first. If you disconnect the two wires from the float, put a meter on "continuity" and check the float itself. When you lift the float you should see the point that the cicuit is "made". My guess is that you have some wire corrossion in the circuit and the float may have been OK to begin with.
I would be worried that the rulemate's that sense the water level are susceptible to oil contamination. If oil gets on the contacts the ability to sense that water is there is greatly impeded. You dont want to find out it couldnt tell the boat was flooding because you spilled some oil on the engine last week.
With a lever style switch you can at least reach down into the bilge and rotate it by hand. It's readily apparent if it's starting to get gummed up.
What makes sure bail better is that they use a mercury wetted switch thats embedded into the lever itself. As long as the lever moves the switch works. Other ones like rule's are are susceptible to contamination. the lever on a sure bail has mass and that means a lot more contamination is required to gum it up compared to simple contacts getting glazed over.
Bilge Pump Float Switch 
