Arfur

The white button looks like a breaker of sorts. If it were tripped the white button would be extended. Push the button to reset. You may be able to test the line and load side of it to see if power is passing through it.

Onebadlarry

Rubber boot protects the circuit breaker (the little white button as you described it)

circuit breaker is a type of overcurrent protection device..... just like a fuse is.

circuit breakers and fuses have the same mission in life: protect the circuit.

curcuit breakers are resettable. Fuses are not.

Fullthrottle52

Everywhere I test the wires on these boxes, I have current. That is what is so frustrating. Both the bilge and live well pumps have no power when switched on. The brown and white wire on the white box is the manual wire running to the bilge pump. It is hot all the time if the switch is on or not. Does nothing when hooked up to the bilge pump.

briankinley2004

What white box are you talking about? The breaker in the above photo? If so it is rusted and corroded and needs replacing. you can by pass it to test. Or are you talking about a white box in the bilge that is an automatic float switch? If so it should have power to it at all times. Also, very important, just because you have voltage doesn't mean you have amps. It takes amps to start a pump. You can have 12 volts but not enough amps to run anything due to corrosion, etc. Again check all connections, especially crimp joints. I have had pumps getting 12 volts but didnt run due to a bad splice up in a wire loom that you couldn't see with your naked eye.They will let volts through but not enough amps to run anything. Wire sizing is based on the amount of amps needed not volts. You can get volts through one strand of a multi strand cable but it won't run anything except maybe an LED light. You need to study the wiring diagram and methodically eliminate things. If you dont have time or understanding a professional may be your quickest cure.

Fullthrottle52

Yes the white box in the back of the panel. I now understand it is where the current comes in and leaves to the next box. I agree it is rusted and needs replacing. It does not look like an original and was probably replaced at some time. Would you test the switch by putting the red wire directly on the switch instead of the box?

jfwireless

If your NaV lights and live well also have now quit working you may now have a ground (-12 volt issue). Check for power looking at the neg and positive leads going to the live well and nav lights. Using a ground point or negative battery terminal and looking at only the positive lead to an accessory only checks one half the wiring.



Jimj

Fullthrottle52

Jim’s, I think your right about the ground being my problem. Narrowing it down to where the problem is is the problem. I have checked the leads coming from the live well and the positive wire is hot when I flip the switch, but the pump is not working. If I connect my ligh tester to the ground coming from the console to the live well pump it does not function at all. So, somewhere from the battery in the back to the switches, the ground is not working. I’m checking ground connection for rust or poor connection to see if I can find the culprit wire.

thanks for your insight.

Fullthrottle52

Does anyone know where I can order replacement circuit breakers like the ones pictured. I have searched and can’t find replacements. The white breaker that controls the bilge switch does have the white button extended and you can’t push it back in to reset. This may not solve the grounding issue but it needs to be replaced anyway, as do the rest of them.

Thanks for all your help with this.

Onebadlarry

Since you stated this, I would bite the bullet and get a new switch panel with breakers. Newwiremarine.com can hook you up.

here are replacement breakers from them as well:
https://newwiremarine.com/product/pu...rcuit-breaker/

since I don’t know the exact model RULE you have, I can’t provide a direct link to the proper breaker size for you.

jfwireless

Blue seas make a similar breaker, it comes with quick connect or screw terminals, and the rubber boot is optional, click on a specific breaker size to see the rubber boot options.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/cat...ype=%238_Screw

I would prefer to rewire and use the Bocatech combined switch/breaker to give more space and that better look. But they are more expensive. Here is my 2004 Pathfinder rewire with the new Bocatech switch panel.

Jim

Fullthrottle52

Onebadlary, I put a picture of the Rule Bilge Pump that I purchased. It is a automatic 500 gph. The manual that came with it said it needs a 4 amp fuse. Seems small but so are the wires.

Thank you very much for the link. I plan on replacing all circuit breakers and switches and go from there. If my problem still exists I will know it is wiring somewhere.

I called to 4 different marine stores today and all of them are 3 to 4 weeks out to get to it. Fishing season is still going strong here so will wait until January to take it in. I the mean time I have connected the bilge pump directly to the battery with a 5 amp fuse on the positive line.

Fullthrottle52

Jfwireless, I like the look of your panel. I would love to use a new look but would then have to do a custom cut panel. Mine is an odd shape and not a complete rectangle. Thank you for your leads. As said before I will replace all of mine with new breakers and switches.

briankinley2004

You can bypass the circuit breaker and install an inline fuse until the new one comes in. Will help you with your trouble shooting

Fullthrottle52

Thank you Brian. I understand what you are saying. I may try that when I get some time.

jfwireless

Fullthrottle52, you can simply replace the switches and breakers in your existing panel with the Bocatech resettable switches and double the number of switch positions as you do not need two holes for each service just one. You can start by just replacing the bilge switch and leave the bilge switch breaker in to fill the hole until you want to add an additional switch.

Just a thought to add led lighted switches for confirmation and notification and increase the number of possible switch positions.

Jim

Fullthrottle52

JFWIRELESS, I do like the look of the Boca switches. A little pricier than just replacing with what I have but look nice. May try one and see how it works. My problem is I don’t really understand how to take the existing wires and rewire a different switch. How does the reset work on the Boca switch? How do you check if it has blown a fuse or needs to be reset?

jfwireless

If the resettable breaker switch turns off , the led light ring on the switch will go off, to reset just turn back on again by pressings the switch on again.

To rewire with the Bocatech switch just eliminant the button breaker. Power in to the push button breaker now goes to the power in on the Bocatech switch.

Jim

Fullthrottle52

Thanks Jim. Have a great day.

P. S. Thought I would leave a little something to make your day and give you a smile.


I know I shouldn’t have done this, but I am 83 years old and I was in the McDonald’s drive-through this morning and the young lady behind me leaned on her horn and started mouthing something because I was taking too long to place my order. So when I got to the first window I paid for her order along with my own. The cashier must have told her what I'd done, because as we moved up she leaned out her window and waved to me and mouthed "Thank you.", obviously embarrassed that I had repaid her rudeness with kindness. When I got to the second window I showed them both receipts and took her food too. Now she has to go back to the end of the queue and start all over again,
Don't blow your horn at old people, they have been around a long time.🤣😂🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️🍔🍟☕️

km1125

That is freeking hilarious, and something I have to remember should I be in the same situation!!!

Good luck on the bilge pump switch... if you have further questions just post a couple pics too - it helps us understand what you're up against.

Fullthrottle52

Ok everyone. I have finally figured out my problem from this 3 page thread. I replaced the one circuit breaker ( white one) with a new 10 amp breaker and everything is working again. My bait well pump, my lights and bilge pump. Must be that if one circuit breaker goes it takes everything with it.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to my issue. You learn so much from this forum