I will preface this by saying I am not an electrical wizard. I have a 2013 Skeeter ZX20. Boat was in the rain Thursday night into Friday morning. Got to the ramp Friday morning and my auto bilge was running and the light to the bilge switch at the dash was on with the main power switch at the dash in the off position. Nothing odd there. That has happened before. Here is where the issue starts. The drain plug was out, no water in the bilge, so I figured the float was stuck. No issue. I would crawl under the dash and disconnect the wire tab to the back of the bilge switch to kill the bilge pump. The bilge kept running. So then I decided to trouble shoot and pull the tabs to the main power switch since the bilge piggy backs to that switch for the manual side. Bilge continued to run. So I guess the bilge has to be wired directly to the battery in some form or another. However, I could not find any wires running directly to the battery from the bilge pump. Got tired of hearing the bilge pump run so I just snipped the wires at the cartridge. Figured I would replace it. Here is the second issue, I cannot get the bilge pump switch at the dash to turn off. It is lit up red in the off position unless I disconnect the main wiring harness.

So, do I have a bad switch at the console along with a stuck float? Possibly a fuse issue causing the switch to stay lit up? I cannot find a wiring diagram for this boat anywhere. Don't want to hook up a new bilge pump if the switch issue is going to make it run constantly. Sorry if that is clear as mud. Just looking for a place to possibly start.

an auto bilge is usually not switch controlled, hence the "auto".

it may be wired into the main most likely.

get a switch and replace yours, these folks are great.

https://newwiremarine.com/

if that won't fix it then you have to trace the wires from pump to power source, you may have a short causing the always on.

p.s. it sounds to me like your switch gave up the ghost, switch happens.

Ok just dug around in the sump and did not realize there was also a float under my battery charger plate. I also put power back to my bilge switch and if you flip it to the manual on position it lights up my main power switch even though it’s in the off position. I’m thinking it’s a bad switch that was just making the bilge run.

Not sure I quite understand this but I would think the pump runs with the switch in manual on. My bilge works 2 ways. One is automatic and one if I turn the switch on. The float on the bilge pump is wired to my buss bar and always hot unless main battery is disconnected. Turn the switch off and test the float by lifting up on it. It should run when you lift it and shut off when you drop it. Make sure there is no debris under the float.

if it is the type with the steel ball inside, returns it to "off", they rust and I had one stick the float in the open/on position. something caused it to get stuck till I thumped it good then replaced the float.

Yeah I did more digging around. Mine is wired the same way. Float and bilge to the fuse panel/buss bar. Wires from fuse panel to switch. I think I just put some of the wires in the wrong place on the switch which is why it was lighting my power switch. The negative on the bilge switch piggy backs to the power switch. Pretty sure the float was not fully deactivating. Going to replace the float, bilge pump, and switch today and see what happens. If I still have issues I'll just sink the boat.