Rule pump switch wires

[2ndwish]

Found 2 inches of water in the bilge last week. While drying it out, I tested automatic pump float switch and nothing...
I used the manual override to test that the pump worked (it did). I pulled the Rule switch, tested it with an ohmmeter and found the resistance was really high. The wires are very corroded at the connection points. I stripped back the wires and the corrosion kept going- all the way to the switch. On the original switch, the wire is untinned- kind of shocking for a wire intended to be submerged. I bought a replacement switch from Rule, which looks tinned, but upon stripping the wires back 1/4 inch- bare copper- only the ends are tinned. It seems sort of ironic that marine wire is supposed to be tinned, yet the one piece of marine equipment which is needed to keep your unattended boat afloat has untinned leads.
Anyway- the moral is test your switch regularly and try to seal the interconnection as best you can.

[Ron Hill]

2nd : I'm not surprised as the same thing happened to me many years ago.  

I installed a Rule "Super Switch" which is still working for the past 12/13 years!!  I believe it has tinned wire or at-least the wire is enclosed inside insulation.  I keep my wire connections soldered (covered with shrink tubing) and way above the water line of the bilge.  A thought  

[David Comando]

I check my Rule automatic float switch often, and have to replace the connectors yearly. I tin, butt-end connect then heat shrink plus liquid electrical tape and still end up doing it annually.The wires are getting shorter and shorter from every reconnect! What I really could use is a check valve in the bilge hose so the water doesn't flow back, as I end up sponging more out of the bilge than necessary.