While cleaning the bilge one time, I was running lots of water into it, with the pump switch turned off. This covered the float switch with water, and when I turned the pump switch back to auto, nothing happened. Turns out the float switches can’t handle being submerged. Seriously!?!
After much reading of reviews, it sounded like there was not a float switch on the market that anyone liked. They all had issues, and could either stick on and burn out the pump and/or drain the battery, or they fail to activate like ours did, leaving your boat at risk for flooding.
I finally came across some people discussing a completely different kind of switch called the Water Witch. It has no moving parts, and is completely sealed. Some versions of it are used by the USCG, so I decided to give it a try. I ended up buying the model 230, rated for 20A, which should be more than enough for the Rule 2000. Installation was very easy, and it wired in with the 3 wires that already exist from the Auto/Off/Manual switch at the panel.
I mounted it a bit higher than the old float switch so the primary pump should only come on in a real flooding scenario. Anything less will be handled by the Dry Bilge System.
