Center Console Electrical issue 1900 Key West

[usnguenther23]

Looking for some help. I have a 2000 key west 1900cc. I was getting power to my switches on my center console earlier today but nothing was working Bilge pump, aerator, gps, horn, etc. Now I am not getting any power the switches at all. Fuses have been checked. Boat will still start and trim system still works. I have also found a few wires just hanging around which could absolutely be the problem. Theres a purple, black, and grey wire that are not attached to anything as shown in the picture. The purple wire was tested via test light and shows hot. Anyone with have experience with these issues? I attached a few pictures just to show my type of gages and the three wires

 

[Silvertip]

If the purple is hot and not insulated with electrical tape that creates a short circuit situation if it touches ground (say the uninsulated black wire). But that's not the main issue. Switches are typically wired so the +12 volt feed is jumpered from one switch to the next. That's what puts power to the switches. The other side of the switch goes to whatever that switch controls. Every device on the boat needs a good ground which is in effect the negative terminal of the battery. But rather than running grounds from every device all the way to the battery, those grounds typically are all joined together at a ground stud at the console. Then a larger #10/12 gauge wire connects that stud to the negative terminal of the battery. Every gauge needs +12 volts and ground to operate. If it is lighted, that may powered when the key is turned on or by the NAV/ANC switch. Fuel gauges also need a sender signal from the sender in the tank. Trim gauge ditto but the signal comes from the trim sender on the drive. Tach gets its signal from the engine ignition system on the engine. So - in a nutshell, start at the battery and make sure battery terminal connections are clean and tight (as in shiny clean and tight). Check the fuse near the battery in the +12 volt line feeding the console. Check for 12 volts at the end of that +12 volt feed. Ensure the ground side of the system has continuity front to back.

If nothing works, the problem is likely in the 12V or ground lines between the battery and console. If some work and others don't, work on the non-operational circuits.