Won't start and no readings on battery gauge

[Gonolels]

Hi everyone, having some issues with my 2000 trophy 19'3 cc with a 2001 mercury 125 2 stroke 4 cyl. I bought new bilge pumps to make stall and I tested the old one and when I hooked power to them they worked. So I went to check fuses, all good. After testing them with a test light the the battery volt meter quit working and the engine will not turn. I thought it might be the kill switch because I pullled the lanyard out went I was crawling under the console. All the fusses are good I have power to the toggle switches that operate the bilge pump, there is power to the ignition. The tilt trim is working, courtesy lamps working, fuel gauge working and tach jumps when key is turned. I didn't undo anything except when I pulled the kill switch safety lanyard out. Can that go bad just from that? Everything was working except 2 of my bilge pumps before I started. Please help, so frustrated at this point. I just bought the boat and was attempting to test run for the first time this weekend, that's my luck here lately. Thanks for any info, input you fellow members might have. Leave it to me to screw something up.

 

[GA_Boater]

Did you wire the bilge pumps directly to the battery? Clean the battery connections.

You didn't bump the remote out of neutral, did you? Kill switch won't stop the motor from cranking, only kills the ignition, not the starter.

 

[Silvertip]

There are two main electrical systems on your boat. 1) the engine system and 2) the boat system. The engine system gets its power via the large battery cables. The boat system gets its power via the smaller wires at the battery. That circuit runs all the accessories. So while you were under the cowl, did you mess with wires on the ignition switch (on purpose or otherwise)?? You mention the voltmeter not working. How about the fuel and trim gauges. If they work with the key on, then you need to look at the circuit from the "S" terminal on the ignition switch to the starter solenoid. If those gauges don't work either, then you need to look at the circuit on the "B" (battery) connection on the ignition switch. Thats the power feed to the instruments and back to the engine. There are typically a couple of connectors under the console in the engine harness. Disconnect and check them carefully. Reconnect and disconnect them several times to burnish the contacts.