Electrical Issues: Bumming Me Out

[thegundog]

MY SET UP
- 14' V-Lowe
- Minn Kota 40PD With Copilot
- Live Well with Mayfair 450GPH Pump (on a switch with "on" light indicator)
- Stereo
- Transom & Bow Lights (on a switch with "on" light indicator)
- Dual 12 Deep Cycle Batteries
- Dual Pro Two Bank On Board Charger
- 140A Circuit Breaker wired from batteries to electrics

SITUATION
I took the boat out two weeks ago for the first time of the season, all is well EXCEPT the live well pump did not work, I flipped the switch to on and the light on the switch lit up to indicate power on. However the pump did not work.

We fish on and have a good day.

Last weekend I went to investigate why my live well pump wasn't working, under the dash I found two black wires (not connected to anything, just open) and one had black electrical tape on the end. Thinking this was my issue, I connected the two black wires.... checked the live well pump nothing and I also noticed when I flipped the switch to power on the live well that the light switch was not lit red.... I then tried the stereo, nothing...

I then started checking the fuses under the dash, none were blown... when I checked the circuit breaker it was tripped. I tried to reset it and it would not reset. I disconnected the black wires I had just joined together, the circuit breaker would not reset. I disconnected power and the circuit breaker would not reset. Since the circuit breaker is old and would not reset even without current, I ordered a replacement and installed it yesterday.

With the new circuit breaker in place, still nothing works... No trolling motor, no live well pump, no lights, no stereo, neither switch lights up red when turned to power side - nothing.

With my test light I have confirmed I have power to every single accessory: the live well pump, the lights, the stereo.

It appears I have power to the trolling motor (to the circuit board and after the circuit board), however the battery condition indicator on top of the trolling motor does not light up or register anyhting and the trolling motor does not work.

Both batteries are fully charged...

I took the dash and finish panels apart and opened everything up, what I discovered was that one of the two black wires I initially connected was a hot power source (I still haven't figured out what it goes to) and the other black wire was a ground for my stereo which was never grounded, it was just dangling under the dash.

I'm really bummed, I haven't been able to fish much over the past couple of years (not as much as I wanted to) and my two boys are home from college and I really wanted to spend some time on the water with them - I need to fix this myself (two kids in college = no money), but I hope I haven't caused significant damage to these accessories with the crossing of these wires and I know... I should have been a little more prudent and determined the purpose of the wires before joining them together (it just seemed so obvious, two black wires dangling, one with tape on the end... )

Maybe there is someone out there who recognizes a potential problem and can give some advice - I sure would APPRECIATE IT.

Thanks!