It's not advisable to bypass the on off switch .Get a new one not expensive they pull out and you push new one in the wires you just change over,good luck keeping him alive!!
it sounds that you have only connected the white wires to the on off switch but you have to connect the others otherwise you have no power .GOOD LUCK!!
SHE LIVES ! after Hetty went into a deep coma I read Dr Treytrey's diagnosis I performed an operation on the hi/lo switch . When I fed Hetty some electricity after the op she woke up and was ready to go .Thank you Doctor