2016 Mercruiser 6.2 ECT - long beep every few minutes???

[tpenfield]

Here are some pictures and other information to help address some of the questions.
Controls and gauges/displays . . .

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FireBoy/Halon . . . just the light. Not sure if they are connected or not.

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Looks like there is a purposeful feed to the DTS . . . I still have to trace it out.
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I found this for the Axius . .

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I exercised this 'clean pwr' CB . . . it looks like it has been replaced as it is different that the OEM CB's.

The joystick does work . . . probably needs some calibration, as the boat likes to go backwards sometimes when it should be rotating.

I have posted the Diacom results from the starboard engine several times, and have only posted the port engine once or twice. I'll see about getting the latest starboard engine screenshots and re-post them.

The engines are about 50% hit or miss as to the voltage warning. I got the warning a couple of times today, but several other times the engines said OK.

The inverter was factory installed (Standard equipment) as per the build sheet below.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the CB cover is just missing. https://www.amazon.com/AlveyTech-Waterproof-Push-Button-Circuit-Breakers/dp/B07V6LKF84

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[tpenfield]

the CB cover is just missing. https://www.amazon.com/AlveyTech-Waterproof-Push-Button-Circuit-Breakers/dp/B07V6LKF84

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The retaining nut is different than the one above it, which matches the rest of the boat's CBs. That is why I was thnking it was replaced. I did not see anything in the work order hisdtory that I have on the boat. So, if it was replaced, probably during the original owner's tenure. (3-4 years)

 

[Scott Danforth]

or the boot fell off (which is also the retaining nut) and they simply replaced the nut with what they had.

 

[tpenfield]

Starboard Engine latest Diacom . . . engine throttles advanced a little bit to get fast idle voltage.


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From Today (August 1) . . . one of the happy power-ups.

Also, I frequently get the standby message, both for system OK and for Warning. I do not see anywhere in the VesselView documentation what 'Standby' actually means . . . Is the system still thinking about it?

 

[tpenfield]

or the boot fell off (which is also the retaining nut) and they simply replaced the nut with what they had.

Yes, I am wondering if the elements are getting to it and causing a little bit of voltage loss?

 

[muc]

40 amp breaker is pretty big if my memory is right, will have to do some research.
Can you check your records to see if these recalls and updates have been done?
Bulletin No. 2019-04
Official Recall Notification U.S. Federal Boat Safety Act
Joystick Piloting/Electric Steering Helm Sensor Software Update

Bulletin No. 2015-07R2
Axius Joystick Piloting for Sterndrive CCM and TVM Calibration
Update

Nice looking dash! Just don't look behind it, rats nest of harnesses. But they are needed.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Yes, I am wondering if the elements are getting to it and causing a little bit of voltage loss?

Grainger has best prices on Carling Circuit breakers. They are under $3

 

[muc]

Starboard Engine latest Diacom . . . engine throttles advanced a little bit to get fast idle voltage.

View attachment 366986
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View attachment 366987
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From Today (August 1) . . . one of the happy power-ups.
View attachment 366985
Also, I frequently get the standby message, both for system OK and for Warning. I do not see anywhere in the VesselView documentation what 'Standby' actually means . . . Is the system still thinking about it?

Those voltage numbers look normal. Guessing you have an intermittent problem, you might end up fixing it without knowing what connection you messed with was the one!
Don't know what "standby" means. Have very little experience with VesselView. The one time I had problems, I just called Merc tech support and they walked me through the reprogramming. Cell phones, tablets and cameras really made the job of lake service easier!

 

[tpenfield]

I would really like to find a section of the helm power feed that matches the Diacom ‘Battery’ value (which seems to trail the system voltage by 0.6 - 1.1 volts). If I can find that voltage then I may have isolated the problem.

I agree messing with the wires has improved things, but there is no consistency at this point. I may have some more time tomorrow.

Lots of people coming next weekend, so it would be good to have it figured out.

 

[tpenfield]

Grainger has best prices on Carling Circuit breakers. They are under $3

I’m surprised it is 40 amps, that seems like a lot. The #12 wires that connect to it would be fire ready before the CB comes to the rescue

 

[muc]

I’m surprised it is 40 amps, that seems like a lot. The #12 wires that connect to it would be fire ready before the CB comes to the rescue

You need to find out what that breaker feeds. 40A is too big for 12ga wire.
I've seen some crazy things done with boat wiring. It's highly possible someone put a 40A breaker in thinking it would help with a voltage drop problem. Electrical knowledge is one area a lot of techs are lacking. Also possible Cruisers just used what ever they had laying around. This is why I'm pushing you to follow these harnesses from one end to the other to make sure they're connected to the correct places and keep your eyes open. The Mercury harnesses can't have anything "tapped" into them. I've seen techs and the factory just probe wires looking for 12 volts or a ground, so they can add something. I had one boat that someone (nobody would fess up) had installed a CO detector and used the boats bonding system to get a ground for it. Took a year and a half to destroy the drives and transom plates due to corrosion. 2 year old boat needed new transoms and drives. Boat builder had gone bankrupt, dealer who sold boat wouldn't do anything. Customer wanted to blame Volvo because it was his first Volvo powered boat. He was mad at everybody but me! That was a change from how it usually plays out. Just saying --- follow those harnesses from one end to the other!

 

[muc]

 

[tpenfield]

Much of the wiring that I need to go through is located in the Starboard electrical panel. The whole thing is going to need some serious cleaning . . . I don't know how it got so grimy in a mere 5-6 years.
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Here is the 40 amp fuse that we have been talking about . . . (Yellow Arrow)
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[Lou C]

That's very common here on Long Island where that boat came from. Constant humidity all winter long, everything is damp, attracts and holds dust and dirt, and that's how it gets that way. Any boat stored outside, even if covered will have this. It is a constant battle.
I think I'm seeing a fair amount of corrosion under some of the smaller terminals of the wiring in that first pic, almost as if they used the wrong kind of ring terminals.

 

[tpenfield]

All the terminals are coated with some sort of brown gunk (probably a proper name for it). I am not liking the fact that the wiring is in a cabinet instead of being mounted on a more accessible board. I actually had to replace a bad ground wire for the blower relay, which you can see as a lone white wire among the yellow at the ground block in the second picture.

I'd like to clean the wiring 'cabinet', but not sure what approach would be best. I'm concerned that cleaning products would aid corrosion and solvents may remove the labeling and markings from the wires/cables.

Anyway, I'll continue to search for the other end of the 'clean' power lead to the helm. But seeing it labeled as such gives hope that CY did the right thing in wiring the boat. I noticed that there is a DTS power feed and an Axius power feed (based on the labeled CB's) . . . just hoping they are coming from the same place and that it is from the starboard engine.

 

[tpenfield]

That's very common here on Long Island where that boat came from. Constant humidity all winter long, everything is damp, attracts and holds dust and dirt, and that's how it gets that way. Any boat stored outside, even if covered will have this. It is a constant battle.
I think I'm seeing a fair amount of corrosion under some of the smaller terminals of the wiring in that first pic, almost as if they used the wrong kind of ring terminals.

From what I have been able to tell, the boat was purchased in Norwalk, CT July 2016 and owned by someone in Stamford CT, then in early 2020 purchased by someone in Port Washington/Manor Haven NY (just across LI Sound), so it has been in salt water its entire life, but a relatively short life so far.

Even so, just surprising how dirty the electrical stuff is.

 

[Scott Danforth]

first try a shop vac with a soft bristle end.

if that doesnt work, some 409 and water rinse will work (assuming the cabinet drains)

the "gunk" could be dialectric grease or some other electrical sealant that is now brown

 

[tpenfield]

first try a shop vac with a soft bristle end.

if that doesnt work, some 409 and water rinse will work (assuming the cabinet drains)

the "gunk" could be dialectric grease or some other electrical sealant that is now brown

Thx - sounds like an off-season project

 

[muc]

Take what I’m about to say with a grain of salt, I’ve spent all my time working on boats in Minnesota. That’s about as far away from saltwater as you can get.

When I saw the pics you posted of the electrical compartment, my first thought was that if I was doing a trade-in or pre-purchase inspection I would mark this boat as a sinker. But @Lou C seems to think it’s normal and both of you have way more experiance with this.

What I would do is clean a few small areas in that compartment to see how fast the stains come back. My worry is that there is sea or rain water finding it’s way in there.

That brown gunk is probably some type of corrosion protection spray. Even here in MN we spray it on all the ring terminal style electrical connections.

We used Boeshield T-9 mainly because all the big boats came with a can of it. At the different schools I have attended, when I ask what the other techs use in their markets. The Mercury dealer people say they spray Mercury Corrosion Guard like the pope sprays holy water. The Volvo folks swear Volvo Penta Corrosion Shield Spray will actually eat away some of the corrosion and the protection lasts a long time. The rest are like me “whatever’s handy”’.

You should get some and every time you disassemble one of those connections for cleaning (and it looks like there might be a fair bit of that in your future) spray another coat on it. The weather sealed connectors that Mercury uses stay pretty clean, but it’s good practice to use a little dielectric grease (silicone) on them when reassembling. Don’t squirt a bunch in there, use a small brush and paint a very light coat on the terminals and seals. This will also help stop the seals from rolling out of place during reassembly.