Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

[hawk miller]

My accessories do not work ie horn /running lights /cabin lights/ blower. Have voltage to switches ?

 

[seabob4]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

My accessories do not work ie horn /running lights /cabin lights/ blower. Have voltage to switches ?

Are you asking us or telling us? Assuming you're telling us, that means you have voltage to the center terminal of the switch(s). When you turn a switch on, do you also have voltage on the bottom terminal?

 

[hawk miller]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

Yes ,voltage to center & bottom.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

Can you test for power at the horn or lights itself? If power is there must be bad ground.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

Can you test for power at the horn or lights itself? If power is there must be bad ground.

Eric,
To test for power at any 12V device, one must have a good ground. To check for a bad ground, do a continuity check between the the ground at the device and a known "good" ground...

 

[Boatist]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

Also if your battery has been sitting all winter without being charged then it may be badly sulfated.
In this case it can have 12 volts but when you apply a load the voltage will drop way down to the point a light will not light.

Check the Battery connections both positive and the ground as well.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

Eric,
To test for power at any 12V device, one must have a good ground. To check for a bad ground, do a continuity check between the the ground at the device and a known "good" ground...

Good point... if there are no known good grounds, one might run a long wire to the negative battery terminal and use IT as the good ground to check these accessories.

My guess is if everything worked last season it's probably corrosion at the connections.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Accessories Do not work/ Have Voltage to switches

Also if your battery has been sitting all winter without being charged then it may be badly sulfated.
In this case it can have 12 volts but when you apply a load the voltage will drop way down to the point a light will not light.

Check the Battery connections both positive and the ground as well.

Excellent point here as well. It's amazing how just a little snugging up of the connections can make a difference.

Hawk,
Since you have voltage at thew switches, you'll need to check voltage at the devices. As Eric mentioned, corrosion can cause a voltage drop between the switches and the devices such that they're not seeing the voltage they need to operate.