Dash Wiring Fubar

[saltymike]

Lost all power in the dash the other day, things have been going out one by one and then all the sudden, bam, everything quit working. I'll post a picture of what the wiring looks like, its a cluster$#%^. I've never re-wired anything like this before but have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done. Does anyone know of a link for a universal diagram for wiring everything up on a dash? I've got fuel gauge, rpm, aerator, running lights, dash lights, bilge, yatta yatta. Any advice is welcomed!

 

[22E6441]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

Yep.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=186986

Go check out the electrics forum.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

I would first take a test meter to the main power and ground then work your way to each gauge and switch.Clean all connectors one at a time,they do corrode.
Unless you really know electrical don't start just ripping wires out thinking you can run all new ones...

 

[5150abf]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

On mine I take a small peice of masking tape and a sharpy and make a tab on the wire and write where it goes or what it is for BEFORE I take it off.

Example, "NEG- Livewell timer-Side post" then you know where it came from and what it is.

Used the same method when I rebuilt the boat, as soon as I got a wire on it got labeled, made hooking everything up a breeze.

Most dashes have what is called a daisy chain, it is a ground wire that jumps from lead to lead so you only need one ground wire instead of 5-6.

If you lost everything at once I would follow your ground from the battery, also look for fuses or breakers.

I feel your pain, I can wire but it is my least favorite thing to do on the boat.

 

[saltymike]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

Thanks for the help! Hopefully I'll get started on it this weekend. Good idea 5150 abf with the labeling.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

Boat instrument panels tend to be very generic in the wiring. Check the sticky at the very top of this forum titled "Generic wiring diagram"

 

[special_kaye]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

Just rewired mine. I'll post a few pics in a day or two, got to get online.
It's not really to tough though you might have to reach into the very deepest, darkest corners of your bilge if you have to pull new wires.

Losing one item at a time and then losing everything? Sounds like fuses going which usually means a short somewhere. There is often a fuse from the battery to the main distribution panel. Or should be.

Way back when I worked on radios and TVs, often things were fried by what we called "engineers." It could be a cockroach or ant or something that stepped in the right place to do damage. No saying you're infested but down here in FL, every bug in the state loves to visit my boat. Even ants. Of course, they all love to visit in the houses too.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Dash Wiring Fubar

Rewiring all your gauges sounds a bit overkill unless that is what you just want to do anyway. If you cant troubleshoot what I would call "a simple trouble" like this you might want to reconsider rewiring this yourself. Good luck in whatever you decide.