Electrical systems are out...could use some help.

[pbolden]

Below is the email that I sent my boat mechanic about electrical problems with my 2004 SD217o/b. The guys are on vacation so I could use some help.

After the guys jumped the batteries to start the boat I noticed
that I didn't have any helm instrumentation once outside your
breakwall including the marine radio but I was able to make it to my
marina without any engine problems.

Once docked I wasn't able to restart the boat. After checking
the breakers and thinking that the under-charged
batteries might be the problem, I filled both batteries with
distilled water and charged them. I was still unable to get full
instrumentation at the helm nor any power to lower the motor.

Checking the voltage at the battery, one maintained only an 80%
charge while the other only a 60% charge. I decided to replace
the batteries with two new AGM batteries. Here's what I can tell
you:


Cleaned the cables, battery leads and installed them:

After turning the key to the acc. position there was no voltage
registering on the helm gauge.

The gas gauge would instantly pin to the right past full.

Systems that worked included the horn, nav lights, courtesy lights
and the music radio would also power up.

The depth gauge worked intermittently.

The marine radio did not work.

The bilge pump would not run.

The motor would not lower into the water or even try.

The accessory plug registered no voltage with a multi meter.

I check the breakers again which seem to be fine. Cleaned
corrosion from the fuel sender ground wire and reattached it with
no effect (may attach ground wire to a different location and
check again).

Attempts were made with battery1 then battery2 then with batteries 1&2 together. exact same result all three times.

If anyone was any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[gm280]

When you talk about checking breakers, exactly how did you check them? Do you have any voltage on one side of the breakers or is there nothing on them?

Usually the first thing you need to do is go to one of the batteries and test it with a meter. If it test good, move to the next item on that line. If that is the helm, check to see if you have volts there. If you do then you know the wires from that battery to the helm are good. If you don't, you have a connection issue or broken wire somewhere along the wire.

Any time you are trouble shooting such things, you merely follow along the wires from one place to the next and test. Once you find the drop or lack of voltage, you locate the reason in the wires and/or connections. But you never ever jump around trying to find the problem(s). That only confuses the situation and you have a lot harder time finding the real problem(s). You have to go in a systematic fashion testing along the way. And never ever forget the ground wires either. A lot of the problems end up being ground wires and connections. And as you move along the wires and connections, remove the connections and clean them to bright shiny metal and reconnect them again. That way you make connections the best then can possibly be. JMHO

 

[pbolden]

Thanks GM280,

Being methodical as you suggest is good advice. Admittedly, I been jumping around hoping for the lucky hit. I checked the batteries at the posts and leads which were fine.. I checked the breakers for reset not the voltage as I think that it is unlikely that half the breakers would good bad while the others would be fine. I am going to start the tracing procedure as you suggest but with half the systems powering up doesn't that suggest the problem is probably at or near the helm? Secondly, doesn't the fuel gauge needle pinning to the right suggest a ground issue?

Thanks,
Paul