Intermittent power to the ignition/blower

[Hotwheeler44]

I have a 1986 Wellcraft 22' with a 5.7L. I have been having an issue with intermittent power to the left side of my dash panel which is the blower and ignition. It has a brand new battery. I have changed the slave solenoid and 50 amp manual breaker. It has power to it as I can jump it, but the boat won't actually start due to no power to the ignition. I ran a jumper wire straight from the battery to the power wire up on the dash before the fuses, so I know the fuses on the dash are good. The blower runs, so starts and runs that way. So what provides power to the dash and why do I get it sometimes and sometimes not? Am I safe just to run a permanent wire from the battery to the dash? I am frustrated at this point.

 

[alldodge]

Be nice to know what motor manufacture VP, Merc, other
There is a red/purple wire coming from the 50 amp breaker, thru the 10 pin engine connector, to a 20 amp inline fuse behind the helm. The fuse then feeds the key switch

 

[Hotwheeler44]

Sorry, Mercruiser

The fuses are good. Even if the fuse was bad going to the ignition, that wouldn't explain why the blower doesn't come on. They have the same power source, but seperate fuses. If I jump it from the battery directly, blower works when turn the blower switch on.

Sometimes the blower comes on without the jumper. I turn the key, the boat starts, but then shuts off as soon as I lose power to the blower and ignition. Hopefully this all makes sense.

Maybe I need to unplug and plug in the 10 pin connector. Maybe its not getting a solid connection or something. Just weird how I get power and then don't, then it pops back on again on its own.

 

[Hotwheeler44]

Be nice to know what motor manufacture VP, Merc, other
There is a red/purple wire coming from the 50 amp breaker, thru the 10 pin engine connector, to a 20 amp inline fuse behind the helm. The fuse then feeds the key switch

View attachment 347527

 

[Hotwheeler44]

Be nice to know what motor manufacture VP, Merc, other
There is a red/purple wire coming from the 50 amp breaker, thru the 10 pin engine connector, to a 20 amp inline fuse behind the helm. The fuse then feeds the key switch

View attachment 347527

Oh and 50 amp breaker only has a red wire going in and red going out. Maybe you meant the slave solenoid right next to it. I'll have to check the wire colors and where they go.

 

[alldodge]

Yours being a 86 might have different colors
The blower does not come thru the 10 pin, it comes from a separate wire feeding blower, nav lights and other things. Check the grounds on the block. Remove and make all connects bright shinny metal

With engine stopping and blower all intermittent this is where it would be

 

[Hotwheeler44]

Blower and ignition are fed from the same power wire to the dash then seperate to ignition fuse and blower fuse. So maybe it has a bad ground that causes it work then not work? All the stuff on the right dash panel work, pump, nav lights, tilt, etc.

 

[alldodge]

Blower and ignition are fed from the same power wire to the dash then seperate to ignition fuse and blower fuse. So maybe it has a bad ground that causes it work then not work? All the stuff on the right dash panel work, pump, nav lights, tilt, etc.

I'm thinking a bad ground.
With all being feed off key switch might also be the key

 

[Hotwheeler44]

I'm thinking a bad ground.
With all being feed off key switch might also be the key

Only 2 things run off that wire. Power to the blower and power to the ignition. Guess I need to check grounds. Could be making contact sometimes and not others. Do you think I could just run a wire direct from the battery to that side of the dash without hurting anything? It will start and run then.

 

[alldodge]

I wouldn't do that, its best to find out what the issue is. It may be inside the 10 pin engine connector. The ground return like the hot goes through it

 

[Hotwheeler44]

I wouldn't do that, its best to find out what the issue is. It may be inside the 10 pin engine connector. The ground return like the hot goes through it

Ok, thank you for your responses. I'm on vacation and it stinks when things don't run or run right. I have had no issues until this issue lately. Thought I had it fixed when installing the new slave solenoid. Hate letting my kids down when they want to go tubing.