low fuel/oil alarm comes on when radio is on

[jeffljones]

HI, I've got an 1998 20ft Four Winn Horizon. It's electricals are factory stock, as far as I can tell.<br />Sometimes (not always) When I'm running the motor and turn on running lights or turn up the radio, the console goes dead (all gauges turn off, but console illumination remains on) and the low fuel/low oil alarm begins to beep 9very loudly). I think this is due to the gauges reading low/no fuel and/or oil(???). <br />I've measured the voltage at the power distribution/fuse block under the console and it appears that voltage drops to approx 11.5V or lower with the engine running and the radio on at a fairly ow level. The fuse block connections all look clean. I replaced the radio with a factory-similar unit, so it's unlikely to be drawing too much current. <br />There's either excessive resistance in the wiring/connector/console/radio system, or excessive current draw between the Alternator/battery/fuse on the engine and the fuse block under the console. <br />Where should I look next, the wiring or the gauges, or???

 

[swist]

Re: low fuel/oil alarm comes on when radio is on

Why would this be an excessive current draw problem? That would (or should) blow fuses. When lots of things go out together in an electrical system I'd look for a loose/corroded/faulty ground somewhere. When you add load by turning things on you are aggravating it.<br /><br />To verify this hypothesis, pick one gauge and run a temporary wire straight to battery negative from its negative terminal. See if that gauge does NOT go out when this problem occurs. Then keep moving the wire closer to the gauge along the negative side of the electrical system. When the problem recurs you have at least isolated it to a part of the elect system.