power to tilt/trim but nowhere else - help

[nicktulloh]

1994 Key West with 2003 Merc 60hp Bigfoot.

Tilt/trim works fine, no power to lights, fuel gauge, ignition switch.

New boat for me, previous owner says never happened to him.

Any ideas?

 

[phwrd]

Re: power to tilt/trim but nowhere else - help

Most common problem would be ground wire problems. How are the batteries wired, direct or switch ? Original wiring, home made or both ?

Start by checking for Fuse's and get a multimeter to test the volts at each junction. They tell me that you should to start at the battery and work up to the problem (ignition switch).

Rewiring my whole boat and learning as i go.

pat

 

[nicktulloh]

Re: power to tilt/trim but nowhere else - help

Most common problem would be ground wire problems. How are the batteries wired, direct or switch ? Original wiring, home made or both ?

Start by checking for Fuse's and get a multimeter to test the volts at each junction. They tell me that you should to start at the battery and work up to the problem (ignition switch).

Rewiring my whole boat and learning as i go.

pat

If by direct you mean no master sw, then it's direct.

It's the original wiring but there've obviously been a few additions and subtractions along the way, unfortunately with radio shack connectors.

 

[phwrd]

Re: power to tilt/trim but nowhere else - help

A battery selector switch is used on a muliple battery setup. Start with the tilt/trim wires and trace to power to see what is working.

I found alot of half as$ wiring on my just bought used boat. Wire nuts on the bilge pump probably sent my over the edge.

I pulled everything but the engine to ignition harness and the trim wires running to the combo shift / tilt controller.

Sounds like you may be in for just as many surprises. Let me know if you want specifics on what I have done wrong (eveything), might save you some time and money if you go that route.

good luck

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: power to tilt/trim but nowhere else - help

I don't know about your Merc, but with my old Evinrude all of the power for the dash and accessories came from the harness that goes to the engine therefore if the circuit breaker at the engine tripped, there was no power up front. The bilge pump and trim were the only things direct wired and had power when the breaker was tripped.

I would check for a breaker and make sure that you've got power to the main cables going to the engine.

 

[nicktulloh]

Re: power to tilt/trim but nowhere else - help

Turned out to be a bad ground (return).

.. and yes, it's a rats' nest in there.