Where does the power to my helm come from?

[KCMang]

Have a Wellcraft Martinique 3300 that was beat up by Sandy. Had water in the engine compartment but not too much. Boat was on jack stands with drain plug out and was swept away in the marina yard.
Replaced both Starters and Alternators to be cautious. Engines run OK. Am not getting power to the helm. Checked all circuit breakers but don't know where the power to the helm is being picked off from. Some switches at helm work. Like the trim tab motor, and the battery parallel switch. Everything DC works OK down below in the cabin.

 

[Don S]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

Engine ignition and gauges comes from the engine. Need info for your particular motors, like manufacturer and serial numbers will be necessary as they are not all the same.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

do you have a volt meter to check to see if you have power. if the dash got real wet the problem might not be the power to the helm but the ground wire from the helm. there a good sticky at the top of the elec forum on how to use a volt meter and there cheap from wallyworld.

 

[KCMang]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

The engine gauges are working fine. Most of the helm switches are not. Can't turn on anything with my 3 Aux switches. My power captains chair does not function, no engine hatch lift motor, no bilge blower, no forward and aft bilge pumps controlled from helm, etc. Have a voltmeter but can't locate where power to helm is picked off of. Only positive wiring coming from batteries goes directly to starters. Where else to look?

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

most of the items would run from the fuse panel. the battery parallel switch doesnt have a small wire that comes off the common post that then goes to a breaker (normally with in a 6' of the switch).

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

Check back at the batteries. You may find one or possibly both of them have a pair of smaller gauge wires on them with a breaker or fuse in the positive lead close to the battery. The breaker may be a manual reset type. If there is such a circuit, that is normally the "house" circuit which powers the helm. There may be dual feeds so everything at the helm may be split between the two batteries. Just a hunch on my part.

 

[KCMang]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

Silvertip,
That's what I was thinking but can't find anything near the batteries. I do have a strange looking connection at both of my starters. Will have to look closer at those. The main battery wire comes to the starter and then there are 2 other wires connected on the same post. They're mounted to a small block and then to the stud. One is red (duh!) and one is orange. That small block may be a fuse or breaker I'm thinking. Will check and get back to you. Thanks for poking me into reality.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

Check the wire color at the 12 volt input to the fuse/breaker panel at the helm. Then look in the engine/battery battery bay for the same color wire.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

silvertips not hi-jacking more intrested in learning. On a dual motor is helm power off one battery or something special like a isolator?

 

[KCMang]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

This was not easy. Took more than half a day. Found main feed behind GPS and Fish Finder. It had an in-line connection that was failing. Cut out in-line connector and replaced with a crimp connector covered with shrink wrap. Everything works. I would like to thank all who contributed for keeping me focused better than I was.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Where does the power to my helm come from?

Glad you found the issue. For those with similar issues it is in your best interest to buy a multitester and learn how to use ut. Problems like this are easy to find when a logical approach is used