No battery power to forward fuse block, 25' Cruiser. HELP!

Doug & Fran

We last used Squirt II in September, and brought her back from being in Charter Service out of Vancouver Island two weeks ago (she was not used this year).
The batteries are fully charged; all the fuses are good (fuses at the fuse panel on the forward bulkhead and fuses adjacent to the starter battery).
The rotating battery selection switch works; the adjacent circuit breaker also; I've got power to the bus bar adjacent to the starter battery (apologies for all the redundant 'adjacents').
There's power to the motors (i.e. changing angle for trailering) but nothing else.
When I plug in shore power, the forward fuse box has power and everything that it controls now works, plus the 120 volt plug-ins are good.
However, starter battery is not being charged (it reads 12.7 volts isolated, or connected). I've pulled the house batteries to get them load tested, but this should not make a difference as nothing worked when they were installed.
What have I missed?
Suggestions definitely requested & welcomed!
Thanks,

srbaum · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:32 pm Post subject:

Doug and Fran,
Did you check the circuit breaker switch, located near the battery switch?

thataway · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:10 pm Post subject:

It appears that when you turn on the battery charger it is definitely connected to the house system (should be charging the house batteries--what is their voltage with the battery charger on--and off?).

For some reason it is not connected to the start battery. You have 12.7 volts--a good and well charged battery, which works with trim and tilt as the starting battery.

Often the house is the only power to the console--and it goes thru the circuit breaker as Steve suggests. However since you are getting power with the battery charger, it should be OK.

Often we don't look at grounds. if for some reason the ground was badly corroded, or even disconnected that could be an issue--both with power and with charging.

I believe the best plan is to get the volt meter out and start tracing. Start with the ground on the house battery. I always carry several small wire jumper cables and a 20' length of wire to use for testing like this--so I can use a good and well known ground as a starting place. Then start working p the chain--checking every connection. My guess is it is going to be either the house batteries are bad--or there is a bad connection/switch there. However, I have seen splices in the primary wire from the circuit breaker to the console bus bars....(A reasons I usually completely rewire this circuit in each boat I own, and use at least a # 10 wire--many times a #6 wire.(both positive and negative.)

Let us know what you find.

Doug & Fran · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:13 pm Post subject:

Yup. Disconnected one lead from the circuit breaker and checked continuity across it. There appears to be some leakage when it's popped, but zero resistance normally. Do you know what the circuit breaker controls?
I should have mentioned that ours is a 2007 model (I think!)

Doug & Fran · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 10:16 pm Post subject:

Can someone advise as to where the battery charger is located?
I'll drop a battery in on the house battery side tomorrow and see if it makes a difference.

hardee · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:11 pm Post subject:

Your boat is a bit newer than mine, and I know that sometimes things are different from one year to the next. Mine is mounted under the spashwell, hanging from the floor of the splashwell. (Easiset to read the labeling if you lay on teh cockpit sole and slide headfirst in under the splashwell, between the fuel tanks.) Some are mounted in one of the lazarettes, and they vary in size depending on the mfg and the charging output.

I wouldn't think a charger would be too hard to find. It has to be at least 6-8 inches or so in one or 2 dimensions, and 2-4 inches think. There would be at least 2 wires coming from it, and a 120VAC house wire with a plug going in, I would think.

Good luck, and hope someone with an 07 chimes in here soon.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Doug & Fran · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:58 pm Post subject:

Well, I just failed the IQ test - again!

I popped a battery in place of the pulled house batteries, turned on the rotary battery switch, and flipped on the cabin lights. and the bilge pump. and the cockpit lights. and they all worked! Dang!
My best guess is that when I originally checked to see what was working, I managed to try the various switches that the (five) fuses had burned out on. Then I ran a charger onto the starting battery and flipped the rotary to connect them all; decided that the house batteries were probably fully charged and pulled them so I could get them load tested. Then went back to trying to figure out the electrical system.
It's getting a bit dark now, so I'll hook up the 'temporary' house battery again tomorrow and connect to 120 volt and check to ensure that we are getting charge. Plus crawl around with a flashlight and find the charger.
Plus get the house batteries load tested and ideally reinstalled, and then go through the whole exercise again of looking for surprises.
Thanks all!

hardee · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:20 am Post subject:

If you are plugging into 120 to charge the batteries, (and that is on the boat) then follow that 120VAC wire and it should take you to the charger.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Doug & Fran · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:35 am Post subject:

Dang! Sure wish I could see through fibreglas!

I'll be poking around as much as I can, with a good flashlight.
Thanks all!

tsturm · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 10:22 am Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2021 12:02 pm Post subject:

Both of the C Dory 25 I have owned had the battery charger under the aft dinette seat-and it will be close to the 110 V panel there. Not plugged in but hard wired.

Some have put chargers under the galley counter--bulkhead between galley and head.

It is possible that there are two circuit breakers aft--one for the Windlass, and one for the console.

Doug & Fran · Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:12 pm Post subject:

the charger is where advised. Looks like my problems were a function of when I was checking things combined with what I had hooked up for batteries. Looks like the house batteries had to be installed for the charger to provide juice to the starter battery, etc. etc. etc.
So, things are functioning and I'm off to worry about other stuff!
Thanks, all

Doug