Electrical problem

L

Luna C

New member
I have no power in the cabin. Batteries are new, all connections are tight and corrosion free on the posts as well as on the back of the helm panel. Motor starts and runs fine as does the wallace. All things from the panel have no juice. Fuses appear to be fine. This was not an instantaneous problem. Over the past few months switches at the helm started to work intermittently.

Thoughts? Thanks!
 
The switches all tie into the positive and negative buses on the back side of the helm, I would check the respective connections to each bus. Something obviously came loose or a teminal end possibly failed.
Until you figure it out unless you're totally comfortable troubleshooting electrical problems I'd suggest disconnecting the batteries.
 
Is there a fusible link in the positive cable that supplies the dash panel? Could it have been corroded or otherwise gradually turned into an open circuit over time? It's usually back not to far from the battery or the positive buss if there is one back there.

Get a volt/ohm meter and start at the battery and gradually go forward on that cable and the ground cable and check out the voltage available between the two. Find the drop off and the problem source/open circuit. Use the ohm meter to test the resistance at the problem area to confirm your finding.

Could be a ground fault just as easily as a positive supply fault. Be sure you're testing both sides of the supply/return circuit.

Is there a positive and/or ground buss at or near the helm? Test everything, both for voltage and resistance.

IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE SOME INVESTIGATIVE THINKING(!) :lol:

Good Luck!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Start at the battery and find the main 50 amp breaker with test button ,fuse, or crappy [likely corroded] little gray inline breaker .on the positive side .That supplies everything to the cabin.
Your problem will likely be there .
Marc
 
As Marc notes, there is a 40 to 60 amp circuit breaker between the battery switch and the console panel. this is usually within 7" of the main power switch, and may have a #6 to #12 wire going to the main helm. (I feel it should be at least a #10). All of this goes to show that all C Dories even of the same year are not alike.

Check this circuit breaker both for continuity, and for corrosion of the leads.
 
I think somebody mentioned it, but do check your grounds too. I have chased the positive side of things so many time to later find a ground that has failed.
 
Glad you found the problem. Be sure and coat the new fitting you swaged on, with a protective grease.

I am sure that you checked all of the other cables including the grounds for corrosion.
 
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