I got my boat back from its bi-annual outboard motor servicing. Everything was fine on the trip home, but at the dock I noticed that water wasn't coming out the little hole on one of the motors. The mechanic cleaned out the hole, and I started off back toward the shop to have another task attended to. About 10 minutes into my trip, all of the cabin electronics went out, including the radio and GPS; so I returned to the dock. Got some telephone advice on how the battery switches could be turned but nothing worked. I was encouraged to resume my journey, and about 15 minutes into it, the electronics all came back on. They have been working fine in about 10 hours of subsequent boating. Any idea what happened and when it may happen again, at the most inconvenient time, of course?
Electronics
- Thread starter dread
- Start date
Most likely, you have a loose wire or fuse someplace. Something that is making an intermittent connection (e.g. the kind of thing that is the hardest problem to trace down). Since you state that all your cabin electronics went out (and not just one), the loose wire/fuse is most likely between the battery and the main fuse panel (assuming that each electronic component is fed from a different fuse at the fuse panel). My suggestion is that you actively try to recreate the problem on shore or at the dock. E.g. turn on the previously affected electronics and starting from the battery wiggle all the wires and connections between the battery and the electronics to see if you can make the electronics go off or flicker. You may need a second person to watch for flickers.
It's also possible that you had a brief low voltage situation that shot off the electronics. Did you turn on anything else just prior to the electronics going off or did a bilge pump kick on? If you have a bad connection at the battery, other large current draws can create enough of a voltage drop to turn the electronics off.
It's also possible that you had a brief low voltage situation that shot off the electronics. Did you turn on anything else just prior to the electronics going off or did a bilge pump kick on? If you have a bad connection at the battery, other large current draws can create enough of a voltage drop to turn the electronics off.
starcrafttom
Active member
Just a guess but I would say that you have a lose connection some where. And given that all the electronics are going out at the same time I would say that its a link to the fuse panel that all the electronic are hooked too. If you look under the dash you should find a fuse panel that all the electronics are drawing power from. There will be a wire coming from the batteries to this panel to supply power. There will also be a wire going from the panel to a ground or back to the batteries. You most likely have a short at one end or the other. My bet is that you have a lose connection at the battery end being it was just at the shop. Many shops will clean the battery connections as yearly maintenance. Some Mechanics will disconnect the batteries as a safety while working on the engine. Many times the service writer ( guy on the phone/ desk) will not be aware of it. Have a talk with the guy that worked on your boat and not the desk jock to see if they remember tightening down cables.
First, if you don't have some kind of a digital volt meter, buy one. You should be reading 12.6-12.7 volts at rest from the batteries. You can use the volt meter to trace out circuits and trouble shoot. Does not need to be an expensive unit. Next learn how to use it. There are internet and books on it.
Start with the batteries. The cables should be clean, and some anticorrosion grease or protector on the terminals. Most do not like the wing nuts--if you are going to use them, then tighten with pliers or a wrench (be careful not to arc across the terminals!). I prefer hex nuts--not nylox. Tighten all of the nuts, at the battery, and where they go to the switch--also make sure all terminals are clean and bright. Next go thru the entire system looking for loose wires, or a connector. Any butt connector in the wiring, should have an adhesive shrink tubing over it. Some may be loose, and I have even seen new boats where they were not installed properly. Then go thru the fuse panel, and other connections.
Start with the batteries. The cables should be clean, and some anticorrosion grease or protector on the terminals. Most do not like the wing nuts--if you are going to use them, then tighten with pliers or a wrench (be careful not to arc across the terminals!). I prefer hex nuts--not nylox. Tighten all of the nuts, at the battery, and where they go to the switch--also make sure all terminals are clean and bright. Next go thru the entire system looking for loose wires, or a connector. Any butt connector in the wiring, should have an adhesive shrink tubing over it. Some may be loose, and I have even seen new boats where they were not installed properly. Then go thru the fuse panel, and other connections.
jack keifer
New member
You might start with a check of the battery ground connection. Last summer there was no power to the starter on our 16 cruiser after the fuel tank started to run dry. I changed tanks and hit he key, nothing happened, except the wind and current were taking us where we didn't want to go. I keep a VOM on board and when I pulled the battery cover to begin checks, I found a loose ground connection. Never happened before in 35 years of boating, but I was telling my brother the story, and he says it is not that uncommon on boats and rec vehicles and for some reason, it is more likely than autos and trucks. And it is usually the ground that gets loose. Hope that helps, and by the way VOMs are very inexpensive and quite handy when you are not near the ramp or marina.
Jack
Jack
colbysmith
Active member
Early last summer, my boat was doing the same sort of thing. That is electronics would go off. Then they'd come back on. This went on for about a month, usually shortly after starting up. I ended up replacing the thermal circuit breaker switch back by the battery, and haven't had the problem since. Colby