no power, please help!!

flyindoc2

Recruit
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
1
I had an issues with my hydohoist and alot of water got in my bildge, batteries are completely dead and no power to anything in boat with a charger applied to them. I opened the engine hatch(which is electrical) by jumping the switch! When I put the chrager on the battery, the charger jumps very high and after a minute seems to shut off or go really low. throughout the entire time I have no power to anything, but I do hear a low pitch noise coming from bildge. Probably the bildge pump foat stuck on. when I connect a brand new battery I get a spark and same situation. The motor is a mercruiser 502, 1996. boat is a baha 272. I pulled the dipstick and checked everything and it appears water only reached the starter/low motor. I flushed really good after trouble shooting electric, not sure where to go from here. anyhelp is greatly appreciated. Tom
 

littlebookworm

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
574
Re: no power, please help!!

Did your batteries go under water? If so, they're probably shot. Your starter may have an internal short because of water inside which is shorting out your electrical system. A starter that went under water needs to be rebuilt, at least, or replaced. Then clean all the connections and check the main circuit breaker on the engine. Spray everything with WD-40 to get rid of the rest of the moisture. Assuming salt water got in your bilge, with your boat up on the hydrohoist and out of the water, pull the drain plug and flush out the bilge with fresh water.If it were my boat, I would do that before I pulled the starter; don't want to get the new one wet. Good luck. Hy
 

drewpster

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,059
Re: no power, please help!!

Water got into something that has caused an electrical short to ground Tom. If the bilge stayed under water for anything longer than a few minutes your batteries are probably toast. I would check or replace any electrical component that may have water intrusion and replace the batteries.
If the starter got sunk this alone is enough to cause the short. It could still have lots of water in it. Don't get too freaked just be thorough and check anything that could have water in it. Also look close at any wire harnesses that may have been under water. If there is any wire loom, (plastic corrugated cover split down the middle) that is holding water, remove it dry it out and then put it back on.
Another possibility is the bilge pump. If it tried to empty the bilge and ran wide open under a heavy load it could have roasted itself and shorted to ground.
Another way to look for the short takes two people. First narrow down where you think the short could possibly be. Then connect the battery for a short period of time (a few seconds). Have your helper feel around for anything electrical in your suspect area that is getting warm. If you feel any heat, there is your short. This could cause further damage so be fairly certain where the short could be. Don?t do this as a general search.
Also check any main breakers or fuses (including fuse links) that may have burned. It is possible that the main breaker or fuse that feeds your distribution (fuse panel) has burned. Be thorough.
I would start at the bilge pump. If it is frozen and shorted it can cause major problems given it is most likely connected directly to a battery in some way.
Either a fuse has burned causing your electrics to play dead or you have a short drawing so much power it wont allow anything else to work. Look for water, look for heat, look for burned fuses.
Keep us posted,
Drewp
 

Fanatic

Recruit
Joined
Jun 27, 2008
Messages
2
Re: no power, please help!!

I had an issues with my hydohoist and alot of water got in my bildge, batteries are completely dead and no power to anything in boat with a charger applied to them. I opened the engine hatch(which is electrical) by jumping the switch! When I put the chrager on the battery, the charger jumps very high and after a minute seems to shut off or go really low. throughout the entire time I have no power to anything, but I do hear a low pitch noise coming from bildge. Probably the bildge pump foat stuck on. when I connect a brand new battery I get a spark and same situation. The motor is a mercruiser 502, 1996. boat is a baha 272. I pulled the dipstick and checked everything and it appears water only reached the starter/low motor. I flushed really good after trouble shooting electric, not sure where to go from here. anyhelp is greatly appreciated. Tom

I agree with the others. I had a close call with an air displacement lift and traded it in for a Sunstream FloatLift which can't sink since it has foam-filled floats, and locks in the up position. My dealer said it is not uncommon for air to leak out. It cost me some $$ but I can sleep better at night, and I love that it works in about 30 seconds with a remote.
 

littlebookworm

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
574
Re: no power, please help!!

Tom: you've gotten some good advice from me and from others are where to look, and how, for your short. Have you had any luck yet in solving the problem? Please let us know what you found or if you need more help that we might be able to give you. Hy.
 
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