No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

samagy16

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
125
Thank you to those that reply to this thread.

My problem is the following. The Radio switch on the Switch panel on my boat does not come on so naturally the radio is getting no power and does not work. This is something that happened for the first time two weeks ago as I was running my engines and prepping the boat for my outing the next day. I noticed this and was bummed to see that I would not have music the next day since at that point (in the evening) I knew that I would not be able to find the cause of the problem. Well the next day to my pleasant surprise when I put the boat in the water and started switching everything on...VOILA.. the radio switch comes on and I have music for the day.

Enjoyed myself, ignored the problem and.....

fast forward to this weekend, prepping on Friday night again and the switch once again does not turn on. I went on the water yesterday and was not as lucky as two weeks ago. Horrible to spend the whole day without music. I need to solve this problem..... what could it be??

I have to suspect that the problem starts with power to the switch? Power from the switch? Do these switches fail? Could it just simply be a bad switch?

I consider myself fairly handy and hope this is a simple, stupid fix, but just something that I have never encountered before. I pray I don't have to hire and electrician for this.

Help!!!!
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

Sure sounds like a bad switch to me. But check all the connections for the circuit, including the fuse holder, to make sure all are clean and tight. Are you having problems with any other electrical devices?
 

samagy16

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
125
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

No other problems at all. Strictly and only the rocker switch to the radio. Every other switch in the panel turns on.

I figure I may swap one of the other switches to see if that works and that way I'll know if it's the switch. Sound like a good idea???
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

That's not a bad idea.
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

Why not do it the easy way. Use a short piece of wire with both ends bare. Touch one end ot the INPUT (line side) of the switch and the other to the OUTPUT (load side) of the switch. If the radio still doesn't work, you don't have 12 volts to the switch or the radio ground is bad. If the radio now works, the switch is bad.
 

samagy16

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
125
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

Why not do it the easy way. Use a short piece of wire with both ends bare. Touch one end ot the INPUT (line side) of the switch and the other to the OUTPUT (load side) of the switch. If the radio still doesn't work, you don't have 12 volts to the switch or the radio ground is bad. If the radio now works, the switch is bad.

I will certainly try this. Hope to get to it today if not tomorrow. Will let you know how it works out.

Excellent idea. Thanks for the input.
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

If it does turn out to be the switch you could just wire around it. Unless there are extenuating circumstances that switch isn't really necessary any way.
 

Audio Greg

Cadet
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
26
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

I advise against wiring "around it." If it were not necessary, why would it would be there?

This switch should supply/remove +12V to the red wire on the stereo for power on/off. Yes, you can bypass the switch and power the stereo on/off with the stereo's PWR or SRC button. However, expect current consumption to jump from a few milliamps to upwards of a full 1 amp:eek:, even when the stereo is "off"! I have posted about this before...

If you find the switch is bad, replace it. Should keep you from posting later that your radio killed your battery. :)
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

I advise against wiring "around it." If it were not necessary, why would it would be there?

This switch should supply/remove +12V to the red wire on the stereo for power on/off. Yes, you can bypass the switch and power the stereo on/off with the stereo's PWR or SRC button. However, expect current consumption to jump from a few milliamps to upwards of a full 1 amp:eek:, even when the stereo is "off"! I have posted about this before...

If you find the switch is bad, replace it. Should keep you from posting later that your radio killed your battery. :)

Really? (not being sarcastic) Granted, mine is brand new, but when I kill the power at the HU it goes off completely, no clock, back light, etc. so no draw unless there's something I'm missing (which wouldn't be a first). Of course it doesn't save any settings, but I don't care about that on the boat. That's why I mentioned wiring around the switch. The question that's not answered is whether the switch was installed at the factory, by a qualified installer, or by someone who didn't know what he was doing and put it there unnecessarily.
 

seabob4

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
1,603
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

AudioGreg,
That is an interesting statement you posted. Now, we all know that the stereo memory wire, usually yellow, must be wired to constant hot to retain the station settings and clock. It also must receive power, whether switched or constant, for the damn radio to work at all. However, is what your saying is that if the 12V+ is wired to a constant hot source, and one simply uses the HU on/off button, the current draw increases up to 1A or so? That may explain some things...

Fill me in...:)
 

stylesabu

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 2, 2009
Messages
849
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

no radio memory draws 1 amp, I have all my switches wired to 1 15 amp switch. I bought a switch panel from basspro at one of the switches started acting up first time out, its a cheap[ switch. buy quality stuff for the boat.
 

seabob4

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
1,603
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

no radio memory draws 1 amp, I have all my switches wired to 1 15 amp switch. I bought a switch panel from basspro at one of the switches started acting up first time out, its a cheap[ switch. buy quality stuff for the boat.

So styles, what do you think about the current draw increase as audiogreg stated, and it seemed emphatically? Doesn't really make sense to me...:confused:
 

samagy16

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
125
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

Update.

Three days ago I was finally able to mess with the switch and the panel. It turns out that when I unscrewed the whole switch panel the red wire going to the switch was 3/4 of the way off. I pushed it all the way nice and snug and VOILA, the switch came on.

I suppose the switch could still be the problem, although I believe switches either work or don't work, but I believe the wire not making proper contact by being 3/4 of the way off would be the reason for the malfunction and would better explain why it worked the one time I took the boat out after initially not working.

I have faith this was the problem and the specific reason why I waited three days to post this update. I have gone out there and tested the switch the last three days and it worked :D.

Regardless, for the price of a switch, less than $10 vs. the price of going out boating without the tunes :mad: I have ordered a new switch and will install it as soon as it comes in.

Btw, part of the discussion above inquired about the origin of this switch and the panel. It is the original switch and panel from the factory (2003).

Thanks for everyone that chimed in.
 

lncoop

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
5,147
Re: No power to Radio.... HELP!!!

Sorry, but that worked out too well for you. The boat gnomes will break something else now.:p
 
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