Eletrical system cuts out mid run

[Jimminy Boat]

Hello, I have a 96 Glastron GS 185 Mercruiser 4.3LX. Everything works fine until I run for about 10 minutes then out of nowhere all the gauges go blank and themotor then cuts out it is almost as if somebody unhooked the battery. It dies, or sometimes when I just put it into neutral the electrical system will come back on and it will keep runnng. If it dies I can start it right back up right away but then I can only go for a little bit and it will do the same thin have this feeling it may be heat-related, but my temp never gets over 150. New battery, alternator, cap, rotar, pos. battery cable... ideas? Thank you!

 

[NYBo]

Welcome to iboats!:welcome:

Check the condition of the main fuse at the motor end of the positive battery cable, as well as the connections for the fuse.

 

[Jimminy Boat]

Thank you for the welcome and thank you for your response! The positive battery cable goes right to the starter solenoid. Or am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Clean all the terminals and cables. They need to be clean enough you would eat off them. Same goes for the connections at the circuit breaker

 

[Jimminy Boat]

Will do... Is the circuit breaker by chance a part of the fuse block underneath the dash? I'm trying to figure out what lays between the positive post on the battery and the fuse block...I have my pos. cable that goes to the starter, and a smaller cable that looks like it runs to the alternator... the fuse block looks like it is fed w/ about a 6 gauge red hot wire that has to come from the back somewhere... I have an "run-off" switch by the shifter as well...I was pondering if that was bad or shorting, if it would completely kill the electrical system intermittently like I am experiencing... I appreciate your responses!

 

[NYBo]

The fuse block under the console is totally separate from the motor's electrical system except that they share the same battery.

A flaky "kill switch" might be the problem!

 

[Jimminy Boat]

Okay here is what I have found so far. I located the circuit breaker, I'm not overly familiar with boats so I guess I didn't even know where it would have been. The circuit breaker is 50 amps and it says push to test. Let me tell you, I cannot get that button to move in out or otherwise it seems like it is fused right in place. I am assuming I should be able to push the thing in to test the breaker, correct? This may not be the entire problem I understand, but I will certainly be ordering a breaker that the button pushes in when you push it!

 

[Jimminy Boat]

No Title

Here is a picture of the breaker. The red button does not push. Also you will see a black wire with an eyelet, it was just laying on the manifold intake that way. I cannot find anywhere where it would look like it should be attached. It is in the same wiring bundle with the wires that go to the breaker. Any ideas? Thank you for all your responses!

 

[Jimminy Boat]

Here is a picture of the breaker out of its mouth, the button does not push at all. On another
note as you can see the little black wire with the eyelet iPhone was just laying there and not connected to anything, it comes from the same harness that the wires to the breaker come from. Any ideas what this might be? I can't seem to find anywhere where it would have previously been attached, and again, thank you for all your input!

 

[Jimminy Boat]

Hello. Sorry for the delay but just wanted to thank NYBo and Scott Danforth for responding. It certainly was the circuit breaker and once replaced, again a beautiful wake she makes! Saved our boating season! Thanks too to iBoats!