panel / navigation light power problem

pokmis

Recruit
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Messages
2
I'm hoping you can help point me in the right direction with an electrical problem I'm having with my pontoon boat.

Symptoms:
- If I turn the power to the radio on the display will turn on briefly then go out
- If I turn the power to the depth gauge on it works but the display pulses dimly
- If I turn on the navigation power to the forward position the power to the rest of the panel goes out completely and the navigation lights do not illuminate

I put a power meter on the 12-volt cigarette lighter outlet on the panel and can measure 12v when all the switches are on. If I try to turn the navigation lights on the power drops down to 0v.

Do you have any ideas on the likely cause and how I can go about troubleshooting it?
 

MinUph

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
466
Re: panel / navigation light power problem

What he said ^^
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Re: panel / navigation light power problem

Could be a bad ground or a bad positive line. Either one will cause this issue.

Get a long test lead and connect it to the battery negative terminal. With something turned on, measure the voltage at the cigarette lighter. If you still measure 12V at the cigarette lighter, you have a bad ground. If its low, you have a bad positive feed.
 
Last edited:

BigDfromTN

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 16, 2013
Messages
268
Re: panel / navigation light power problem

Could be a bad ground or a bad positive line. Either one will cause this issue.

Get a long test lead and connect it to the battery negative terminal. With something turned on, measure the voltage at the cigarette lighter. If you still measure 12V at the cigarette lighter, you have a bad ground. If its low, you have a bad positive feed.


^^^ What he said. And What they all said.

Most likely a bad ground, but what bruce said will prove it out.
 

crb478

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
1,036
Re: panel / navigation light power problem

I vote for cleaning up all grounds first. 90% of the time this will fix it.
 

pokmis

Recruit
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Messages
2
Re: panel / navigation light power problem

Could be a bad ground or a bad positive line. Either one will cause this issue.

Get a long test lead and connect it to the battery negative terminal. With something turned on, measure the voltage at the cigarette lighter. If you still measure 12V at the cigarette lighter, you have a bad ground. If its low, you have a bad positive feed.

Thanks!!

I'll try that out and report back
 
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