Help please. lost instrument power after adjusting trim tabs

[Crudeanalysis]

Hello all. Looking for some advice on my electrical problem. I just purchased a 19' 1989 Olympic. Initially, I was unable to get the wipers, bilge pump, fish finder, VHF, and lights to work. New batteries had just been installed. I checked the battery connections and found they were a bit loose. After tightening, everything worked. Today was my second trip on the water and while adjusting my trim tabs, I lost power to all the previously stated items. Needless to say, with no bilge pump and no VHF, my trip was cut short. I checked the battery terminals again after getting back to the harbor. Didnt fix the problem this time. Did I blow a fuse somewhere? If I did blow a fuse, is a circuit overloaded? I only had the fish finder and VHF on at the time of power loss. Other ideas? Thanks for your help.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Help please. lost instrument power after adjusting trim tabs

There are two electrical systems on a boat. Your instruments are powered from the "A" (accessory" terminal on the ignition switch if the engine is an outboard, or the "I" (ignition) terminal on the ignition switch if this is an inboard or I/O. If ALL iinstruments went down, then power to the first gauge in the string was lost. All of the other instruments are daisy chained from one to the next. Accessories other than the instruments are powered by the "boat" harness which is a separte 12 volt circuit that feeds the fuse panel at the helm. Those accessories are dead because the fuse or circuit breaker back at the battery popped. reset the breaker, replace the fuse, or double check the connections. The boat circuit is the two #8 or #10 gauge wires.

 

[Crudeanalysis]

Re: Help please. lost instrument power after adjusting trim tabs

Thanks Silvertip. I will head up to the harbor tomorrow and check the breaker and fuse. If it is indeed one of those, what is it about using the trim tabs that would make them pop?