need help with electrical problems

[ILgooseman]

hey guys, i recently bought a 1993 Sea Ark McBass. I have had the boat out about 8 times and no problems. Last time I went to take it out fishing, i got backed down the ramp started boat, flipped the main switch to turn on gauges and control the aerator and bilge pump, and BAM i got NOTHING. the gauges don't come on now, the aerator doesn't work, bilge pump fails to work, and neither do my navigation lights. i checked the fuse on the main switch, on the aerator switch, bilge pump switch, and the navigation light fuse. i am NOT a mechanic at all, do you guys have ANY suggestions for me, they would be GREATLY appreciated right now.


thanks, ILgooseman

 

[dwco5051]

Re: need help with electrical problems

Did you check your battery connections to be certain they are clean and tight (both positive and negative)? You should have at least two wires connected to each terminal. The larger one is for your motor, it powers the starter and motor electrical and since your motor started right up it must be working. The smaller wires are for your boat electricals. Next step is to check for continuity across your master switch. It may be just a bad switch. If it is neither of these problems find a friend who is somewhat versed in electrical circuts to give you a crash course in searching for a broken wire or bad connections

 

[NYBo]

Re: need help with electrical problems

Welcome to iboats!

Check for a fuse near the battery on the positive lead to the fuse block. This would be the smaller of the two wires attached to the positive battery terminal.
There are clearly some wiring problems. The gauges are supposed to be powered by the motor's electrical system via the ignition switch.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: need help with electrical problems

If the gauges in the past had come alive with the master switch rather than the ignition switch, then somebody has mucked with the wiring. That means there is no chance in heck we can help you unless you get down and under and see how things are wired. If there are only the two large battery cables running from the battery to the engine, all of the loads are being run through the ignition switch which is also wrong. Only the gauges and trim system should run through the ignition. If there are two smaller wires on the battery, those go the fuse panel and feed all accessories EXCEPT the gauges.

 

[ILgooseman]

Re: need help with electrical problems

thanks for the tips guys. I plan on selling the boat and buying a duck hunting boat, so I would like to get all the accessories working. plus it is dangerous not to have navigation lights or bilge pump.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: need help with electrical problems

If the gauges in the past had come alive with the master switch rather than the ignition switch, then somebody has mucked with the wiring. ... If there are only the two large battery cables running from the battery to the engine, all of the loads are being run through the ignition switch which is also wrong. ......

Not necessarily true. Take a look at the wiring diagrams found in the thread "Free Wiring Diagrams...." at the top of this forum. I'm looking at the latest V6 diagrams they have online and battery power goes to the hot side of the solenoid, then through the glass fuse located under the cowling, then to the big red connector and all points forward. That hot wire coming forward is red/purple, and could very well go through a master switch.

SO... gooseman, have you checked the fuse in your engine yet? It's probably a glass fuse located inside a brown or red fuse holder. Also, if it is in fact a blown fuse causing your problem, you need to think about why that fuse blew. They don't normally go out for no reason.

 

[ILgooseman]

Re: need help with electrical problems

Not necessarily true. Take a look at the wiring diagrams found in the thread "Free Wiring Diagrams...." at the top of this forum. I'm looking at the latest V6 diagrams they have online and battery power goes to the hot side of the solenoid, then through the glass fuse located under the cowling, then to the big red connector and all points forward. That hot wire coming forward is red/purple, and could very well go through a master switch.

SO... gooseman, have you checked the fuse in your engine yet? It's probably a glass fuse located inside a brown or red fuse holder. Also, if it is in fact a blown fuse causing your problem, you need to think about why that fuse blew. They don't normally go out for no reason.

no, i have not. thanks for the tip. could it also just be a bad switch? according to the guy i bought the boat from that only the RPM, speedometer, and Trim gauge will work without the master switch flipped on. the aerators, bilge pump, and everything else work off of the master switch.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: need help with electrical problems

I still contend the wiring is not correct. A master switch should kill everything on the boat except an automatic bilge pump, including engine related circuits provided the large positive battery cable is connected to the switch. If only the boat side harness is connected to the master switch then all engine functions would still operate since they would be connected to the battery directly via the POS battery cable. There is no logical reason for separating the tach and trim power from the rest of the instruments. The speedometer is water pressure driven so it doesn't need power at all except for the internal light. We are not getting the full story here. Post a picture of this MASTER switch with as much of the wiriing as you can. Or at least explain what wires and what size are going into and out of it.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: need help with electrical problems

I still contend the wiring is not correct. A master switch should kill everything on the boat except an automatic bilge pump, including engine related circuits provided the large positive battery cable is connected to the switch. If only the boat side harness is connected to the master switch then all engine functions would still operate since they would be connected to the battery directly via the POS battery cable. There is no logical reason for separating the tach and trim power from the rest of the instruments. The speedometer is water pressure driven so it doesn't need power at all except for the internal light. We are not getting the full story here. Post a picture of this MASTER switch with as much of the wiriing as you can. Or at least explain what wires and what size are going into and out of it.

I think the master switch he is talking about is not the "Perko" but a set up like like my bass boat where the switch panel has one switch marked master which powers only the other switches on that panel.

 

[ILgooseman]

Re: need help with electrical problems

I think the master switch he is talking about is not the "Perko" but a set up like like my bass boat where the switch panel has one switch marked master which powers only the other switches on that panel.

yes, that is correct. it controls the other switches on the panel, not if the boat runs or not.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: need help with electrical problems

on my bassboat im sure that the master switch is connected to my fuse panel under the dash it has self reseting fuses that then go back to the other switchs for pumps, lights, tilt and trim gauge. main tilt and trim comes from the + power connection on the motor so that works when the battery selector is on as does the motor. no real reason for a master other than its just more convieniant to flick one switch to kill all the pumps etc than to check ever switch as some are in the front of the boat. basic electrical is + and - if everything doesnt work it one of them. quick check is fuse near the battery. (you proberly dont have one but you might have a breaker which is a square box with a red button) then check then ground bar normally mounted in the rear near the motor battery check there is a wire from battery negative to the bar then its on to the switch at which point its worth spending $5 and getting a auto test light or a cheap volt meter and using that to check for voltage