Help! MR (electrical) WIZARD

[SkiDeep2001]

My 98 lighting just quit working . Batteries,(2) are over 12 on Ohm meter and the lights were working fine. Now the interior lights and running lights have all gone dead. Boat has the original SeaDog 422010, 4 fuse panel and all the fuses are good. Have not pulled fuse panel to check wiring behind it. Is there somewhere I should look first to run this down?, like a wire junction or connectors somewhere other than the fuse panel? It's all standard, original wire and light setup with a CD/radio installed on rear galley wall below cutting board tiles. Also has a perko, off,1,both,2 switch.

[Hamin' X]

Need a lot more info to troubleshoot this, Ski. Is it only the lights that don't work? If the CD still works, it is probably in the fuse panel. Do you have voltage to both sides of all fuses? If not, the problem is probably in the connector to the fuse. Also, even if a fuse looks good, it can still be an open circuit. Even if you do have power to both sides of the fuse, you could have a faulty output connector behind the fuse panel. If nothing works, Check for power at all terminals of the Perko switch in it's different positions. By the time you tear everything out to check this, you will most likely find the loose wire anyway.

~Rich

[SkiDeep2001]

CD/Radio had been disconnected when I bought boat in March.I am going to upgrade so I just left it that way. Lights were working with nothing being done or changed. I just mentioned CD to lay out standard idea of boat setup. Running lights, interior lights and mast light are all on separate fuse so I am assuming there is a disconnect to fuse panel somewhere. I just didn't know if there was a hidden box or connection for that set of wires going to panel. And, I've got 1 week before I head over to Sequim and land drive the 10-15 miles over to Pt Townsend to check out BW Yachts get together. It never fails that when you have something planned Murphys head pops up to gum things up . Having been a shipfitter/welder,boilermaker, pressman (print) and rebuilt a few auto motors and do most of my own repairs ,brakes shocks, you get the drift. Basic electrical is not a mystery to me but it can be frustrating tracing things down Are there any wiring schematics for the Macs available online

[SkiDeep2001]

Well, I found the wiring diagram in the resources manual. Pretty basic and mine has more than what it shows with the perko switch. LOOKS LIKE NOW I HAVE TO STICK MY HEAD DOWN INSIDE BATTERY WELL AND START TRACING WIRES. Just what I wanted to do Oh well.

[K9Kampers]

Ski -

Batteries,(2) are over 12 on Ohm meter...

I take it that you meant to say VOLTS instead of Ohms?

If your battery checks out, make sure that battery connections are clean (shiny) and tight. Same for the ON / OFF switch. Check all wire and cable end connections - crimp on ends can loosen & invite corrosion. Check for an in-line fuse right after the battery, as in the schematic. Use a jumper wire to bypass original wires / components to isolate a problem. With battery connected, check for 12V at each connection thru the entire circuit. With battery disconnected, use OHM meter to check continuity of individual components / wires.

Think about what you did on the boat between the last time everything was working and now. Did you touch, fall, step on something? Doing any mods or rearranging?

Kick Murphy's a$$!

[Nautek]

If I was chasing down a problem like that I would look at the earth or in your case probably the negative side of the system first and make sure that link is ok from the switch panel back to the battery
Then go from there to the and check the positive to the panel.
If you have a battery isolator switch make sure that is functioning properly.
Good luck

Allan

[Highlander]

I had an electrical issue with my M I found that the ground stud next to the cabin switch panel that all the ground wires went to from all the the lights ect, I found that the ground stud was way too small a dia, for the eyelets on the ground wires & one of the ground wire eyelets had pulled through over the grnd stud head leaving the other wires now in a loose connection

J

[Retcoastie]

There is also, an in-line fuse in the wire that goes from the battery to the fuse panel. If nothing on the panel works then that would be the thing to look at. If something on the panel works but not the lights, then the panel is the suspect. Note how other things that do work are connected. They may have been connected directly to the battery and not thru the fuse panel.
If those check out okay, then look at the common (Ground) tie-ups. My grounds wires were a joke.

[Divecoz]

Your receiving excellent advice already. I will reiterate as others have said with . Its a used boat and you have an unknown quanity you may be dealing with... Previous Owner. Often refered to as DPO . He may have been a Perfectionist or a Hack... we may well see which one, very soon.
Normally I suggest dividing the circuit to conquer the problem. Not So in this application. I suggest, due to the possibility of DPO. Start at the battery and check EVERYTHING. Clean all terminals and clean up what ever, looks messy. IMHO get some No-OX connection paste at any Big Box or Ace Hardware.
Once you have established its a go at the battery, move forward to the Panel. Check for Voltage and a good grounds and connections across the terminals at your panel.
As was said previously , check your fuse with your multi-meter set to ohms. ( I have extra fuses in a small box velcro-ed to the wall by the panel and more in my electrical component storage boxes) If all is good to go and its as neat and as clean as you can make it and after having No-Ox-ed all the connections move to your first light and check for power on BOTH sides of the switch. Don't be in a hurry , take your time check all connections and R&R everything.....then after cleaning and No-Oxing reassemble. Do yourself a favor and dont un-do too much all at once....Do Not use Wire Nuts for anything on your boats electrical system. Home Depot sells By The Way....... a ratcheting Sta-con crimper (its red and about $26) which works with perfection and forms a near perfect Octagonal crimp.. its even color coded Red Blue and Yellow. T&B sta-con crimpers ( blue handled ) are your Next best choice. Most everything else you see is IMHO varying degrees of junk! In a pinch Ideal makes a pair iof Yellow handled "Klein's" / side cutters with a pretty decent crimper built in.
I know its a PITA and its time consuming , but better now than out on the water. I.... chose to fill pre-load all connections with the aforementioned Electrolytic grease No-Ox Anti Ox what ever the name the products are basically one and the same . Shrink Tube! Adhesive lined is best and is Much More Water proof / resistant... Get a heat gun or Use the wife's best hair dryer but again IMHO dont resort to a cigarette lighter .
Something I haven't done but should and will this fall. Make a schematic as you go of what goes where. You can do this easy enough, by printing a drawing of your boat off this Site... Patience and a Desire to Attain Perfection is a Virtue.........
In Closing : Tape ! if you need it DNT use cheap Jap-wrap buy a roll of 3M 33+ its a $5 insurance policy. ALL the rest is crap!
I have enough "stuff" stored under the forward dinette seat to rewire your entire boat ... You might give this some thought as well. I have 2 PLASTIC tool boxes and 4 divided flat boxes for everything. SS screws nuts bolts washers pins bla bla bla . I have a dedicated wrench and socket set for the boat and none of those leave the boat. Just about anything that I could break or drop in the water, I have spares of in those containers and boxes.
There is a lot more to say and add , but you'll be busy enough for now. Patience and a Desire to Attain Perfection is a Virtue.........

[tangentair]

OK I'll add my two cents (for that is likely what it is worth). Make a long test lead - about 10 ft or so with a clip on one end and on the other end, a way to attach it to the negative test lead or terminal of your meter (black is usually the negative lead). Clip it on your battery's negative terminal. You can now walk the circuit with the positive lead all the way to the positive side of the load (motor or lamp) you want to check, any place you find voltage is a good conection back to the positive terminal of the battery. If it is good then switch the test leads and walk the circuit to the negative side of the load. When you loose the voltage you have found the problem to between the last and previous check points and you can either keep trying to find closer places to check or start making physical inspections.
The advantage of doing this using voltage rather than ohming out the circuit as some people like to do is if by chance there is any power in the circuit your checking, you will not blow the tiny fuse which is difficult to find a replacement for and render your meter useless until you do. And when you understand what your doing, you can in a pinch, take long two pieces of wire, have your wife hold the ends on a 12v lightbulb with her fingers and put one wire on the battery which she can hold in place with her toe and you can troubleshoot with the other, when the light is lit you have voltage and a good circuit, when it is not you have found the problem. You can also connect your wire to a fishing hook and probe through the insulation to narrow down where the problem is - Or seriously in advance you can take an old scrap light socket with a good bulb connect long flexable wire leads to it, put a clip on one end and a sharpened nail or other needle like piece of metal and you have a easy visual circuit tester, add a 12 volt buzzer, and you don't have to "see" the meter as you go.
Ron

[Québec 1]

Start at the battery and check EVERYTHING. Patience and a Desire to Attain Perfection is a Virtue.........

I had an electrical problem last year and The problem was at the battery ......loose connectors to the battery poles...but before I made that discovery I did a lot of other useless actions .
Q1

[Russ]

Divecoz

Thanks for the great lesson and shopping list.
The right tools make a huge difference and there are no hardware stores on the water. I'm getting some new tools for father's day.

[SkiDeep2001]

K9, yes I meant I was using ohm/volt meter and it was switched to DC and Nissan motor cranks and pedestal lights work. It is just weird because the boat is in driveway, Tuesday I put bumpers and vests in head and lights worked, Wednesday I got back in cabin and went to turn on lights and nothing. I had not touched anything so unless I have a mouse,rat or squirrel or maybe a ghost in system there was no reason for lights to quit working. I will track it down, I just didn't know if the wire runs that are behind the walls or where I can't see readily had a box or connectors somewhere. If they are fused inline I will have to check those. Thanks to all. I will mention that perko connections do have green oxidation built up, I will clean that 1st and start from batts and check all. Electrical problems on land are not too big of a deal. Electrical problems on the water can be a real b*t*h.

[aya16]

Hope you solved the problem ok. But if you havent, Retcoastie, may have gave you the solution, there is a plastic fuse holder that comes off the battery near the battery compartment, that wire goes to the fuse panel. If the panel is dead, more than likely that fuse and or holder, it bounces around pretty good and mine had come apart once. I just eliminated it, its sort of a redundant.

Of course all the other possibilities mentioned could be the problem too, but you can save lots of hassle, maybe, if you check that holder and fuse. Its not water tight and its a cheap fragile part
Mike

[SkiDeep2001]

Fixed it. Thought I put that here but must have been in other post.(See-Fuse panel upgrade opinion?
Postby SkiDeep2001 » Fri Jun 19, 2009 2:33 pm) Broken wire from green crud. Also broke my fuse panel when pulling/checking fuses . Replaced the original Sea Dog 4 with a Weatherdeck 6. I am now trying to get all rewired before Friday as I am heading to Sequim and will sneak over(by land) to walk the dock at Pt Townsend, BWYacht get together. And as an extra bonus my Nissan 50 sprung a fuel leak AND the pump or impeller quit working Sunday, and I was just flushing the stupid thing (better take that back, nice motor,such a good little motor) So now I get to fix that in the next 4 days Boats are so much fun, just like my motorhome. Oh well, if I didn't have this to do I'd probably get fat and gooey sitting in my recliner in front of the boob tube. Rob - PS: Will be coating, treating wires and connections with liquid electrical tape and that commandx or whatever it's called. I'll have to look that up. Pray for me