No power!

[Jeff Tancock]

After a boys sailing weekend I went to start up the trusty old 25xp to get back to the slip and nothing! No nothing...
Luckily the only boat out in the cold foggy afternoon was a 26' Tolley with a knowledgeable tow driver who kindly escorted us back to our slip. There was no time to investigate as 2 crew had to run fast. One for a ferry the other for a flight.
So now I'm thinking....why no power? Turning the key.....zippo. No gauges, no lights on the engine panel, no glow and obviously no start.
Sore power charges fine, batteries are fine, house functions seemed fine (lights, pumps etc.)
So before I go out to the boat next time I would appreciate some thoughts from experienced or other knowledgeable forum members....

What are you initial thoughts. Where would you start and how would you proceed?

The boat is a 1988 (#630) 25xp. Wiring harness (not including the solenoid) was done shortly after I bought the boat 15 years ago (1998). Still using standard wiring set up with 1-2-all-off switch. Batteries (2X6V house, 12V Group 27 back up) are new last year. Never had any trouble other than the chronic sluggish start up. I've visually checked terminals, grounds connections, etc. over the years and never found any obvious trouble.
Time to delve into the wiring and figure it out I guess! My season here in the Pacific Northwest has come to an end so I now have lots of time....

Thanks for any thoughts and/or any shared experience....

[Kevin Henderson]

Hi Jeff,

I was having an intermittent problem similar to yours.  After asking here in the forum, many others suggested checking the inline starter fuse.  The original one I had became corroded.  I replaced it with a water tight blade fuse and no longer have any questions about starting. 
Just a thought anyway..  Good Luck   

[Bill Asbury]

Had same problem on my '90 C34 with 25xp and had to replace ignition.

[Clay Greene]

I'll bet you a cold beer that it is the starter fuse.  If not that, I would check to see if you are getting power at the engine panel.  If so, it could be your ignition switch at the engine panel.  If no power at the engine panel and the starter fuse is fine, I would look at your master 1-2-B switch and its connections.  But I think it is the starter fuse. 

[Stu Jackson]

Jeff, some good ideas here.  You did say you didn't have any power to your panel, right?  Then first I'd try the ignition switch.  Open the cockpit panel and jump the switch and see what happens.

Check the Critical Upgrades topic for more ideas.

Be systematic, and do one thing at a time ONLY to identify what the issue could be.

[Jeff Tancock]

Thanks so far......no power to the panel is correct.
I was thinking a fuse, a connection, maybe a switch? Much what you are saying so far.
Good idea to do one thing at a time. I'm just wanting a list to work through and a plan to start with the most obvious/likely issue and work through the system, getting familiar with it again. Maybe doing some serious rewiring????

[Stu Jackson]

Jeff, don't over-complicate it, it's bad enough already!  

Seriously, with power to the panel, either it's a wire from the 1-2-B switch to the panel or something at the panel.

While you're at it, sketch wiring diagrams as you go so you'll know what connects to what (if you haven't already).  Good luck.

I'll be back up at Xmas, hope to see you then.

[Jeff Tancock]

Okay I agree it is likely something between the 1/2/all switch and the starter. There is no power at the panel for the gauges. The ignition switch sounds like a good candidate if all the power goes through that first. How do I check it? A multimeter? Make up a jumper cable?
If that's good, are there switches, relays or fuses in there that could be the problem?

[Clay Greene]

Jeff, see the attached wiring diagram.  I can't guarantee this is accurate for your boat (our boat did not have the circuit breaker referenced in the diagram) but it gives you an idea of how the wiring works.  Power comes to the engine panel through the ignition switch.  That is why turning the key to "accessory" energizes the panel.  Use a multimeter to see if the (most likely but not necessarily) red wire running to the ignition switch has power.  If it does have power coming in, best guess is that your ignition switch has failed - that would explain why nothing in the panel is energized and the engine is not turning over.  If it does not have power coming in, your problem is further forward in the boat. 

If the problem is further forward in the boat, have you replaced the black plastic wire harness plugs or was this done by a PO?  This wiring diagram, by the way, was for re-wiring from the black plastic plugs to termstrips.  You could have a failure in those black plugs of power leading up to the panel. 

[Jeff Tancock]

Thanks claygr....that looks somewhat familiar. I did do the wiring harness, but that was 15 years ago and an electrician buddy helped...meaning that mostly I watched and tried to follow what he did and helped whenever possible. Thanks for the diagram and the logic. I does seem like the most likely candidate is the ignition switch. I'll check that first!

[MarkT]

We had a similar situation. A little time with the volt meter and a wire to the battery, showed volts at the 1/2/All switch but no volts at the engine or engine panel. When we pulled the cable from the starter back to the battery switch it was corroded and the load had melted the remaining strands of wire. It shouldn't take long to chase down where you have voltage and don't.

BTW
The engine cranks so much faster now!

Mark Tamblyn

[Ron Hill]

Jeff : Look at the ignition switch!!!!

One of the tips I mentioned years ago is to take a long screwdriver and go from the starter solenoid stud to the engine block (momentarily) and hear the starter turnover.

I had my ignition switch go out 3 months after I got my boat back in 1989.  I then bought 2 ignition switches and sill have the one as a spare.

A few thoughts

[Bobg]

It was the switch on my boat, I had to jumper it from a battery to get my engine started while at anchor, got another one from the ship store, around 17 bucks.  New switch also took care of all the erractic readings on all my guages

[Ron Hill]

Jeff : Here's another tip I wrote up years ago for when you install your new ignition switch(to restore ALL power to your panel).

If your new ignition switch has a "weep hole" make sure the hole is down.

Clay, boy does that cold beer sure sound good!!  A few thoughts

[Clay Greene]

Ron, it would be an honor to pay up in person.  I might even spring for something imported and in a bottle!