Hoping someone can assist on this strange problem I am having. Boat runs great but every now and then when I am out on the water, the power to the radio and all accessory and light switches will go off. The gauges still operate, as well as the horn, and all operating aspects of the boat quite normally. No signs of any issues running the boat during this time. All the lights on the accessory switches themselves are not lit during the time when this occurs. Then, in anywhere from about 30 seconds to a minute or two, everything powers back on at the same time as if nothing is wrong. I have been trying to look for clues as to when this occurs. I boat on a large lake but it does seem to happen when it is choppier and rougher out on the water, but I am not sure that is consistently the case. Any ideas or past experience with an issue like this would be greatly appreciated.
2012 2275 RLC Intermittent Electrical issue
- Thread starter Vventura
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SEMPERFI8387
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I’d start with checking grounds. Maybe there’s a common point that ground for switch lights and radio are tied together.
Bill N
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Intermittent opens/shorts can be very frustrating to trouble shoot.
Fortunately the Accys are separate from engine functions.
Sounds like a circuit breaker that resets itself after it cools down. If so, that would indicate short/overload.
Good luck and have patience.
Fortunately the Accys are separate from engine functions.
Sounds like a circuit breaker that resets itself after it cools down. If so, that would indicate short/overload.
Good luck and have patience.
Any hints or suggestions on how to troubleshoot something like that or is it best left to someone else?
Bill N
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Note which accys are on when it happens. Rotate using different accys in an effort to isolate the culprit.
You could also turn on your accys and wiggle wiring harnesses to see if you can pinpoint a location.
Bill N
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If there is a main circuit breaker that is tripping, try replacing that first. It could be that simple.
Vikingstaff
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I am sensitive these days to anything electrical on the boats. Doesn’t hurt to try to resolve something simple yourself. However, if checking for simple solutions doesn’t work, and if it is still under warranty, you could always take it in. Bad time of year to get anything boat related fixed quickly. Likewise though, if you prod around too much, it can just become an excuse not to warranty cover an issue later. It has been eluded to by my dealerhship that that could become a factor with my current boat problem if they cannot find a definitive cause of an electrical issue I am having. Thus, be careful on doing too much on your own as well.
Bill N
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So they are saying...."We can't figure it out. It has to be something you did."
With the shortage of technical knowledge at marine dealerships, that could become our next pandemic.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Right now this is a conversation I have had twice with the dealership service department rep and the manager. Both times it eventually became heated on my part since I pay them to do ALL work on that dang boat.
However, since I had hooked it up to my battery charger initially (per their advice on the phone when the NEW batteries were low), they circle back to “what if you crossed the wires…that may have done it.” Since I was observant, and not stupid, I assure them that oversight did not happen.
Of course the same logic of well you guys did EVERYTHING ELSE, so what if you screwed up leads to “if we can find anything definitive that we did, then it would be on us.”
So on manufacturer or them…has to be 100% definitive. If they are too incompetent to find the cause of the problem, I must of F….’d up and it will be an insurance claim on my part. Hmmm…
Anyway, short answer, yes. The shortage of technical knowledge and/or competence (at least at my dealership) might be the next issue we owners may have to face. That is where I am at currently.
However, they haven’t even pulled Sea Legs and under-skirting yet. So they have the majority of that harness and electrical system to still look over. I try to not get worked up over it, but the two conversations referenced above, along with this 8 weeks of it just sitting there, gets me worked up very easily on this matter.