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Electrical issue - battery connected backwards

farna

farna

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Lake Murray, Gilbert, SC
I changed the battery to my boat last year and accidentally connected the terminals backwards. Blew a fuse on the motor, all other fuses appear to be fine. A wiring diagram for a 1999 2275FS would be really appreciated! I have checked and made sure there is power under the console in the main harness. I'm about to go out and make sure I have power at the switch now. Anyone ever done this???

There are only two wires running from the battery to under the boat. Under the console there are two small sub harnesses going under the boat, one from the switch, the other from the motor controls, and another large (main?) harness. I can't find any fuses under the console other than the radio. Apparently everything splices together somewhere UNDER the darned boat! It's in the water, and I don't have a trailer. Will have to tow to a marina to get it out. I see that in the 2013 diagram posted in a sticky that there are circuit breakers on the dash. I will check to see if I have those on my 1999. I am familiar with vehicle wiring. I successfully grafted a 1988 EFI engine in my old 1963 Rambler wagon with few issues, but I had complete diagrams for both vehicles -- splicing 1988 into 1963 wasn't all that difficult. The circuit breakers I would assume are the automotive self-resetting type and shouldn't need resetting.

Any help would be appreciated!
 
I took a closer look at the wiring diagrams in the top post. I see a "FASCO (30A or 50A) Breaker - Resettable". Where is this breaker supposed to be? I'm going out to check the switch and will see if I can find that breaker... if my 99 2257FS even has one...
 
There are some pop up resettable breakers on some dash switches, but those are for individual circuits. A 50 amp breaker shouldn't be far from the positive battery post most likely. There's an infinite ways to wire something, but I'd start looking for it close to the starting battery.

There shouldn't be splices under the boat where water can hammer them.

One other thing comes to mind. Breakers generally trip faster than fuses. If you had a fuse blow, it may mean that 50A breaker was never installed like it shouldb have been. Just a thought. Regardless, some sort of protection needs to be within a few inches of the positive battery post, or a short could set your boat on fire.
 
No breaker that I can find. I have power under the console, and have confirmed that I have power to the switch. There are fuses in the two power lines that run up to the console. There are separate breakers for all the switches on the dash, and none are tripped. It appears that nothing is getting through the switch, but I haven't confirmed that yet. Have no idea what wire(s) should have power on them from the switch. Easy to find power on the connector when unplugged, have to plug it in and try to backprobe the connector to find power from the switch. That's difficult because of the type of connector used. Can't tell if I'm not getting the probe pushed in far enough or not getting power from the switch! Having a decent wiring diagram would help. The owners manuals that come with these things are to darned generic to be any good at all... it's just a generic pontoon boat owners manual -- could be used with any brand.
 
Can you disconnect the switch and check to be sure it works with an ohm meter?
 
I’m assuming your safety lanyard is installed? if so pop it on and off numerous times and see if anything happens.
If I’m reading correctly, you have power but a no start issue??
 
Sort of. I have power at the connectors that come from the rear of the boat to u der the console. I have no power at any of the accessories or gauges.. no lights or start, or radio. I'm suspicious of the switch right now, possibly the neutral safety switch. I wouldn't think the NSS would stop power to the accessories though.

The 2012 wiring diagram is way different. All accessories on the posted diagrams are powered straight from the battery with a circuit breaker between. My 2000 doesn't have the breaker, and the accessories appear to be powered through the switch. Switch isn't shown on the posted diagrams at all.

I'm going to check the switch by backprobing the connector first. If I get nothing I'll try an ohm meter. If I knew what was supposed to be coming out of the switch where it would help! Might be able to look up the switch from manufacturer.
 
A fuse is usually installed at the battery, this controls lights and accessories. replaced mine a few times, also there is a fuse under the cowl on outboad motors that control the engine start , that may have blown. google your motor brand and you should be able to locate the fuse.
 
The fuse on the motor is the only one that blew. I got under the console again and started digging. There is a 12 position connector for all the console switches and gauges. I unplugged that to make sure I was getting power (fat red + and fat black ground -- obvious!). I tried back probing the other side of the connector and got nothing. Unplugged where it went to the accessory switches and still nothing, but the connectors had a bit of corrosion that wouldn't be easy to clean off. Since I had little to lose, I trimmed just enough insulation off the read and black wires between connector and switches. NO POWER.

So it seems the switch side of the 12 pin connector is bad. I'm going to order a 12 pin molex connector and replace it. Might just be coincidence that it went out when the battery was reversed. I can't see anything that looks burned or otherwise damaged on the connector, but it's hard to see under the console and it might be internal to the connector. Once replaced I'll know for sure it's good anyway.
 
farna said:
The fuse on the motor is the only one that blew. I got under the console again and started digging. There is a 12 position connector for all the console switches and gauges. I unplugged that to make sure I was getting power (fat red + and fat black ground -- obvious!). I tried back probing the other side of the connector and got nothing. Unplugged where it went to the accessory switches and still nothing, but the connectors had a bit of corrosion that wouldn't be easy to clean off. Since I had little to lose, I trimmed just enough insulation off the read and black wires between connector and switches. NO POWER.

So it seems the switch side of the 12 pin connector is bad. I'm going to order a 12 pin molex connector and replace it. Might just be coincidence that it went out when the battery was reversed. I can't see anything that looks burned or otherwise damaged on the connector, but it's hard to see under the console and it might be internal to the connector. Once replaced I'll know for sure it's good anyway.
Click to expand...

Also look at the connections from the battery again. Make sure you didn’t overlook anything. Start from there and work backwards to the helm. If you have no power at the helm, I’m thinking it’s an issue closer to the battery.
 
I have power at the helm though, up to that 12 position connector, on the "battery side", but not through to the "helm side" of the connector. And power going TO the switch.

Part of the problem is that there is no comprehensive wiring diagram. The one from Bennington (they sent me a 2003 diagram, which I will upload later) just covers the boat control panel and just shows one wire "to switch". It appears that I need to obtain the engine control wiring diagram (helm control? For forward/reverse and throttle? Not much of a boat person... ) and possibly the switch manufacturer and engine diagram. I didn't see anything in my Honda 90 owners manual, may need to look again. I'm more used to cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles all built from one manufacturer, not the hodge podge of a pontoon with controls, motor, and main boat all from different makers who don't necessarily coordinate with each other!!
 
I had same issue with a “radio” harness plug. Minimal corrosion, but enough to cause no power issue. I sprayed with contact cleaner, put some dielectric grease in, no issues after that.
 
I thought about trying to clean it, and I might, but will most likely just replace the 12 position connector. Will try cleaning the switch connector, and if that does the trick every other connector I can find!!
 
Cleaned the connections, and found an issue with the 12 position connector. Fixed issue (helm side was a two part connector that was partially pulled apart...), and now have power on the main power wire on the helm side of connector, but still no power to accessories, switch, or instruments. I've checked car wiring many times, but this is foreign to me -- and I've never had a car issue where the whole thing wasn't getting power and it not just be a ground or power connection! I'm using the black ground wire in the main harness for ground to check the power. Will start checking grounds on the switches. As far as I can tell there is only one ground wire, but there should be another -- the one in the 12 position connector for the motor, a second one for boat wiring. I've checked both sides of the fuse, they appear to be good. Will check fuses with an ohm meter to be sure... I'm about ready to take the thing out and just sink it... but don't worry, will take to a good shop first...
 
And just that fast I found the problem!!! Short answer -- it was the battery cut-off that I had installed last year. It's a tighten to connect, loosen to disconnect type that goes between the battery post and cable. Got some corrosion between the two parts that make contact and was giving an erratic ground.

Long answer: When I'd check at the wires I'd get the same as battery voltage (11.82-11.85 at this point). But if you turned a switch on the connection wasn't good enough to supply a load. Turn switch off and check voltage -- 11.8x. I pulled the switch panel for better access and checked voltage with a switch on -- 0.43!!! Pulled the wires and checked and this time they only showed 0.53V. WTF??? Went back and checked battery... 11.8x. Went back to switch panel... 11.8x. Tried a switch again, voltage dropped to 0.4x!! Went back to battery, now only 0.4x there too!!! Checked directly at battery posts -- 11.8x. Checked ground where cable connects and positive post -- 0.8xV. Pulled battery disconnect and wired grounds straight to post -- now everything works!! One of those head scratchers. I had checked at posts and at cable connections on disconnect before and got the same voltages -- even did so when I first started checking today. So it was getting a ground, but not good enough for any kind of load. Electricity can do strange things.... Now to fully charge battery and get the thing moving again!!!
 
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